NAFPS Forum
Odds and Ends => Etcetera => Topic started by: Mo on August 12, 2006, 05:30:07 pm
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This article, although written to a specific audience, is directly applicable to this battle. I share it with you all.
The following article appeared in the "Cultural Survival Quarterly", Winter 1994. It was written by Andrea Smith, who is a member of "Women Of All Red Nations" in Chicago, and she is the Chairperson for Women of Color for the "National Coalition Against Sexual Assault".
For All Those Who Were Indian In A Former Life
The New Age movement has sparked a new interest in Native American traditional spirituality among white women who claim to be feminists. Indian spirituality, with its respect for nature and the interconnectedness of all things, is often presented as the panacea for all individual and global problems. Not surprisingly, many white
"feminists" see the opportunity to make a great profit from this new craze. They sell sweat lodges or sacred pipe ceremonies, which promise to bring individual and global healing. Or they sell books and records that supposedly describe Indian traditional practices so that you too, can be Indian.
On the surface, it may appear that this new craze is based on a respect for Indian spirituality. In fact, however, the New Age movement is part of a very old story of white racism and genocide against the Indian people. The "Indian" ways that the white, New Age "feminists" are practicing have little grounding in reality.
True spiritual leaders do not make a profit from their teachings, whether it's through selling books, workshops, sweat lodges, or otherwise. Spiritual leaders teach the people because it is their responsibility to pass what they have learned from their elders to the youngest generations. They do not charge for their services.
Furthermore, the idea that an Indian medicine woman would instruct a white woman to preach the "true path" of Indian spirituality sounds more reminiscent of evangelical Christianity than traditional Indian spirituality. Indian religions are community-based, not proselytizing religions. For this reason, there is not ONE Indian religion, as many New Agers would have you believe. Indian spiritual practices reflect the needs of a particular community. Indians do not generally believe that their way is "the" way, and consequently, they have no desire to tell outsiders about their practices. Also, considering how many Indians there are who do not know the traditions, why would a medicine woman spend so much time teaching a white woman? A medicine woman would be more likely to advise a white woman to look into her OWN culture and find what is liberating in it.
However, some white women seem determined NOT to look into their own cultures for sources of strength. This is puzzling, since pre-Christian European cultures are also earth-based and contain many of the same elements that white women are ostensibly looking for in Native American cultures. This phenomenon leads me to suspect that there is a more insidious motive for latching onto Indian spirituality.
When white "feminists" see how white people have historically oppressed others and how they are coming very close to destroying the earth, they often want to disassociate themselves from their whiteness. They do this by opting to "become Indian." In this way, they can escape responsibility and accountability for white
racism.
Of course, white "feminists" want to become only partly Indian. They do not want to be part of our struggles for survival against genocide, and they do not want to fight for treaty rights or an end to substance abuse or sterilization abuse. They do not want to do anything that would tarnish their romanticized notions of what it means to be an Indian.
Moreover, they want to become Indian without holding themselves accountable to Indian communities. If they did they would have to listen to Indians telling them to stop carrying around sacred pipes, stop doing their own sweat lodges and stop appropriating our spiritual practices. Rather, these New Agers see Indians as romanticized gurus who exist only to meet their consumerist needs. Consequently, they do not understand our struggles for survival and thus they can have no genuine understanding of Indian spiritual practices.
While New Agers may think that they are escaping white racism by becoming "Indian," they are in fact continuing the same genocidal practices of their forebears. The one thing that has maintained the survival of Indian people through 500 years of colonialism has been the spiritual bonds that keep us together. When the colonizers saw the strength of our spirituality, they tried to destroy Indian religion by making them illegal. Theyforced Indian children into white missionary schools and cut their tongues if they spoke their Native languages.
Sundances were made illegal, and Indian participation in the Ghost Dance precipitated the Wounded Knee massacre. The colonizers recognized that it was our spirituality that maintained our spirit of resistance and sense of community. Even today, Indians do not have religious freedom. In a recent ruling the Supreme Court has determined that American Indians do not have the right to sue under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. They have also determined that if Indian religious freedom conflicts with any "compelling" United States interest, the government always supersedes Indian peoples' freedom of religion.
