NAFPS Forum

Comments, anyone?

Christina Welch, 'Appropriating the Didjeridu and the Sweat Lodge: New Age Baddies and Indigenous Victims?'[/url]

Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2002

She's written good articles before. Most of this is a recitation and description of the problem. There's a lot of good information here on exploitation of Australian Aboriginal traditions. Her main point as stated at the end is that most Nuagers are themselves victims rather than perpetrators, also that perhaps Natives should consider finding some way to use that great interest in Native spirituality, though how to do it without presenting stereotypes of NDNs as frozen in the past is unclear.

For the most part I agree with her. But once a Nuager has had it explained clearly to them that what they do is wrong, they quit being a victim. They become a willing, even eager, participant in and defender of cultural genocide.

Her second point, well, it's something I tried to do on the tour of Europe, as you saw. I tried to turn their interest in spirituality into helping Natives with Native issues. It can be done. But to say the least it's a minefield.