White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men, Part 1 of 3

White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men is a documentary dealing with the popularization and commercialization of Native American spiritual traditions by Non-Indians. Important questions are asked of those seeking to exploit ritual and sacred ceremony and of those vested with safeguarding sacred ways. This documentary is thematically organized, and deals with romantic stereotypes and copying, the impatience of new age practitioners contrasted to the fact that indigenous spiritual traditions are thousands of years old, and the proselytizing nature of these new age practitioners. The film represents a wide range of voices from several native communities, and speaks to issues of cultural appropriation with humor, righteous anger, and thoughtful insight.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• mythology
• nativeamerican
• newage
• religion
• indian

[Starlightkitty12]

As a Navajo Native who was raised on a reservation, I'm laughing at this. It's actually pretty sad. White people, go find your own culture and leave ours alone. You must have had one sometime. Every race does. Stop assimilating or possessing everyone elses. Trace your roots back to Scottish, Irish, French, British, Roman, Greek etc..... Yours is out there. Search for it.

[NopeJPeg]

@D7bestchord

Different Native groups are the proprietors of their specific cultural legacy. There is no argument to be had, especially given white people's historical approach to the variety of Native heritage. You can't own land? Okay, white folks, time to forfeit your land claims. Funny how now that whites are the majority in the U.S. and hold the majority of positions of power do Native quotes/exclamations of wisdom/etc matter all of a sudden. Let's call it white hypocrisy.

[Brabers37]

White culture: have respect for Native American culture and please educate yourself before assuming you know everything about it. Native American culture: not all white people are like the ones in this video

[NopeJPeg]

@D7bestchord

Seems "change" only goes so far as quoting and misappopriating and not anything significant in the political spectrum. lol white people, right?

Lakota have a copyright on Lakota culture. If you're not of the community, your intentions are real clear.

[davethabushfella]

the ways of d indigenous people of the world r not religious systems but pathways 2 align 1's conciousness with the conciousness of world we live in which has natural intelligence,allowing and teaching all different life forms feeding of each other 2 live in harmony, its not ownership its belonging its d middle way, were everything gives of its self so there can be balance everything communicates ceremony is communication with d living world it says i understand what i receive now i give back

[leahtaylor83]

@davethabushfella Thank you for this comment. Much of the debate here is evidence of how far we ALL need to go in order to heal as a collective.

[ayosgi]

@D7bestchord

You my not have..."stole anybody's land", but you are guilty of receiving stolen property! 

[D7bestchord]

@NopeJPeg

I was never trying to represent white people and do not justify any "white" actions taken. Just because I am white doesn't mean I stole anybody's land or culture. I disagree that it is hypocritical, it's actually just the modernisation of thinking, white people change like anyone else, so they can realise what their ancestors did was bad and quote Native Americans. I also wish that Native Americans were less generalised and more tribally considered. You still can't copyright a God.

[D7bestchord]

You say "stole our land" and "steal our religion". How do you own land or religion? You cannot own the Earth, or own a god. This is what Native Americans were trying to tell the white people all along.

[TheThreeWeavers]

I won't buy anything which is marketed as 'native american'. I have lots of my own culture thank you very much. I think that's what is wrong with the world. We have moved on so fast most of us have lost our way. We look to inspiriations like the indigenous people of America. People who, although have problems, still try and cling on to their roots. I don't think this is a case of white or any others trying to 'take', they just desire what they don't have but need badly to function. Very sad :(