Many white New Agers continue this practice of destroying Indian spirituality. They trivialize Native American practices so that these practices lose their spiritual force, and they have the white privilege and power to make themselves heard at the expense of Native Americans. Our voices are silenced, and consequently the younger generation of Indians who are trying to find their way back to the Old Ways becomes hopelessly lost in this morass of consumerist spirituality.
These practices also promote the subordination of Indian women to white women. We are told that we are greedy if we do not choose to share our spirituality. Apparently, it is our burden to service white women's needs rather than to spend time organizing within our own communities. Their perceived need for warm and fuzzy mysticism takes precedence over our need to survive.
The New Age movement completely trivializes the oppression we as Indian women face: Indian women are suddenly no longer the women who are forcibly sterilized and tested with unsafe drugs such as Depo Provera; we are no longer the women who have a life expectancy of 47 years; and we are no longer the women who generally live below the poverty level and face a 75 percent unemployment rate. No, we're too busy being cool and spiritual.
This trivialization of our oppression is compounded by the fact that nowadays anyone can be Indian if s/he wants to. All that is required is that one be Indian in a former life, or take part in a sweat lodge, or be
monitored by a "medicine woman," or read a how-to book.
Since, according to this theory, anyone can now be "Indian," then the term Indians no longer refers specifically to those people who have survived five hundred years of colonization and genocide. This furthers the goals of white supremacists to abrogate treaty rights and to take away what little we have left. When everyone becomes "Indian," then it is easy to lose sight of the specificity of oppression faced by those who are REALLY Indian in THIS life. It is no wonder we have such a difficult time finding non-Indians to support our struggles when the New Age movement has completely disguised our oppression.
The most disturbing aspect about these racist practices is that they are promoted in the name of feminism. Sometimes it seems that I can't open a feminist periodical without seeing ads promoting white "feminist" practices with little medicine wheel designs. I can't seem to go to a feminist conference without the woman who begins the conference with a ceremony being the only Indian presenter
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That's excellent. I was presented with that thought by one and really didn't know what to day or just laugh. Thanks. frederica
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so sorry i didn't realise the whole article did not post. here is the rest.
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The most disturbing aspect about these racist practices is that they are promoted in the name of feminism. Sometimes it seems that I can't open a feminist periodical without seeing ads promoting white "feminist" practices with little medicine wheel designs. I can't seem to go to a feminist conference without the woman who begins the conference with a ceremony being the only Indian presenter.
Participants then feel so "spiritual" after this opening that they fail to notice the absence of Indian women in the rest of the conference
or Native American issues in the discussions. And I certainly can't go to a feminist bookstore without seeing books by Lynn Andrews and other people who exploit Indian spirituality all over the place. It seems that, while feminism is supposed to signify the empowerment of all women, it obviously does not include Indian women.
If white feminists are going to act in solidarity with their Indian sisters, they must take a stand against Indian spiritual abuse. Feminist book and record stores should stop selling these products, and feminist periodicals should stop advertising these products. Women who call themselves feminists should denounce exploitative practices wherever they see them.
Many have claimed that Indians are not respecting "freedom of speech" when they demand that whites stop promoting and selling books that exploit Indian spirituality. But promotion of this material is destroying freedom of speech for Native Americans by ensuring that our voices will never be heard. Feminists have already made choices about what they will promote (I haven't seen many books by right-wing, fundamentalist women sold in feminist bookstores, since feminists recognize that these books are oppressive to women.) The issue is not censorship; the issue is racism. Feminists must make a choice either to respect Indian political and spiritual autonomy, or to promote materials that are fundamentally racist under the guise of "freedom of speech."
Respecting the integrity of Native people and their spirituality does not mean that there can never be cross-cultural sharing. However, such a sharing should take place in a way that is respectful to Indian people.
The way to be respectful is for non-Indians to become involved in our political struggles and to develop an on-going relation with Indian COMMUNITIES based on trust and mutual respect. When this happens, Indian people may invite a non-Indian to take part in a ceremony, but it will be on Indian terms.
