Sacred Lands in Wyoming - Essay Example

? Un ized Use of Native American Religious Symbols Questions Do: Read the Declaration of War. Weigh the problems and abuses (listed in the Whereas-statements) against the resolutions that follow. Answer: Do the resolutions seem to be a reasonable way of dealing with the problems? Explain why or why not. The resolutions do seem to be a reasonable way of dealing with the problem of unauthorized use of the Lakota peoples’ religious symbols. While the tone of the resolutions seems a little militaristic, it is important to understand that the Lakota are deeply offended by the abuse of their traditions (Mesteth, Elk and Hawk). It is wrong to just appropriate someone's culture without understanding the traditions and history behind it. Moreover, it is unjust to seek to profit from the Lakota spirituality without giving back to the community. The people who dabble in such acts do not usually care that they are offending the owners of the cultural practices. The declaration was quite serious as the Lakota have gone to court to preserve the integrity of their religious beliefs1 and have gone to such lengths as banning non-natives from attending Sun Dances.2 The worst offenders are usually the people who are guided by the profit motive. People who are not Lakota appropriate the ceremonies when in fact they are not entitled. Taking Jews as an example: if the people who do not understand Judaism at all adopt a half -understood calendar of ceremonies and elect a Rabbi who cannot even read Hebrew, the Jews would be deeply offended. These profit-oriented people prey on the need for human beings to find acceptance and to belong somewhere. As the declaration states, most of the new age religions are led by hucksters and commercial profiteers who are not entitled to take their ceremonies and earn a living off their cultural theft (Mesteth, Elk and Hawk). 2) Do: Read a number of the "responses to the Declaration," starting either with the first link or the last link. Answer: Pick three of the categories from the Declaration's third "Whereas" (i.e., wannabes, hucksters, cultists, etc.) and explain from the responses why tribal members view these as problematic. From a response by Lynnette, it seems that some people (wannabes) are aping the practices of the Lakota without any respect or consideration for the First Nations Peoples’ feelings (“Responses to War against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality”). Their interest might be genuine, but then they go too far at times. This has engendered mistrust among the native tribes of America. It is indeed a mockery of the peoples’ traditions when the intent is to become one of them by buying tokens of their religious practices. Tribal members view these people as problematic because they will try to pass themselves off as one of them. This leads to confusion among the rest of the Americans who understand very little about the Indian tribes. The issue of confusion is further exacerbated by the fact that most Indians are not forthcoming about themselves since they are a very proud people. As Lynnette put it, it is all about a way of life and not a fad to be followed when one fancies it. Since the wannabes are following a fad, it becomes disrespectful to the tribes as they do not bother to learn about the First Nations Peoples. These people who are described as wannabes would be best served if they visited the reservations and actually tried to do some good for the tribes and communities. There are serious problems bedeviling the tribes and they would learn about the tribes’ culture as they were doing good works in the communities. 3) Do: Find some responses from individuals who belong to one of the categories you described in #2. Answer: Do you think that these individuals should be able to continue using Native American religious symbols, beliefs and experiences in the manner they have been? Why or why not? Do their responses to the Declaration present a convincing argument to let them continue their activities? Why or why not? The individuals using the Native American religious symbols should not continue doing so. The reason is that culture should not be for sale to those who do not honor it. “It’s not only wrong, it’s obscene. Indians don’t sell their spirituality to anybody, for any price” (Churchill). It is sacrilegious for those individuals to use the Native Americans religious symbols inappropriately. As stated in the CankuLuta website, Native Americans also feel that this is another injustice visited upon them by the whites. They feel that their culture is the only thing left after their land, water, hunting and fishing was taken from them. The responses from some of the people in the wannabe category do not stand up under scrutiny. This is because they feel that the Native American culture should be shared with everyone indiscriminately. Unfortunately, this issue has been hijacked by charlatans of all types. Thus, they do not realize that they are diluting the significance of the religious ceremonies and cultural items of the Native Americans. It seems that some of these people feel that they are paying the Lakota a complement by trying to find themselves using the tribe’s way. Some feel affronted by the very existence of the declaration of war against exploiters of Lakota spirituality. But as Kent puts it, “In what other culture do they "honor" you by stealing your religion and then destroying its principles along the way?” 4) Do: Browse through the two New Age sites above. Answer: Do the sites or the activities the sites describe violate the Declaration? Explain how. The New age religions do violate the declaration. This is because most of their rituals are based on Native American spiritual practices. In particular, they have ‘vision quest’ programs and ‘sweat lodges’ that aim to help their members find themselves (Taliman). These imitate the Native American practices and are thus in direct violation of the declaration. Shamanism also violates the declaration since their practices ape important parts of Native American spirituality (The Foundation for Shamanic Studies). This is perceived in some quarters to be akin to racism. Indeed some “self-appointed shamans package traditional "Indian" spiritual concepts and ceremonies and sell them as avenues to self-discovery and healing in their quest for profits” (CankuLuta). 