Cultural (Mis)Appropriation

[The Hammer]

Cultural (Mis)Appropriation: the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. [Oxford Languages]

As Pagans, some of us (I understand not all) like to use Deit(ies) in Worship, Ritual, and Magick. Egyptian, Celtic, Germanic, and Vedic, deities I have seen invoked (sometimes simultaneously) in many a pagan circle; not to mention symbols, signs, and sigils used. Often times these are rather ethnically diverse crowds, which is great to see from a community standpoint. But at what point does Paganism veer into Cultural Appropriation? And at the opposite end of the spectrum, should a person worshipping deities in Paganism only be concerned with the deities of ones own ancestry? If so, how does one avoid Tribalism (ie. my Gods/Ancestry is superior), and foster cooperation amongst differing faith-groups? Does this cooperation inevitably lead back to Cultural Appropriation due to the diffusion of religious values?

 

[Quintessence]

I've often had a hard time understanding the hullabaloo this topic inspires among the contemporary Pagan community. I mean, I get it... but I don't get it.

When considering questions like this, it is always a good idea to back up and take a look at our assumptions. For example, what is our understanding of culture? What is our understanding of identity, and how that intersects (or doesn't) with culture? Furthermore, what understanding of ownership are we bringing to the table? What sorts of things do we believe can be owned, and why? If you do adhere to some concept of ownership, how is this enforced and regulated?

For my part, I don't get the hullabaloo in part because I find the concept of ownership suspect at best, especially for things which cannot contained or controlled (like culture). Culture is always changing, and people are always interacting with each other and sharing elements of culture. Humans throughout history have routinely "appropriated" elements from other cultures. This process is inevitable and unstoppable. And in the vast majority of cases, it isn't done out of disrespect but out of admiration and inspiration. If sharing with each other is producing something beautiful, I have a hard time calling foul. In the rare instances where appropriation is done malevolently, the critics have a point.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I've often had a hard time understanding the hullabaloo this topic inspires among the contemporary Pagan community. I mean, I get it... but I don't get it.

When considering questions like this, it is always a good idea to back up and take a look at our assumptions. For example, what is our understanding of culture? What is our understanding of identity, and how that intersects (or doesn't) with culture? Furthermore, what understanding of ownership are we bringing to the table? What sorts of things do we believe can be owned, and why? If you do adhere to some concept of ownership, how is this enforced and regulated?

For my part, I don't get the hullabaloo in part because I find the concept of ownership suspect at best, especially for things which cannot contained or controlled (like culture). Culture is always changing, and people are always interacting with each other and sharing elements of culture. Humans throughout history have routinely "appropriated" elements from other cultures. This process is inevitable and unstoppable. And in the vast majority of cases, it isn't done out of disrespect but out of admiration and inspiration. If sharing with each other is producing something beautiful, I have a hard time calling foul. In the rare instances where appropriation is done malevolently, the critics have a point.

much better said than what was coalescing in my mind...

 

[Quintessence]

To add, there is one other facet of appropriation that is cause for some concern, and that's when folks try to re-write history, so to speak. Where possible, give credit where credit is due. If you took inspiration from something, credit the source and don't try to pass off your version of it as the "most authentic" or something.

For example, I identify as a Druid, but in no way do I try to pass myself off as Druidic in the pre-Christian sense. I'm not. I can't be. That culture died, and we know next to nothing about it. Like other contemporary Pagan traditions, Druidry is a modern re-creation and re-imagining; we are not the same as historical Druidry at all.

 

[Callisto]

Cultural (Mis)Appropriation: the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. [Oxford Languages]

As Pagans, some of us (I understand not all) like to use Deit(ies) in Worship, Ritual, and Magick. Egyptian, Celtic, Germanic, and Vedic, deities I have seen invoked (sometimes simultaneously) in many a pagan circle; not to mention symbols, signs, and sigils used. Often times these are rather ethnically diverse crowds, which is great to see from a community standpoint. But at what point does Paganism veer into Cultural Appropriation? And at the opposite end of the spectrum, should a person worshipping deities in Paganism only be concerned with the deities of ones own ancestry? If so, how does one avoid Tribalism (ie. my Gods/Ancestry is superior), and foster cooperation amongst differing faith-groups? Does this cooperation inevitably lead back to Cultural Appropriation due to the diffusion of religious values?