I hesitate to say this much about cross-cultural sharing however, because many white people take this to mean that they can join in our struggles solely for the purpose of being invited to ceremonies. If this does not occur, they feel that Indians have somehow unfairly withheld spiritual teachings from them. We are expected to pay the price in spiritual exploitation in order to gain allies in our political struggles.
When non-Indians say they will help us, but only on their terms, that is not help - that is blackmail. We are not obligated to teach anyone about our spirituality. It is our choice if we want to share with people who we think will be respectful. It is white people who owe it to us to fight for our survival, since they are living on the land for which our people were murdered.
It is also important for non-Indians to build relationships with Indian communities, rather than with specific individuals. Many non-Indians express their confusion about knowing who is and who is not a legitimate spiritual teacher. The only way for non-Indians to know who legitimate teachers are is to develop ongoing relationships with Indian COMMUNITIES. When they know the community, they will learn who the community respects as its spiritual leaders. This is a process that takes time.
Unfortunately, many white feminists do not want to take this time in their quest for instant spirituality. Profit-making often gets in the way of true sisterhood. However, white feminists should know that as long as they take part in Indian spiritual abuse, either by being consumers of it or by refusing to take a stand on it, Indian women will consider white "feminists" to be nothing more than agents in the genocide of their people.
OUR SPIRITUALITY IS NOT FOR SALE!
[ch65532]
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When you bring up racism, the audience that you are directing this article to will cry that they are not racists. It is hard to convince people of a race bias when they believe they are do gooders or simply have good hearts.
In my workshops on people and animals, I have encountered that idea of 'our hearts are good, so we can be Indians, without any consequences'. I keep telling folks that they can't do that since that is not their culture and they would be stealing. It doesn't sink in most of the time. Although, once in a while someone will ask how did Europeans approach animals, etc. I generally lead them to historical and cultural studies of Romans, Balts, etc. Then they can explore from there.
I personally do not understand how being anybody in a past life, give people permission to do whatever. I don't believe in past lives, and find the whole idea rather dumb.
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When you bring up racism, the audience that you are directing this article to will cry that they are not racists. It is hard to convince people of a race bias when they believe they are do gooders or simply have good hearts.
I'm not sure how you know who Mo or Andrea Smith are aiming that article at: it could have multiple audiences. Of course the newagers will object: few racists think "Yeah! I'm a racist! Cool!".
In my view here's no point trying to win newagers round by being nice or appealing to their consciences. Their culture looks down on thinking rationally, putting others first (despite talking a lot about compassion), or imagining how other people might feel (despite lipservice to cultural diversity). The only way to make a difference to them is social disapproval - they'll soon stop bragging about their weekend 'vision quests' when people start to treat them as if they've casually mentioned going to a Klan rally. In the meantime there are lots of other people who can still be informed on this issue because they haven't deliberately turned their brains to sawdust in the name of 'spirituality'. I first read this article about nine years ago, and thought, "Ahaaaa, that's why I always feel so uncomfortable around these people!".
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I interpreted the phrase "white feminists" along with the topic of copting Indian spirituality to mean white women who are new agers.
I have felt uncomfortable around these people too. I could not understand why until I read the article also.
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I wonder what the ratio of women to men is. These people have such a sense of entitlement. That plus the narcissism that Al's post pointed out, it clouds the picture of racism. The most common phrase I have heard, is:"Indian culture is dying, so we are saving it". Of course, the culture vulture is the most pure form of genocide, which is racism. Most people bristle when you mention racist. So how do you deal with the issue without calling someone a racist? frederica
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:)Thank You/Wado so much Mo for posting this artical. I %100 agree with everything she said. New Agers, Male or Female, is commiting another genocide on American Indian Spirituality PERIOD!!!! She simply and clearly stated FACTS. So let them yell racisim, wasn't that the same thing that occured when they first tried to genocide our people.
Again thanks.