5) Both the Declaration and many of the responses to it by Native Americans emphasize the importance of native community. IOW, Native Americans should practice their community's ways and non-natives (e.g., Scots, Germans, etc.) should practice the ways of their community. Native Americans are thus drawing a boundary around their religion, a boundary based upon bloodlines. Other religions draw boundaries around their religions as well. Christianity, for example, requires that believers undergo Baptism in order to be recognized as full members of the church and its community. Answer: Should membership in a religious community (as defined by the community itself) be a requirement for using the religion's symbols, believing its beliefs and practicing its practices? Why? Membership in a religious community should be a requirement for using the religion’s symbols. This is because membership places certain obligations on the individual to learn about the religion, its history, beliefs, practices and its symbols. From this point of view, the member can then better appreciate what they have. This education eliminates the issue of ignorance about the harm that individuals cause when they defile sacred rites and symbols of a religion. However, drawing the boundary based on bloodline in the declaration is because those who are not from the tribe would not be able to fully appreciate the spirituality in the tribe. They must spend time studying, understanding and most importantly living the life. This is a requirement that makes many to shy away from such responsibilities. Most only want to belong and worship on certain occasion or when it suits them, such as only once a week or month. The rest of the time they want to get on with their busy lives (“Responses to War against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality”). 6) Answer: Is there a difference between borrowing an isolated belief, symbol or practice or two, and borrowing the religion as a whole? Is there even a difference between borrowing the religion whole and joining the religion and its community? There is a difference between borrowing a belief, symbol or practice in isolation as opposed to borrowing the religion as a whole. Most people borrow religious practices in isolation without understanding the context of such practices. Many spiritual practices and rituals have a specific historical context. It becomes offensive to the people from whom the practices have been borrowed. Thus it ends up seeming as if those who are borrowing from the Native Americans rituals are trivializing their culture. Native Americans object to the way that people make up a lot of nonsense and claim that it is Native American (Churchill). This is the main bone of contention between Native Americans and New age religions. There is a difference borrowing a religion as a whole as opposed to joining the religion and its community. This is those who borrow it as a whole commit a great theft to the community and do not respect it. A better way of dealing with the issue is joining the community. With this comes respect, and understanding for the traditions and norms in the religion. For admittance to be granted, one has to show deep understanding of the religion, and a commitment to ensure that they will keep the faith. 7) Answer: In the dispute between Native American religions and New Age religions, where should the line about borrowing be drawn? Should it be drawn where the Declaration says it should be, i.e., no outside use at all, or should it be drawn so that anyone can borrow whatever they wish, or should it be somewhere in between? Be as specific as you can and support your answer fully. Borrowing of religious practices cannot be stopped. Drawing the line on borrowing of these practices cannot be clear cut. The issue is how much borrowing is enough. New age religions are trying to get practices rooted in the old ways (Brunton). Unfortunately, borrowing without understanding the context of these practices is rife, and it seems as if they are making a mockery of sacred practices of the Native Americans. As much as some would wish it were not so, the fact is that none of us lives in isolation. Our cultures are constantly evolving due to interaction with each other as the human nation. From the declaration, it seems that those who are the worst offenders seek to profit from portraying themselves as spiritual leaders. These are now known as “Plastic Shamans".3 Somedress up in ludicrous costumes, give themselves fake Indian names and their rituals seem as if they are dungeons and dragons players. From some of the responses, it seems as if there are a number of people who do not feel as if they belong anywhere, being of mixed parentage (“Responses to War against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality”). If they are not accommodated under the Native American wing, where can they fit? This is a major conundrum that they usually explore, and sometimes someone feels welcome in the new age religions since they do not discriminate in their membership catchment area. Notes 1Mizrach, Steven."Lakota Astronomy." LAKOTA ETHNOASTRONOMY.N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2013. . 2Corbin, Amy. "Sacred Land Film Project » Black Hills." Sacred Land Film Project .N.p., 1 Sept. 2001. Web. 7 May 2013. . 3Hagan, Helene E.."The Plastic Medicine People Circle."Sonoma County Free Press.N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2013. . Works Cited Brunton, Bill. "Articles on Shamanism: Healing the Aftermath of Terror, A Response to the September 11 Tragedy." Shamanism:: Foundation for Shamanic Studies founded by Michael Harner. N.p., 2001. Web. 1 May 2013. . CankuLuta. "Help Stop American Indian Exploitation."Canku Luta - Red Road. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. . Churchill, Ward. "Spiritual Hucksterism:The Rise of the Plastic Medicine Men." Cultural Survival Quarterly 27.2 (2010): n. pag. Cultural Survival | Partnering with Indigenous Peoples to Defend their Lands, Languages, and Cultures. Web. 1 May 2013. Kent, Jim. "Stealing religion ignored if it’s Native." rapidcityjournal.com - Rapid City, South Dakota. N.p., 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 2 May 2013. . Mesteth, Wilmer S., Darrell S. Elk, and Phyllis S. Hawk. "War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality." Creighton University BSCW.N.p., 10 June 1993. Web. 1 May 2013. . “Responses to War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality." Creighton University BSCW.N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. . Taliman, Valerie. ""the People's Paths home page!" Article on Lakota Declaration of War.""the People's Paths home site!" North American Indian & Indigenous People!.N.p., 1993. Web. 1 May 2013. . The Foundation for Shamanic Studies. "Shamanism: Foundation for Shamanic Studies founded by Michael Harner." Shamanism:: Foundation for Shamanic Studies founded by Michael Harner. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. . Read More