Cultural appropriation is just as was cited, "the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people..." which doesn't suggest only honoring the gods of one's ancestors - besides which, for most, that would be the Abrahamic god given most people's ancestors for the past several generations have been of one Abrahamic faith or another. There's also the fact that most people have some mixed ancestry, ancient societies came and went with tribes intermingling. So, which gods should one focus on? Countries are artificial constructs, with boundaries that have routinely shifted along with these various peoples. Finding one's ancestors are from a region ("country") doesn't necessarily mean they were indigenous to that area. Trade, wars, emigration/immigration, slavery are all factors. E.g., "British" is the result of Romans, Angles, Saxons, Normans, Jutes, Fresians, all of which had invaded and settled Britain from about 60 C.E. onward. Unless a person can deep dive into their ancestry, having "British ancestors" can mean any of the above. Then, of course, syncretism also existed within societies.

Cultural appropriation is a common problem within Neopaganism because, to oversimplify, anti-intellectualism is rampant. The largest segment is Eclecticism which is dominated by a "do what feels right, there's no right or wrong way" mentality and reinforced by shoddy books by equally uneducated authors (not all, but far too many). Subsequently, you have people who do not bother to learn anything about the traditions and cultures associated with deities, often fabricating their own practices pretty much out of whole cloth based on what they want to think or do rather than what may be verifiably pre-established. They put themselves first, gods and traditions are an afterthought. Research amounts to blogs and YT videos and parroting what someone else asserts with no effort to fact check.

You can see a stark contrast between Eclecticism and its polar opposite, Reconstructionism which endeavors to re-construct what is known of ancient religions and relies heavily on primary (ancient) and secondary (scholarly) sources. When something is unknown, foremost there's an endeavor to extrapolate from what is known rather than simply "do what feels right".

 

[The Hammer]

I've often had a hard time understanding the hullabaloo this topic inspires among the contemporary Pagan community. I mean, I get it... but I don't get it.

When considering questions like this, it is always a good idea to back up and take a look at our assumptions. For example, what is our understanding of culture? What is our understanding of identity, and how that intersects (or doesn't) with culture? Furthermore, what understanding of ownership are we bringing to the table? What sorts of things do we believe can be owned, and why? If you do adhere to some concept of ownership, how is this enforced and regulated?

For my part, I don't get the hullabaloo in part because I find the concept of ownership suspect at best, especially for things which cannot contained or controlled (like culture). Culture is always changing, and people are always interacting with each other and sharing elements of culture. Humans throughout history have routinely "appropriated" elements from other cultures. This process is inevitable and unstoppable. And in the vast majority of cases, it isn't done out of disrespect but out of admiration and inspiration. If sharing with each other is producing something beautiful, I have a hard time calling foul. In the rare instances where appropriation is done malevolently, the critics have a point.

I probably should have clarified or added an edit to my OP, but IMO I don't think it matters one way or the other, as long as the person/group is doing their scholarly due diligence, to show respect to the Cultures being borrowed from.

I agree that it is mostly a bunch of hullabaloo, but as this does seem to frequently come up in Pagan circles (at least online), maybe this is something of a contemporary problem that is facing Paganism as a whole, especially considered a large percentage of Pagans are solitary now, due to access to the internet. Including the rapid Globalization that is now occuring because of it, which may be causing more people to look for "roots" via their Ancestors.

How should the Pagan Community address this currently and in the future, to help prepare the incoming generation to not have the same concerns the more recent Pagan generation has? Any thoughts?

 

[The Hammer]

Cultural appropriation is a common problem within Neopaganism because, to oversimplify, anti-intellectualism is rampant. The largest segment is Eclecticism which is dominated by a "do what feels right, there's no right or wrong way" mentality and reinforced by shoddy books by equally uneducated authors (not all, but far too many). Subsequently, you have people who do not bother to learn anything about the traditions and cultures associated with deities, often fabricating their own practices pretty much out of whole cloth based on what they want to think or do rather than what may be verifiably pre-established. They put themselves first, gods and traditions are an afterthought. Research amounts to blogs and YT videos and parroting what someone else asserts with no effort to fact check.

You can see a stark contrast between Eclecticism and its polar opposite, Reconstructionism which endeavors to re-construct what is known of ancient religions and relies heavily on primary (ancient) and secondary (scholarly) sources. When something is unknown, foremost there's an endeavor to extrapolate from what is known rather than simply "do what feels right".

I completely agree, and also blame anti-intelectualism as well, for causing many of these problems. Which is why I should have specified that my main caveat for using Gods and past practices is to establish your practices based off of scholarly resources. Eclectic practices as well as purely New Age practices, do seem to be rife with the "do what feels right" crowd, which isn't bad, as long as one has the scholarly knowledge to be respectful.

