Scaramouche, Scaramouche

I know uh an unfortunate number of pagans and hipsters - all white/Western Euro descent, all naive - who do not believe they are appropriating stuff because they were 'called' or it 'doesn't matter'. To them I say: yeah, that's how all the rest of your ilk get so very fucked up on Ayahuasca or Datura or Peyote, because it 'called you' and you didn't want to take the time to do it right by finding a teacher and listening because it 'didn't matter'. And now that purple squirrel over there is calling you a dumbass and it's RIGHT.

And now it's going to steal your pants and the fucking space coyote WARNED you, didn't it? Don't puke on the space coyote, it's not his fault.

(I'm only half kidding. I actually did overhear a guy talking about hallucinating a sarcastic purple squirrel who 'pimphanded' him for being a dipshit and taking too much of whatever he took.)

There is soooo much difference between an actual sweat lodge ceremony and the kind of BS that I've seen swindlers try to pass off as such. There is a world of difference between, say, my BFF's uncle going out and taking the time to learn about his heritage (they're Métis and he was one of the first in the family to really embrace the native side of that), get in contact with an elder, learn about how to find and prepare herbal remedies... and some dilettante (I'm sorry, but they are) thinking that alls they gotta do to be a proper herbalist is read a couple books and online fact sheets.

Some stuff is always going to stay inside the house as it were, and covetous people throwing temper tantrums on the doorstep is meaningless. Considering the...unique (read: depressing) history that Euro folks in general have with Native folks, you can bet your ass that I was blown away when BFF's uncle took us and a couple friends to a potluck at a community centre and the drum circle guys said, "Hey, this is an open dance for everyone, so if you wanna dance go ahead!" I said I wasn't native though and they said "duh it's an OPEN dance". That dance was open. Some weren't. Not everyone is obliged to share their stuff with you-the-privileged majority and demanding they do so JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO is a big ol' monster show of that privilege.

We-the-pasty-privileged are not OWED dickity-dang. No one is obliged to give us anything. We have access to a shit ton already and we should thank our lucky sparkly stars for that, because god only knows it's not always approached respectfully.

...lol wow this is a rant. Sorry. It's just an issue that hits very CLOSE TO HOME for me because, ohai, BFF IS MÉTIS, and I have seen poeple assume stupid things about him because he is Métis and I have seen people in Ontario (they're in NB now - which has a huge huge huge Métis population - BFF jokes about being descended from two of the most kicked around groups in Canada, the Acadiens and the Native folks) try to trick his francophone mother out of the tax exemption she is owed (and that is not even money the store would GET TO KEEP) and I have had profs in university who survived those fucking awful schools and goddamn it it IS a big deal.

Blargh.

So yeah - appropriation exists, and at best an appropriator is a careless numpty. At worst they are one unlucky stiff. A woman in an RP I used to be in had an acquiescence who - wait for it - got Erzulie's vever as a tattoo. Needless to say her romantic relationships were all uh. Something. And that's a fairly mild-ish example!

Energy work and work with herbs isn't just goof-offage. Do your homework before you do things, and for frick's sake be respectful and know when to leave well enough alone. You are not owed knowledge. No seeker is owed knowledge simply because they are a seeker. If something calls you, have the respect to answer it in a way that involves an educated approach.

Please. Or it may go upside your head. XD;