Weheli
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about the question of racism...i recently read an article by a white woman talking about white privilege. in it she states:
One factor seems clear about all of the interlocking oppressions. They take both active forms, which we can see, and embedded forms, which as a member of the dominant groups one is taught not to see. In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth.
when you say racism, most people only think about the individual acts of meaness and of course since they do not participate in that meaness they believe they are not racist. it is the invisible system mentioned where one racial group has privileges others do not..the system exists to maintain that inequality. it helps to put it in terms of the privileges men as a group have even if they do not engage in it actively, it is there invisibly. most women can see that and might help them to carry that over to racism.
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Thanks, makes sense. You know it is racism, but many just get defensive and accuse you of "playing the race card". Then you usually do not get to far. frederica
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I guess the situations in every community are different , but one of the things that comes up for me , when I read this article , is that I don't actually personally know any "White feminists" who are abusing Native culture, and the "White feminists I do know are actually pretty assertive about protesting these abuses .
The first time I saw this article - or some parts of it - it was pinned up in the indiginous peoples section of a bookstore which is owned by a "White feminist " . The article makes some very good points .
On the other hand , the only people in my community , I have ever seen actually charging for sweat lodge ceremonies and other traditional techings , were card carrying Indians who have such bad reputations they are not welcome in their own communities .
While I personally do not particularly like or agree with all of the values generally held by "New Age" , "Yuppies" , "Hippys", "White Feminists" ,"White people " ect ect , I think it is important to remember that none of these social groups are necessarily exploiters of Native traditions in and of themselves . ( except maybe New Age )There are good people and potential friends in all these catagories .
I think confronting the behavior and unconscious widely held cultural assumptions that make it OK to disrespect , exploit, or take over what belongs to another people , is always good . Racism and the assumptions that make it OK , are alive and well , and need to be confronted when we see them , but I get a bit uncomfortable if this gets taken a step further and a whole group is imagined to be responsible for the bad behavior of a few .
Not saying that is happening here , but I think it is important for constructive communication to disagree with specific behavior and values and not a whole race or social group .
That being said , all the people I know who think they were Indian in a past life are flakes , pure and simple ...
Just my own point of view .
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i agree with what you have said. i have many many non native friends because they are good people..not because of race. i married a non native man for the same reason.
however, the very fact they are members of the dominant culture..in this country thats white..means they benefit in varying degrees from a racist system. thats very hard to make white people see but there have been several articles i have read lately, all by white people, who explain it very well. they have seen and admit they have an advantage simply because of their race. ? and also they have been taught well NOT to see that invisible system. this is why most people do not identify with racism. they simply are not looking for the right things
i think its a good conversation here. racism is entwined with exploitation so we need to be able to explain what racism is in terms the dominant society can recognise.
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Every one has made good points. It's not hard to identify people like Brooke "Medicine Eagle" Edward and Brook Schiavi. The woman at this organization (which has since disband) made the statement of being an NDN Shaman in her "past life" also made the statement she was her "to save the African American community". She was Anglo, well-educated, upper-middle class country girl. Now both of those statements are racist and probably a complete lie. She was recuiting and I spoke with her. But all I could find out is the didn't teach, she shared information. It was all Far Eastern ideas, methods, something called Bach's flowers, and some psyhic stuff, which totally creeped me out. And of course, the holistic healing thing. She didn't see her claims as being a tad bit racist. No claims of being an NDN Shaman or Medicine Person in this life. Said she wasn't interested in Culture only in "healing'". Someone that had been to that place told me most of the people attending were white female, only a couple males. But they have since moved on and went to another State. I really do not think a lot of these people have a clue what racism is and some of it is so hazy it is hard to ferret out. And it does still remind me of revivalism. frederica
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I stopped reading MS magazine because of this issue. A Native woman wrote an article about appropriation of culture and the letters page was 3 pages because of all the whining about how they "had a right". Only about 2 or 3 letters defended what the Native woman wrote and and only one was from a white feminist who tried to point out that oppression is oppression. There were more letters in the next issue and all with the same whine about how because women are qppressed they can steal other's culture. Well, they didn't say oit like THAT. I was shocked. I thought that readers of MS would be enlightened enough to see oppression for what it was. :(
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I think some call it invested interest. It is amazing. frederica
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I think part of the problem is that the non native system mostly values and protects economic development , mass production , and the bosses that organize this . It is all about domination , and personal entitlement to get a big pile of stuff . Human and land based values important to indiginous cultures , that insist on responibility and consideration for others , and create practical , social and spiritual harmony , often get pushed aside as impractical and frivolous . Because so much of indiginous cultures are organized around human values , the concerns and values of indiginous cultures tend to get disregarded more frequently .
