Hello from Stoney Point/concerns about appropriation amongst herbalists

[Jkewageshig]

Hello:

I came across your website from a link shared on Facebook. I am very happy to have found your organizations and I support what you are doing.

Allow me to give a short introduction. My name is Joanne Kewageshig, born Joanne Bender. I am of mixed European ancestry and am married to an Ojibwe-Pottawattami man, Martin. We live, with our four children, at Stoney Point First Nation in the southern shore of Lake Huron in the province called Ontario. As much as possible we try to "live off the land", live traditionally, attend powwows and other ceremonies.

I am a herbalist and although I use plants to help people heal, I do not see this as the same as being a traditional elder, healer or medicine person. This is because of the respect that I have for the true, deeply rooted traditions and teachings of the various indigenous nations. Although I have some knowledge of how plants can heal, I do understand that conducting ceremony, passing on teachings and traditions and the ceremonial use of plants requires a deeper teaching and learning process based in community and culture than what I have done.

I would like to reach out to your organization as I have witnessed practices and ideas within the world of "herbalists" which I find disturbing and which I would consider cultural appropriation. I have tried to engage in conversation with other herbalists about this, but aside from a few indigenous people in the conversation and some allies what I have to say has not been well received. I would like to be able to explore these issues and to feel competent in raising concerns about cultural appropriation to the herbal community as I feel this is so deeply needed. I also try to proceed with caution in my own practices and do not wish to cause harm in what I do. I am always open to hearing others concerns.

Thanks for your time!

Joanne Kewageshig

[Smart Mule]

Hi Joanne and welcome!

I know what you mean about appropriation in the herbalist community. The American Herbalist Guide is rife with appropriators who are regularly promoted.

omgsrsly

[Defend the Sacred]

Welcome! I have also seen quite a few appropriators among the non-Native herbalists. There are people selling fake ceremonies under the guise of herb classes or retreats. Often the people leading the workshops and classes aren't even properly trained as herbalists, either, they just claim to be so they can use it as a cover for the ceremony-selling.

[Jkewageshig]

Thanks for your responses! I have come to the right place! There are a number of practices and ideas from herbalists which I find troubling. As well as particular people engaging in dubious practices and claims. I would like to try to write it down in a list and share here. Since I am new to this forum, I am not really sure how people proceed with or take action on these things, but I have a few ideas as well.

I have discussed my concerns within my own circles; our traditional and powwow community. Many can't be bothered and I don't blame people really. I think the sentiment is that people have already survived over 500 years of attempted genocide and theft, this is just one more thing they will get through. For me, I feel as a shugganosh (white person), and as a herbalist I have responsibility to speak up and do something. But I also want to respect the voices and concerns of indigenous people in doing so..... And so I am here.

I am a member of the Ontario Herbalist Association which also must address some of the same issues as the AHG (Amer. Herbalists Guild). I am a member of the AHG facebook group- which is now a closed group. It is within this group conversations about appropriation took place and where much meaningful dialogue was deleted by those who don't want to acknowledge that there are problems.

I will leave it at that for now and take some time to put together something that summarizes what I find troubling. I am very happy to hear anybodies thoughts, concerns, suggestion.... Whatever!!

Joanne

[Jkewageshig]

Here is a point form list of *some* of the things/people I find troubling. I could probably list a lot more. I don't have the time to track it all and it makes me angry to delve into this, a whole bunch of negativity. Partly I just want to look away and do my own thing..... But somethings gotta give here:

People using the word "shaman" as part of their title/business promotion.

Although I know "shaman" isn't a term commonly used by First Nations in North America, the term is still troubling because of the implications of and assumptions carried with the term of some mystical and magical powers associated with indigenous or "earth centered" spirituality/religions.

Charging money for sweats and other ceremonies.

Conducting ceremony for a fee- or for free- when it is done outside of the ceremony's cultural/community/nation context.

The concept of "Re-indigenization", coined or promoted by Jesse "Wolf" Hardin, based in the American South West, self styled herbalist "animist" philosopher who seems to write as though the First Nations of North America are no longer here an that only "in the past" did generations of people grow up and live in the same area, with an inherent connection to the flaura, fauna and "spirit" of the area. Notice in his guide for "connecting" to place, he does not advise to learn about or get to know, or contribute efforts to the struggles of the indigenous people; to him, the indigenous are all in the past, gone, "mythological". And apparently, only white people object to other white people "re-indigenizing"

http://animacenter.org/blog/?cat=56

Walter "shantree" Kacera. Teaches shamanic herbalism, in London, ON, used to charge $ for sweats, don't see any curently adverised. Offers healing retreats in S. America and teaches "Ayurveda". His wife, too. Maybe was told by local FN not to run sweats? I have (in laws of my sister in law) extended white family members who attended one of his sweats, but as my sister says, "they won't come to the rez to visit my family" Cannot find anywhere what "Shantree" actually means. Here's his website: http://www.thelivingcentre.com/cms/