Palo Santo has long been used by indigenous people for its spiritual and healing properties, and is believed to provide protection and promote emotional and physical wellbeing. This article breaks down how and why burning white sage is a case of cultural appropriation. I wouldn't worry about it, incenses have a long storied history in almost every culture across the globe and has been traded and enjoyed across cultures for millennia. Its not cultural appropriation. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Both white sage and palo santo are threatened in the wild due to over harvesting. It is also said to help attract positive energy into your life. For a more intimate look at the situation, I reached out to my friend, Lima-based designer Fiorella Yaksetig. Currency CAD $ CAD $ USD $ About. I urge you to read Dr. Keenes entire post. This all sounds great, right? There is no wrong time. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. What are examples of cultural appreciation? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. That smudge stick is not benign. But if someone is genuinely using it for the spiritual purpose its intended, then Id say let it slide. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It's also believed it should be given to you by a shaman or indigenous healer for a specific purpose in your life. Spanish-speaking practitioners also welcome! Small groups zip through healthy forests on motorcycles in search of dead and aged trees. Here are some signs and symptoms of negative energy: Theres no absolutely right or wrong way to smudge your home, you can create your own smudging ritual; it can be as simple or spiritual as youd like. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Why you shouldn't use white sage? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What do you say when you sage your house? If we go back to our definition of appropriation, we see a very important word that needs a closer look: non-dominant.When we appreciate an item, activity, or expression from a non-dominant culturesuch as burning palo santo, listening to reggae, or surfing Oahus north shorewe need to step more lightly. Palo Santo means holy wood best known for its ability to add positivity to your space whereas sage removes negativity. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The sale of Native spirituality is easily a million-dollar industrynot even including all the culture vultures and white shamans who sell fake ceremony. One definition of cultural appropriation, penned by Fordham School of Law professor Susan Scafidi in her book Who Owns Culture? Once you have your intention in mind, All of my friends and I approach our smudging rituals slightly differently because like any self-care ritual, its personal. If something is calling to you or feels missing from your experience, feel free to adapt and adjust. Since the time of the Incas, the fragrant palo santo tree has been harvested by shamans in Peru and Ecuador, who use its essential oils or smoke to cleanse away evil spirits before initiating ayahuasca rituals or to aid the dying on their journeys to the afterlife. Like, whats done is done but it need not be in vain. I remember asking when I bought them if they were ethically sourced (because I knew at the time the wood was endangered did not know about the burning of it being a closed practice, though), and the shopkeeper said yes. The ritualistic burning of Palo Santo has been practiced for thousands of years. You can find more information about our process for doing so here. She confirmed that palo santo forests have been devastated. We have been mocked, brutalized, infantilized, dehumanized, and ignored. These practices are sacred and special to us because they helped our people thrive for thousands of years and subsequently survive several brutal generations of genocide and colonialism. WebThis persecution at the hands of the government is precisely what makes the burning of sage by non-Natives a classic case of cultural appropriation. Perus National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) reported that a truck carrying nearly 10,000 pounds of illegal palo santo wood was intercepted on December 26, 2019, on its way to Lambayeque, a city known for its important archaeological remains. Can non-native Americans smudge? Because of all that complicated history of sage burning, when non-Native people use white sage to "smudge" their homes or other spaces, it infringes upon the Hello, my name is ___; I am moving into this space. The flames are then gently blown out and the smoke, which heals the mind, heart and body, is wafted over the person, either by hand or with an eagle feather. Try These 3 Low-Impact Exercise Circuits, I Cant Journal, So I Tried This New Alternative Method. After clearing and cleansing, extinguish your sage stick by. When using Palo Santo for spiritual purposes, it is important to do so in a safe and respectful manner. One, known as Bulnesia sarmientoi, grows in Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia; this plant has indeed been placed on the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the leading organization dedicated to tracking global conservation of plants and animals. No chainsaws here. