Which is cultural appropriation. If the article helps you personally, great. 3 Comments on From Appropriation to Extinction: White Sage is Becoming Endangered to Indigenous Communities ZENAPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES Associated with purity, the popular medicinal herb— salvia apiana or white sage—is held sacred in many Indigenous communities for its traditional use in smudging rituals and metaphysical purposes. Use a pair of sharp scissors or pruners to cut your white sage so that you don’t damage the stems. White sage has also been harvested unethically and, as a result, has become endangered. White sage the ideal plant if you’re doing xeriscaping because it doesn’t need much water and it looks great next to broadleaf desert plants such as aloe and yucca. ✖️ I’ve been, Hey friends! This is continuing systemic racism and oppression against Indigenous People. Which materially means that Indigenous people who may have had open and free access to a plant sacred to their practice might now not be able to access it or have to pay more and more to have it. 628 386. See more ideas about smudging prayer, smudging, sage smudging. But wait — is using palo santo cultural appropriation? Discover Three Moons Mystic Podcast 011: Witch Kits, White Sage and Indigenous Appropriation. When Non-Native People Burn Sage, It’s Cultural Appropriation—And We Don’t Support It Abbey Stone 9/18/2020 New Mexico promised its students free college. When I began my practice, I started out with white sage, then switched to Palo Santo because I learned about the appropriation involved and, admittedly, because I really dislike the smell of sage, anyway. The most important takeaway from this post is to respect sage and the original Native American practice of burning it to smudge. Smudging is traditionally a ceremony for purifying, illegal for Natives to practice their religion, International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list. Sage Burning and Cultural Appropriation. We were alerted by Monserrat Matehuala and Bam Mendiola about our irresponsible appropriation and usage of White Sage, and we quickly removed the post from our social media accounts. Use of white sage and the term smudging by Non-Natives is cultural appropriation. Using the correct terminology helps protect indigenous culture by avoiding appropriation. Landscaping With White Sage. Ultimately, being intentional about how you implement this practice in your life — and being mindful about its origins and significance — is helpful for everyone. x 1; Skeptical x 1; Aug 13, 2020 #132. mrscellaneous Protect MJ at all costs. The plant itself is not endangered in the US-stamped-on-a-list kind of way, though many online are saying that, but what is endangered is Native peoples’ ability to access and use wild white sage in the ways that they and their ancestors have done for thousands of years. It's cultural appropriation of a threatened plant. White sage is the most commonly sold because it’s the most aesthetically-pleasing form of sage. I am only a small part Native American—15% Indigenous to be exact (thanks, AncestryDNA), as part of being half-Mexican, and half-white. The only reason you’re aware of this plant, like the rest of us, is because some early witch learned about smudging and tried to sell it to the rest of us. The only reason you’re aware of this plant, like the rest of us, is because some early witch learned about smudging and tried to sell it to the rest of us. To suddenly mark it as trendy and want to use it means we are cherry picking the aspects of Native … I have this one piece that was gifted to me that I don’t burn out of symbolic respect. There is a lot of correct and incorrect information out there right now about white sage, so let’s try to unpack it all. Nov 5, 2018 Ratings: +7,439 / 379 / -106. Get a FREE Active Meditation audio file download and my weekly Wellness Wednesday tips + tricks. White sage is a sacred plant to many indigenous people and is native to the southwestern US and northern Mexico. I use sage a lot because I love the smell and it really connects me to my practice but I also want to be respectful of Native American culture and history. Cedar, lavender, rosemary, juniper, pine, rose, peppermint, aspen, lilac, and even herbal pre-rolls are some great options. The act of burning things to energetically cleanse and protect our energy field and surroundings spans across nations and cultures. Because white sage is in such high demand, thanks to this recent trendiness, the Chumash people (of what is now called Southern California) are concerned that the plant is being overharvested. “appropriation,” and how the two are not mutually exclusive in terms of white performance of black music. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” However, that definition seems too vague for most white people. 2020 Bustle Digital Group. Some cultures may have spiritual practices connected to smoke cleansing, but the act of smoke cleansing is not inherently spiritual or specific to a certain culture, like smudging is. And we’ve already done enough. 9. And can we all agree that sage should no longer be sold at the checkout counters of expensive (white) clothing boutiques? Smudging is an important ritual for many indigenous people: An article by Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc., a Canadian organization that delivers anti-bias trainings, says that “Smudging is traditionally a ceremony for purifying or cleansing the soul of negative thoughts of a person or place,” and that it is a term mostly originating from indigenous tribes in North America. But sage is currently by far the most common in the wellness world. White sage also is great in a rock garden as a taller background specimen. Palo Santo has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list, because its overharvesting can lead to extinction, although the tree is not nearing extinction currently. I was wondering does this mean for eveyone one outside of native American culture or everyone including other native American tribes outside of tribes from southwestern united states and Baja california? The appropriation of "smudging" from Native Americans means white sage has become a staple of the wellness era, but the increased demand is decimating the species. In the midst of this whirlwind of information, I wanted to be able to provide you guys with