Feminists do have a tendancy to buy into the strong value non native cultures place on dominance and that everyone has a right to put themselves first and have 2 of everything if they want it . So I guess it would make sense those types of feminist values could make some feminists self serving and deaf to the impact their actions have on the human values that need to be respected to maintain Native cultures .
That being said , most of the feminists I know are well informed and outspoken in defence of indiginous rights . So there are different types of feminism I guess .
I really admired what that feminist bookstore owner did . Part of this article was laminated and attached to the bookshelf in the indiginous peoples section , and she had written in felt pen that the books were for educational purposes only, and using any information in them to make up ceremonies was WRONG. ( I did not see any twink books there either )
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for educational purposes only, ? and using any information in them to make up ceremonies was WRONG. ( I did not see any twink books there either )
It is wrong for many reasons. ? The one that stands out to me from my perspective, is the abuse of a ceremony (broad general use of word) ? can take ? many forms and can be in the long run down right dangerous to the, um, ok, ignorant folk who fancies him or herself this or that through their attempts to perform ceremony as laid out in a fluff book or fluff flier or as shown in a movie or as a sit-com on tv. ? ? ?
The person drawn in, as one un-instructed/prepared in whatever form the ceremony takes, does said ceremony, and then at some point opens the door to really messing themselves up through their ignorance and dis-respect or botching of whatever it is they are trying to do. ? They may think its all ok but they will get slapped sooner or later for having done it. ? Many things should not be written down or kept intact like that for good reason as it may in the long run somewhere down the line be abused in the wrong hands by what I will call the un-initiated. ? Yes things should be left to their respective peoples and not disturbed or monkeyed (including some antiquities) with but try to tell that to someone in the New Age section where you can buy books of quickie spells or kits to Voodoo your boss.... ? I am amazed at how flippant some people approach the spiritual. ?
Conversely I've heard that drugs can make you feel good too but look what they do to you in the long run. ? That's a good analogy. ? But again, it can be difficult to reason with people when they really want to do something and are are all hyped up about doing it and the mere thought of doing it makes them feel entitled to do it its like some weird endorphin kicks in to tease them into finally actually doing it. ? So they have to find out for themselves the hard way, hopefully not to hard a way or they may at some point have to get someone to fix them.
Some get sucked into that "let's make money doing this" and then fall into the pit of corruption - perhaps one of the many ways I see that spirit slaps them for being stupid. ? I think all these terrible things I see some of these faux shamans and wannabees embroiled in - threatening people, the violence the sexual abuse, all that stuff ends up being a direct result of them monekying with the universe, with ceremony. ? They think they are getting one thing but something else gets them instead and they are too caught up in it all to see where they are heading... ? I often wonder, if they had not gone that route with the abuse of the sacred, perhaps they would not have fallen into that vile mess they ended up in. Maybe if they had instead taken up astronomy or fishing things would have been better. ?
That is a wonderful article and I agree with its many points. ? Thanks for posting it.
Lindaa
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Hi. Not Native, Euro/Asian bi-racial. Confronting my own racism and past cultural stealing practices.
I don't know if anyone's interested, but I just posted some things about one of the "women's sun dances" in the "needs research" section. I wasn't sure about if the woman I'm worried about is still head dancer there, so I didn't want to post it as "Yes, this is for sure, everything about this post."
Anyway, a possibility for abusive practices going on there, as well as IMO a certain amount of just plain disrespect. Just wanted to put in a warning.
PS: I really needed to read all your posts. They were helpful.