Around a year or two ago, I left the shamanism tribe amid the moderator switchover shamanism.tribe.net/thread/b...096966da2 . The tribe had become more or less consumed with the election and had devolved into petty character attacks and finger pointing, so I left. It was kind of childish on my part, but that was just part of the reason I left.

The real impetus for my departure was that I felt like a hypocrite for being on this site. The fact of the matter is, I DON'T BELIEVE IN SHAMANISM. I think its a fad, a romanticization of indigenous practices, homogenized, and diluted for Western consumption. The very word 'shaman' refers to a specific Turko-Mongol animist practice from Siberia, yet has come to be adopted by spiritualists the world around. I felt foolish for participating in discussions about a subject that lacked so much context, that I feel so conflicted about. To top it off, there were the infantile attacks, some of which I participated in, only reinforcing my desire to leave.

However, things have changed since then, Richard is an able moderator and the discussions are interesting. I came back because even though there are tribes with more accurate titles and targeted discussion, the very nature of this tribe tribe as a catch-all for spiritualists of all types guarantees diversity of opinions on here. Diversity is one thing that I've been taught to appreciate from a very young age, and I feel that my native tribe, the Southern Californians, exemplify that global, syncretized melting pot.

I will remain on this tribe though, because above all, I'm fascinated by plant and prayer medicine and appreciate new perspectives on how people can relate to them and use them to heal themselves and others. It is a peculiarity of human nature that instead of feeling powerful and true in our own experience and perspective, we seek validation through some authority, usually an indigenous teacher or academic institute. While I appreciate the teachers that I've had in my life, their traditions are their own and I would be just another plastic shaman if I were to pretend to be an huachumero or ayahuasquero. There is a distinct difference between studying and honoring traditions that are not your own, and bastardizing and appropriating them and presenting yourself as something you're not.

I just had to get that off my chest, I'm trying hard not to be judgemental of others and their relationships with spirit. There is nothing wrong with white people liking and celebrating aspects of different cultures, whether they're urban hip hop, Native American or Chinese herbalism, or Polynesian Fire Spinning. Those are just three examples from my life. However, I fully expect for some people to judge me because as a cracker, I don't fit their preconceived notions of the type of person who is interested in those things. They're entitled to their opinions, and I'm entitled to my interests. Fortunately, hip hop culture is colorblind to an extent, and the history of fire spinning is obscure enough that I rarely encounter much crap for it. But if I do, I understand that as a white person the onus is on me to justify or explain why I have those interests (though NOT to apologize for them).

As for my interest in plant medicine, I'd never identify or promote myself as a medicine man or a shaman for the many reasons I've already stated. However, Native Americans do NOT have a monopoly on human-kinds relationship with plants, and interacting with other-than-human people predates any race, culture, or religion. Its when that relationship is relegated to a style, marketing, or fashion statement that it becomes offensive, not just to indigenous people but to anyone who values nature.

I guess my point is, white people have every right to be interested in culture and customs that they are not biologically related to, but due to our privilege we should not be surprised when the people that come from those cultures question our motivations. If you have a genuine interest in honoring those traditions, you don't have to apologize for it, but explain yourself. Don't get defensive either, because in doing so you're ignoring all the people that co-opt other cultures for purely selfish reasons and acting just as selfishly.