I don't think that this is necessairly a topic that only "belongs" in this section, but as it originated here, and as many shamanistic techniques and traditions are connected to a specific landscape...I think its as good of a spot as any (and, its my observation that there is alot of overlap between shamanism, animism, and (for lack of a better word right now--i have mush-brain) land worship.
this is a topic that comes up from time to time (the last time that I rememeber it), and I think its a topic worth addressing
So...here in the US, the problem of cultural appropriate seems to be very regional. I live in one of the first areas colonized by Europeans--Jamestown was founded here, in an area where the Powhatan had been greatly reduced (as with most Native tribes) by diseases spread via trade and exploration in other parts of the Americas prior to settlement--there are two easy to read but decent pop-history books on the subject--1491 and 1493 by Charles C. Mann (and his bibliography is great for heavier reading). There is very little left of their religion, their deity names, etc, to even consider. In the area where I grew up, the major local civilization (Cahokia) had long crashed before either the French or the Americans showed up...what is known about the practices of the people in that area (at least for that time period) are mostly archaeological.
For me, its not a problem to mostly address the local *spirit of a place* in terms of European paganisms...specifically as the Greek Naiads, Oceanids, etc. In which case, I don't think there is a problem of appropriation--its not an extant religion (in its original form), and the culture from which is derived has undergone considerable and long term evolution from these practices (perhaps most importantly, without recent coersion). But. There are gaps...and there have been some cases where other deities and spirits are more appropriate, and when these have belonged to extant religions of often marginalized cultures, I feel somewhat conflicted.
Originally posted by Rae'ya
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So...here in the US, the problem of cultural appropriate seems to be very regional. I live in one of the first areas colonized by Europeans--Jamestown was founded here, in an area where the Powhatan had been greatly reduced (as with most Native tribes) by diseases spread via trade and exploration in other parts of the Americas prior to settlement--there are two easy to read but decent pop-history books on the subject--1491 and 1493 by Charles C. Mann (and his bibliography is great for heavier reading). There is very little left of their religion, their deity names, etc, to even consider. In the area where I grew up, the major local civilization (Cahokia) had long crashed before either the French or the Americans showed up...what is known about the practices of the people in that area (at least for that time period) are mostly archaeological.
For me, its not a problem to mostly address the local *spirit of a place* in terms of European paganisms...specifically as the Greek Naiads, Oceanids, etc. In which case, I don't think there is a problem of appropriation--its not an extant religion (in its original form), and the culture from which is derived has undergone considerable and long term evolution from these practices (perhaps most importantly, without recent coersion). But. There are gaps...and there have been some cases where other deities and spirits are more appropriate, and when these have belonged to extant religions of often marginalized cultures, I feel somewhat conflicted.
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