Plastic Shamans and Astroturf Sun Dances: New Age Commercialization of Native American Spirituality (original) (raw)
Related papers
Appropriation of Native American Spirituality
2008
"Native Americans and Canadians are largely romanticised or sidelined figures in modern society. Their spirituality has been appropriated on a relatively large scale by Europeans and non-Native Americans, with little concern for the diversity of Native American opinions. Suzanne Owen offers an insight into appropriation that will bring a new understanding and perspective to these debates. "This important volume collects together these key debates from the last 25 years and sets them in context, analyses Native American objections to appropriations of their spirituality and examines ‘New Age’ practices based on Native American spirituality. "The Appropriation of Native American Spirituality includes the findings of fieldwork among the Mi’Kmaq of Newfoundland on the sharing of ceremonies between Native Americans and First Nations, which highlights an aspect of the debate that has been under-researched in both anthropology and religious studies: that Native American discourses about the breaking of ‘protocols’, rules on the participation and performance of ceremonies, is at the heart of objections to the appropriation of Native American spirituality." The file contains chapter one, the introduction.
Native American Spirituality: History, Theory, and Reformulation
Throughout the twentieth century, the study of Native American religions has been dominated by non-native theoretical perspectives along three primary ethnographic vectors: studies of individual religious leaders or visible practitioners; intensive "cultural" studies of the role of rites, ceremonies and beliefs in a specific native community; and theoretical discourses that cut across religious practices in search of common unifying themes. The substance of these studies have been based primarily in the perceptions, observations, and theories of non-native observers. These non-native, written observations have then been used as primary sources for the study of native religions. Further, the context of Christian missionization, anthropological categorical reductions, and a surplus of historical narratives written by non-native observers has resulted in an externalized and fragmented view of native religions. The beliefs and practices have been recorded in limited selections in the form of monographs and field reports by those often unfamiliar with the language and thought worlds of native practitioners. Subsequently, there exists significant tensions between the actual spiritual beliefs and practices within a given native community and the external literature on the religion of that community authored by non-native scholars.
The Elephant in the Room: On Cultural Spiritual Appropriation
2021
Individuals around the world use different spiritual and healing practices that are rooted in different religio-cultural traditions. Religious and cultural traditions shape the way people practice spirituality and healing methods. The adaptability of spirituality led to the existence of different hybridized forms of traditionally existing spiritual practices. Many consider hybridity a form of cultural and spiritual appropriation. “Cultural appropriation can often seem morally problematic. When abstract schemas are filled in with details from actual events, we often find misrepresentation, misuse, and theft of the stories, styles, and material heritage of people who have been historically dominated and remain socially marginalized” (Matthes, 2016). This definition of appropriation helps one understand critiques against the rise of accessibility and availability of practices, in general, and spiritual rituals, in particular. It is considered unethical cultural appropriation when the appropriated cultures receive more harm than good. This can occur when practices are taken for granted with no understanding of their values. That being said, the same cannot be applied to spirituality. It is inapplicable because 1) traditional wisdom was created to be used by all people at all times and 2) spiritual seekers and practitioners have to understand and study the intricate details of their practices to be able to offer their services. This chapter provides an alternative approach to what is critiqued as spiritual and cultural appropriation. I start this chapter by introducing the theories of hybridity and syncretism, which are critiqued for their limitations. I then analyze the difference between adoption, adaptation, and appropriation. Afterwards, I suggest the implementation of the notion of cultural additivity and the Mindsponge mechanism in order to navigate the adaptation of spiritual practices. Considering that not all use of symbols is backed by understanding and respect, I assess the stylistic choices made by individuals, as fashion and art are the primary industries that get accused of appropriation. In the last sections, I use Eastern traditions’ objectives and glocal yoga to critique cultural appropriation accusations. Finally, I end this chapter with recommendations on how to avoid cultural and spiritual appropriation.
At the root of modern society two important influences can be identified; religion and consumerism. Initially, it would appear that a significant contrast exists between these two societal forces concerning the contradictory orientations of each, most obviously the intangible vs. material. On deeper analysis, however, it is possible to see an important overlap between the two, which on discovery provides a valuable insight into the innate desires and motivations of consumers in modern day society. The examination of this connection highlights the important emergence of spirituality as a significant influence in consumer behaviour (Baumgartner, 2002; Hirschman, 1985; Ulvaos, 2009), providing the foundations for the construction of meaning and purpose to ones life (Kale, 2006). In addition, it provides further insight into the need for consumers to construct a moral identity (Kozinets & Handleman, 2004), meaning (Baumgartner, 2002; Kale, 2006) and self-reassurance (Ulvoas, 2009) through their consumption behaviours. Consequently, the examination of spirituality as part of consumer research has started to attract increased interest from researchers who identify this area as an important contribution to the academic literature (Kale, 2006; Linquist, 2002; Ulvoas, 2009). However, despite an increased awareness of spirituality as an area worthy of further research, little literature exists on its application to consumer behaviour. In response to this significant gap in the research, this study has been devised with the intention of providing a greater insight into the connection between religion and consumerism. Drawing upon a facet of multi-disciplinary literature focused on sub-cultures, religion and spirituality, this study identifies a range of emergent themes that present the basis for the formulation of research questions. Preceding this, an in-depth qualitative study is presented examining the motivations of consumers to invest in the paranormal market. An industry deeply rooted in spirituality and one which has recently become focus for a number of new paid services for the consumer. The following chapter provides a review of the relevant literature presenting the significant themes that have emerged through close analysis. In the third chapter, an outline of the methodology of the study is provided along with the research philosophy and questions. Following this the results are detailed and discussed in reference to the literature review. Finally, conclusions are drawn from the study and the broader relevance of this research is discussed in terms of providing support to current literature, implications for current research and avenues of further study.