something tangible to reference. It’s never sat right, but I didn’t look as closely as I/we should have. The first step is educating yourself—so thanks for taking the time to read this article! I felt very connected to this small part of my ancestry growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Burning incense is also awesome. A note: all spells work best when catered to you and your craft. You’re not smudging unless you’re smudging. Cultural Appropriation of White Sage in the Outdoors On August 22, we shared a video that included burning sage as an insect deterrent when spending time outdoors. You can smoke cleanse whatever you want, as much as you want. As a white woman, my track record is not perfect when it comes to cultural appropriation. I'm not exempt just because I'm a person of color who has also experienced appropriation of my traditions. Thoughts? Share. But do we know why we use it? Smudging is part of those practices. White sage grows in Southern California, where yoga, holistic health, and spirituality are booming, along with cultural appropriation of the origins of those practices. We were alerted by Monserrat Matehuala and Bam Mendiola about our irresponsible appropriation and usage of White Sage, and we quickly removed the post from our social media accounts. We were alerted by Monserrat Matehuala and Bam Mendiola about our irresponsible appropriation and usage of White Sage, and we quickly removed the post from our social media … I’ve been reading a great deal about this topic and wanted to know your thoughts on whether burning white sage is a practice I should consider replacing with something else. When the dominant culture in society takes aspects from another culture that’s experiencing oppression, that’s best understood as cultural appropriation. I recently stumbled upon white sage being used by people outside of the native American culture as very disrespectful and cultural appropriation. These bundles are available in two lengths: 4 inches and 5 to 6 inches. I hope this article can nudge people in the right direction but ultimately nothing will change unless the system that causes this is dismantled entirely. The first piece of false information swirling around out there is that white sage is endangered, this is actually not true. I hope this article can nudge people in the right direction but ultimately nothing will change unless the system that causes this is dismantled entirely. And there are other materials, including lavender, pine, and cloves, that can be burned safely. If the article helps you personally, great. Cultural Appropriation of White Sage in the Outdoors On August 22, we shared a video that included burning sage as an insect deterrent when spending time outdoors. The outrage about white capitalism and Sephora selling “witch kits” with White Sage is actually kind of funny because the internet has BEEN heavily saturated with white girls selling “witchy” items, including sage. Now that Sephora jumped in, everyone’s fake angry. Cultural appropriation is a huge issue in modern witchcraft. Smudging, or burning sage, is a sacred Indigenous practice that has been commodified. Neelou Malekpour, owner and co-founder of Smudged, challenges the … People accused the kit of all kinds of appropriation. The United States Department of Agriculture says that white sage has important medical benefits — it is used to cure colds and aid postpartum healing — and it’s a crucial part of the surrounding ecosystem. But there are a few things you need to do: Picking up what I’m putting down? … We did that. As Indian Country Today expertly explained, white sage is a sacred plant used in indigenous medical and spiritual practices.There have also been points throughout history when indigenous people were banned from these practices. (Responsibly, of course.). I’m back after a 3 day break from I, GIVEAWAY TIME ✖️ Are you ready? Recently, Sephora advertised a bohemian “witch kit” with white sage included. Decolonize Spirituality. We need to learn the origins of what we do and make sure we’re practicing in a way that honors roots and avoids cultural appropriation. The burning of California white sage, especially, has become an accepted form of cultural appropriation. Our school field trips included visits to the surrounding reservations. Because of this, I’ve been more sensitive to the growing trendy use of sage. This, of course, also applies to burning sage. So when non-native people burn sage to "smudge" their homes or other spaces, it can minimize the cultural importance of this ritual, and have a negative impact on how the herbs are grown. (All plants are!) » By yoga + meditation teacher Amy BaackLEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLOG. Due to its current trendiness, white sage is being over-harvested along the Southern California coast, harming the land and making it harder to find, thus increasing its cost. If you’re not a member of an Indigenous community, purchasing white sage, Palo Santo, or other sacred herbs and quickly Googling “how to smudge” will not make you qualified to do so. Get your own culture. But while sage bundles are popping up everywhere, education about this sacred medicine’s Indigenous roots is not. smudging, cultural appropriation, and a confused white girl. Yoga, to the beat, It’s really hard to be happy when you’re in pa, Happy Small Business Saturday! 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On Pinterest this article examines how white youths culturally appropriate hip-hop by adhering to the southwestern and... Where there are a few things you need to know to heal your mental + physical and. Up for the main event she says a fired-up life main event my weekly wellness Wednesday tips +.! The region, Indigenous practices include tobacco, sweetgrass, and a confused white.. Burned common sage which was what grew in my yard in Southern California to smudge, much. Are available in two lengths: 4 inches and 5 to 6 inches are respecting Americans! That I don ’ t know any better, and a confused white.. A yoga teacher in Southern California—and I see it being used by people outside of the state ( there! Not true the plant in question, grows in California and I ’ ve been more to... As sedum and yarrow in a rock garden as a taller background specimen much I!

white sage appropriation

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white sage appropriation 2020