Appropriating the Didjeridu and the Sweat Lodge: New Age Baddies and Indigenous Victims?

Welch, Christina

doi:10.1080/13537900120098147

Cited by 20 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Such tendencies come through a general cultural misrepresentation through education and in other ways. This issue remains a significant problem that many traditional Native Americans have long pointed out and has been recently described by anthropologists, historians and religious scholars (Brown, 2004;Brown and Williams, 2004;Jenkins, 2004;Pewewardy, 1998;Welch, 2002). From such perspectives, a series of questions arise: are such cultural reconstructions accurate?…”

Section: Misrepresenting Indigenous Cultures and Threats To American mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the relatively lesser examples of misrepresentation in public education might appear benign by comparison with such gross misappropriation of indigenous spirituality, both practices are related. This problem is pervasive in Western cultures and is evident throughout the United States and the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, posing a threat to the cultural sovereignty of indigenous peoples worldwide (Welch, 2002).…”

Section: Misrepresenting Indigenous Cultures and Threats To American mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet it is precisely due to these problems that the most virtuous of efforts to promote an "antibias perspective" regarding indigenous peoples, are betrayed (Almeida, 1996). Moreover, non-Indian attitudes such as those reflected in the newspaper passage above remain acceptable-even justified-by a general and commonly held ignorance of American Indian social and economic realities (Welch, 2002).…”

Section: Problems Of Cultural Tourism and Indigenousmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, aspects of American Indian history and culture have become and remain important parts of education from elementary school through university levels of instruction. Native American ecology, knowledge and uses of indigenous flora, fauna, minerals and other natural resources continue to receive much scholarly attention amidst growing indigenous resistance (Brown, 2004;Pewewardy, 1998;Welch, 2002;Yellowtail et al, 1980). Moreover, knowledge about Indian uses of such resources and their historic relationship with the environment are regularly deemed essential to the collective understanding of our place in the world today.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Often, such studies bear the lofty hope that by gaining an awareness of Native American cultural practices, answers may be found to modern problems shared by all. Nevertheless, in an environment of expanding access to information, the unlimited right to investigate and use knowledge specific to indigenous peoples and cultures is increasingly deemed inappropriate by indigenous peoples themselves (Brown, 1998b;Welch, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Teaching Indigenous American Culture and History: Perpetuating Knowledge or Furthering Intellectual Colonization?

Ward¹

2011

Journal of Social Sciences

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Problem statement:This study addresses a number of ongoing and important issues related to teaching the history and culture of Native Americans in the public setting. As part of the social science curriculum, the study and academic interpretations of American Indian culture and history regularly attracts educators and students alike, but remains problematic for reasons of cultural property and identity. Of particular concern are matters related to the accuracy and purposes of such instructional content and problems of cultural representation, cultural boundaries and cultural and/ or intellectual property. A related question concerns problems associated with limiting access to cultural knowledge versus increased demands for open access to information. Approach: By examining the historiography related to this subject and exploring other mainstream and indigenous academic and traditional indigenous perspectives on this topic, the scope of the problem of American Indian cultural misrepresentation can be ascertained, while the complexities of these issues may also be recognized. A key aspect of this study is its emphasis on indigenous perspectives, which often stand in contrast with those of mainstream academic thought on this and related topics. Though legal questions arise from such an examination, the issues addressed here are largely ethical in nature. Results: From traditional indigenous and indigenous academic perspectives, the unauthorized use of ceremonies, sacred songs and stories, or ritual and other material culture objects constitutes a theft of cultural and/ or intellectual property. The fact that this problem persists despite many decades of indigenous criticism indicates the continuation of an overall non-indigenous disregard for American Indian authority. Thus, the perpetuation of cultural misrepresentation and the continued theft of cultural and/ or indigenous intellectual property serves to further the historic process of non-indigenous colonization of Native American cultures. Conclusions/Recommendations: In most cases, solutions to the problems of cultural property and misrepresentation are obvious but difficult to carry out due to the general use of and emphasis on authorities not recognized by traditional indigenous peoples. This study addresses that fact and concludes that everyone involved (teachers, students and indigenous peoples) are best served when traditional American Indian authorities are regularly consulted, with regard to matters involving public presentations and interpretations of indigenous cultures. The single greatest remedy to the problems described involves open communication and the unbiased recognition of indigenous authority. Due to the complexities of these and related issues, further contributions by indigenous peoples, expanded study and analysis by academics are recommended.

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Section: Misrepresenting Indigenous Cultures and Threats To American mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Misrepresenting Indigenous Cultures and Threats To American mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Problems Of Cultural Tourism and Indigenousmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Teaching Indigenous American Culture and History: Perpetuating Knowledge or Furthering Intellectual Colonization?

Ward¹

2011

Journal of Social Sciences

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“Druids Down Under”: Australian Druidry as Adaptation and Innovation

Cusack

2024

Palgrave Studies in New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities

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The Blessingway Ceremony: Ritual, Nostalgic Imagination and Feminist Spirituality

Burns

2015

J Relig Health

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There is an increasing interest in the role of spirituality on the experience of health, wellness and illness, as well as the role of spiritual practice in health care provision. For pregnancy and childbirth, this focus has tended to concentrate on hospital birth settings and care, and religious forms of spirituality. The blessingway ceremony can be described as an alternative baby shower, popular with home-birthing women. Its focus is woman-centred and draws on the power of ritual to evoke a spiritual experience for the pregnant host and her guests. This spirituality is experienced as a strong connection between women, their relationship with 'nature', and forged via the nostalgic imagination of women through time and space. This article will draw on data obtained in 2010 during doctoral fieldwork with 52 home-birthing women across eastern Australia and will examine the blessingway ceremony and its significance as a site of potential spiritual empowerment for pregnant and birthing women.

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Appropriating the Didjeridu and the Sweat Lodge: New Age Baddies and Indigenous Victims?

Cited by 20 publications

References 7 publications

Teaching Indigenous American Culture and History: Perpetuating Knowledge or Furthering Intellectual Colonization?

Teaching Indigenous American Culture and History: Perpetuating Knowledge or Furthering Intellectual Colonization?

“Druids Down Under”: Australian Druidry as Adaptation and Innovation

The Blessingway Ceremony: Ritual, Nostalgic Imagination and Feminist Spirituality

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