I think one of the issues these days, is the vast amount of both good and bad information available via the internet. Most people don't take the time to actually research what they are reading, and choose practices based on already preconcieved notions and biases.

 

[Bear Wild]

Cultural (Mis)Appropriation: the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. [Oxford Languages]

As Pagans, some of us (I understand not all) like to use Deit(ies) in Worship, Ritual, and Magick. Egyptian, Celtic, Germanic, and Vedic, deities I have seen invoked (sometimes simultaneously) in many a pagan circle; not to mention symbols, signs, and sigils used. Often times these are rather ethnically diverse crowds, which is great to see from a community standpoint. But at what point does Paganism veer into Cultural Appropriation? And at the opposite end of the spectrum, should a person worshipping deities in Paganism only be concerned with the deities of ones own ancestry? If so, how does one avoid Tribalism (ie. my Gods/Ancestry is superior), and foster cooperation amongst differing faith-groups? Does this cooperation inevitably lead back to Cultural Appropriation due to the diffusion of religious values?

So how does one identify what is appropriate and not appropriation? I grew up outside of Philadelphia Quaker with a slight episcopal influence with a huge influence of Native American philosophy of Iroquois as well as of the Algonquin. Learned the Greek and Norse myths and Arthurian growing up later learning my family heritage was Welsh. Lived for up until recently in an area in which the only people that close pagan spirituality were the Native Americans who allowed me to participate in their drumming circle and many of their celebrations. Found paganism because of my ecological beliefs later learned of the Irish Celtic myths ultimately to take an ultimate spiritual through Ireland. So what am I what aspect of historical paganism can I identify with so that I do not have concern for appropriation?

I would never pass myself off as Native American yet I am connected to the same natural land and influenced by their beliefs and rituals. I do not like the world Shamanism at all but recognize that there are shared aspects of altered mental status in many religions. Sharing and learning from each other seems to be a healthy aspect that paganism allows compared to the absolutism of so many Abrahamic religions. I feel most closely connected with both Celtic and Norse pre-Christian pathways. So how does one proceed with such various influences without appropriating some aspects of different pagan pathways?

 

[Callisto]

I completely agree, and also blame anti-intelectualism as well, for causing many of these problems. Which is why I should have specified that my main caveat for using Gods and past practices is to establish your practices based off of scholarly resources. Eclectic practices as well as purely New Age practices, do seem to be rife with the "do what feels right" crowd, which isn't bad, as long as one has the scholarly knowledge to be respectful.

I think one of the issues these days, is the vast amount of both good and bad information available via the internet. Most people don't take the time to actually research what they are reading, and choose practices based on already preconcieved notions and biases.

I agree that the amount of information and the ease of access is both a blessing and a curse, though largely do to just how much misinformation is rampant among Neopagan sources. Frankly, the convenience reinforces the laziness and anti-intellectualism. The things many come to Paganism today complain just amounts to whining. The desire is instant gratification, self confirmation and not have to break a sweat. The idea of having to go out of your comfort zone, to genuinely apply one's self is just too much. It's so much easier to justify anything you want with everyone says "do what feels right" then cry foul is someone points out, "uhm, no."

 

[The Hammer]

So how does one identify what is appropriate and not appropriation? I grew up outside of Philadelphia Quaker with a slight episcopal influence with a huge influence of Native American philosophy of Iroquois as well as of the Algonquin. Learned the Greek and Norse myths and Arthurian growing up later learning my family heritage was Welsh. Lived for up until recently in an area in which the only people that close pagan spirituality were the Native Americans who allowed me to participate in their drumming circle and many of their celebrations. Found paganism because of my ecological beliefs later learned of the Irish Celtic myths ultimately to take an ultimate spiritual through Ireland. So what am I what aspect of historical paganism can I identify with so that I do not have concern for appropriation?

I would never pass myself off as Native American yet I am connected to the same natural land and influenced by their beliefs and rituals. I do not like the world Shamanism at all but recognize that there are shared aspects of altered mental status in many religions. Sharing and learning from each other seems to be a healthy aspect that paganism allows compared to the absolutism of so many Abrahamic religions. I feel most closely connected with both Celtic and Norse pre-Christian pathways. So how does one proceed with such various influences without appropriating some aspects of different pagan pathways?

I understand your frustrations, and this is exactly why I posted this thread, so that people could think about/disucss these things.

As I mentioned, previously to Quintessence, my opinion on the matter is as long as people are doing their academic due diligence to understand the Cultures they are borrowing from, so that proper respect can be shown, I don't care who or what someone's Ancestors are, or what Gods they follow. And it appears that you did your due diligence in that regard based off your post.