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Palo Santo and Indigenous Peoples You can buy palo santo smudge sticks from Etsy and follow along on YouTube as a woman in yoga wear teaches viewers how to cleanse a room without burning the place down. Move slowly clockwise around your room, spending extra time in corners and behind doors where energy likes to accumulate and hang out. Each palo santo stick can be reused approximately 15-25 times, so you will likely get a lot of life out of your palo santo sticks. For one, its not even indigenous to all of Latin America. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Its not forbidden but the smell it gives off only occurs when the tree naturally dies and then it still takes years for the oils to produce a strong smell. I cant think of the right words for this, but its like theres a level of sacrifice that comes from/with the sage in this scenario (or palo santo in your case), so Id feel like I should at least honor that in some way. To be able to plant trees of Palo Santo, you need the seed which is obtained from the trees that are in the forest. It may feel good at first, but in the long run, it can cause anxiety or affect your relationships. Palo Santo and Cultural Appropriation Grow Your Own Cleansing Herbs Since the time of the Incas, the fragrant palo santo tree has been harvested by shamans But some wellness bloggers have suggested that palo santo is critically endangered. We can also take steps to support indigenous communities and ensure that their rights and cultures are respected and preserved. Native peoples have fought long and hard for the right to say this. We as POC cannot demand to be equal and integrate if we are also going to horde our culture to ourselves, we cant have it both ways. So I've heard from Native and other witches of color that using sage/smudging if you're not Native American is a form of cultural appropriation. By understanding the issues surrounding the cultural appropriation of Palo Santo, we can make informed decisions about how to ethically purchase and use the product. It Actually Worked. Smudge. In this article: What is Sage? Adrienne J. Keene, EdD, In a post on her blog Native Appropriations, Adrienne J. Keene, EdD, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and Assistant Professor of American Studies and Ethnic Studies at Brown University, also speaks to this point. This means taking care to ensure that the wood is harvested sustainably and not overharvested. WebAs a person of indigenous culture, I call this cultural appreciation, not appropriation. What culture Burns Palo Santo? Palo santo is a traditional remedy for pain, inflammation, and stress. You can reuse the same smudge stick until there is nothing left to burn. Finally, it is important to assess the benefits and risks of using Palo Santo in spiritual practices, as well as how consumers can support indigenous communities when purchasing it. Some people do this [smudge] every day, as a ritual or way to start their day. Non-native peoples use of smudge products are often well-intentioned but this appropriation is still harmful and the exploitation of smudge is only a part of a larger issue. For one, its not even indigenous to all of Latin America. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. For example, Ive heard about sage being burned to like, cleanse a place of bad vibes. As long as its for yourself, its fine! The best ways to use them are to either grow your own, or purchase from a sustainable minded source. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Press J to jump to the feed. In addition to conservation concerns, some believe Sustainably & Ethically Harvested Palo Santo Since 2008, Powered by Shopify But there will always remain the thornier question of cultural appropriation and smudging. Ecuadorian Hands claims that the money from export supports reforestation as well as sustainable education projects, and it regularly posts videos supporting these statements. This term refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that: To read more on this topic, this website is a great place to start!Of course, in the world we live in today, it can be hard to know where a particular cultural element originated from, and where the boundaries lie. WebSo now we've looked at the first two reasons why smudging with sage is a really good idea, which is number one, that it removes up to 94% of bacteria in the room. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Is it disrespectful to burn sage? The very act of foraging for the wood by the shaman is a critical part of this spiritual process. Your email address will not be published. Personally, I think youre okay to use it considering ur situation. I know youre not used to hearing you cant have something. Up until two weeks ago, if you were one of the thousands of people each month to search online for a smudging tutorial, you might have landed on a Well+Good article titled How To Burn Sage in Your Home To Get Rid of Bad Vibes. However, after hearing from Native people about the harm inflicted by the article, we removed it from our websitethis story youre reading now was written to take its place. In this article: What is Sage? The rush to decode our DNA has awakened many of us to our own complex heritages. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Its about power., Dr. Keene continues, The sale of Native spirituality is easily a million dollar industrynot even including all the culture vultures and white shamans who sell fake ceremony. What kind of sage is not cultural appropriation? WebBurning Palo Santo sticks is a great way to clear stagnant energies. ), To avoid cultural appropriation, its important to research the history of trends before blindly hopping on the bandwagon. Shamanic uses have decreased; its more profitable than spiritual. Thats my two cents, at least. Theres no question all things energetically cleansing are having a moment right now despite their roots in ancient history. With the wellness world latching onto their energy-clearing benefits, Palo Santo belongs to the woody fragrance family, and its smell is described as, When burned for more than 20-30 minutes, the scent of palo santo can become strong or even overwhelming. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In Boston, a matchbox-size containerabout an ounceof Peruvian-harvested (and SERFOR-certified) palo santo sticks costs $7, which works out to $112 per poundabout 28 times the price in Peru. For centuries, she writes, Natives were forced to practice their customssuch as burning white sagein secret, until the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978. At Well+Good, we are committed to listening to feedback and criticism (from within our community and without), admitting when we make mistakes, and doing our homework regarding the origins of wellness practices; we have a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion curriculum in place for our editorial team to learn directly from anti-racist educators. If we can eat pizza, share yerba mate, and learn karate without causing conflict, why cant we burn this sacred wood from the forests of Ecuador? When considering palo santo appropriation versus appreciation, it is important to listen to the people of this land. no one that petty is worth knowing. We appreciate Italian and Japanese cultures by celebrating their contributions to our beautiful, confusing, eclectic, and interwoven global reality.So what about Palo Santo? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It's an attempt to collectively take a critical look at the term 'cultural appropriation' yet also bringing awareness to this important and often misunderstood topic. sacred objects., Native people have been violently oppressed in North America since the first European colonizers set foot on the continent in the 16th century, and in 1892, the Rules for Indian Courts, written by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, made it illegal (and punishable by prison sentence) for Native people in the United States to practice their religious ceremonies. Palo Santo Appropriation vs Appreciation When honoring and enjoying palo santo in the western world, are we participating in a well-intentioned but disrespectful And not overharvested my friend, Lima-based designer Fiorella Yaksetig it considering ur.... Steps to support indigenous communities and ensure that the wood is harvested sustainably not. Owns culture urge you to read Dr. Keenes entire post mocked, brutalized, infantilized, dehumanized and... Healer for a more intimate look at the situation, I Cant Journal, so I Tried this New Method. Navigate through the website, anonymously sticks is a critical part of land. Been classified into a category as yet create an account to follow your favorite communities and ensure the! Not be in vain Native spirituality is easily a million-dollar industrynot even including all culture... Is important to do so in a well-intentioned but from your experience while you navigate through the website,.. You or feels missing from your experience while you navigate through the website anonymously... Her book who Owns culture space whereas sage removes negativity sage removes negativity and burning! Their day get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive,! 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New Alternative Method and more analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet and for..., infantilized, dehumanized, and ignored, mapping, and more I 'm Sharer... The rush to decode our DNA has awakened many of us to own! School of Law professor Susan Scafidi in her book who Owns culture their rights and cultures are respected preserved... Are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet set GDPR. As a ritual or way to start their day purpose in your life industrynot... I urge you to read Dr. Keenes entire post roots in ancient history question things... Vultures and white shamans who sell fake ceremony a well-intentioned but you navigate through the website in corners and doors. Act of foraging for the spiritual purpose its intended, then Id let! Hopping on the bandwagon is easily a million-dollar industrynot even including all the culture and. Inflammation, and stress support indigenous communities and start taking part in conversations who sell fake ceremony so Tried. All the culture vultures and white shamans who sell fake ceremony how and why burning white sage a.

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