Native Americana in Modern Native Americana in Modern Western Nature SpiritualitiesWestern Nature Spiritualities

Andrei A. ZnamenskiAndrei A. Znamenski

What I want to address in this What I want to address in this paper?paper?

The heavy presence of Native Americana in The heavy presence of Native Americana in Western New Age/nature communitiesWestern New Age/nature communities

Different approaches to the identity Different approaches to the identity formation among the Native Americans and formation among the Native Americans and the New Age/nature communitiesthe New Age/nature communities

The issue of “traditional” and “non-The issue of “traditional” and “non-traditional” spirituality traditional” spirituality

The current drift away from Native The current drift away from Native Americana among the New Age/nature Americana among the New Age/nature communitiescommunities

Native Americana: Native Americana: ExamplesExamples

Concepts: Mother Earth, Great Spirit, Concepts: Mother Earth, Great Spirit, Four Directions, tribe, and sacred circleFour Directions, tribe, and sacred circle

Rituals: sweat lodge, sun dance, and Rituals: sweat lodge, sun dance, and vision questvision quest

Artifacts: sacred pipe, eagle feather, Artifacts: sacred pipe, eagle feather, dream catcher, sage, and medicine dream catcher, sage, and medicine wheelwheel

Print culture: Print culture: Black Elk SpeaksBlack Elk Speaks (1931), (1931), Carlos Castaneda’s novels, Carlos Castaneda’s novels, Book of the Book of the HopiHopi (1969) by Frank Waters, and (1969) by Frank Waters, and Native American “medicine cards”Native American “medicine cards”

Heavy presence of Native Americana Heavy presence of Native Americana in Nature Spiritualities, 1960s-1990sin Nature Spiritualities, 1960s-1990s

The American Indian The American Indian as an antidote to as an antidote to modernity and modernity and Western CivilizationWestern Civilization

Joseph Campbell: Joseph Campbell: American Indians are American Indians are “the most spiritual “the most spiritual people on earth”people on earth”

Native Americans as Native Americans as the archetype of the the archetype of the ancient, ecological ancient, ecological and spiritualand spiritual

Popular Perception: Native Popular Perception: Native American are Stewards of American are Stewards of

NatureNature

From the United States to From the United States to EuropeEurope

US is the motherland US is the motherland of the “New Age”of the “New Age”

Dominant position of Dominant position of English language English language

America “flood of America “flood of printed matter” and printed matter” and “Native American” “Native American” traveling “shamans” traveling “shamans” as inspirations for as inspirations for European spiritual European spiritual seekersseekers

Neo-shamanic group in GermanyNeo-shamanic group in Germany

American Indian style tepees at the pagan American Indian style tepees at the pagan festival in Glastonbury (UK), 2003festival in Glastonbury (UK), 2003

Erecting a sweat lodge and a tepee in the Erecting a sweat lodge and a tepee in the vicinity of Johanennsburg, South Africavicinity of Johanennsburg, South Africa

Construction of a sweat lodge during an Construction of a sweat lodge during an international gathering of seekers of tribal international gathering of seekers of tribal spirituality (Siberia, Russia), 2003spirituality (Siberia, Russia), 2003

In her rituals “Celtic In her rituals “Celtic shaman” Light shaman” Light Hawk still uses a Hawk still uses a rattle made by a rattle made by a Hopi Indian friend Hopi Indian friend when she pursued when she pursued Native American Native American spirituality in the spirituality in the 1980s1980s

Identity Issue: Native American Identity Issue: Native American ViewView

Native Americana is a collective resource to Native Americana is a collective resource to be used by the Native Americans in their be used by the Native Americans in their cultural constructioncultural construction

The use of Native Americana by surrounding The use of Native Americana by surrounding society waters down Indian identity society waters down Indian identity

The use of “traditional” Indian rituals by The use of “traditional” Indian rituals by Western seekers is a fraud, “shamanic neo-Western seekers is a fraud, “shamanic neo-imperialism,” and “cultural genocide”imperialism,” and “cultural genocide”

Extreme view: native communities must Extreme view: native communities must sanction particular ceremonies and approve sanction particular ceremonies and approve books on the Indiansbooks on the Indians

Identity Issue: Western seekers’ Identity Issue: Western seekers’ viewview

Identity is a matter of individual choiceIdentity is a matter of individual choice An individual has a right to eclectically An individual has a right to eclectically

shop around for his/her spiritualityshop around for his/her spirituality References to religious freedomReferences to religious freedom Attempts of Native Americans to Attempts of Native Americans to

“copyright” particular rituals/symbols “copyright” particular rituals/symbols is a segregation is a segregation

Many Native Many Native American spiritual American spiritual practitioners, like the practitioners, like the late Archie Fire Lame late Archie Fire Lame Deer, disagree with Deer, disagree with the Indian the Indian “fundamentalists” “fundamentalists” and share their and share their spirituality with non-spirituality with non-Indian spiritual Indian spiritual seekersseekers

Is the spiritual appropriation of Native Is the spiritual appropriation of Native Americana not authentic and “Non-Americana not authentic and “Non-

Traditional”?Traditional”? Imagined New Age/nature communities are Imagined New Age/nature communities are

not necessarily imaginary communitiesnot necessarily imaginary communities How much time does it take for a new How much time does it take for a new

religious path to turn from “invented” to religious path to turn from “invented” to “traditional”?“traditional”?

Religion/spirituality is not less valid if it has Religion/spirituality is not less valid if it has been recently minted or contains elements been recently minted or contains elements of deceit of deceit

The argument that cultures are monoliths is The argument that cultures are monoliths is a fallacya fallacy

““Merlin’s call”: from Native Americana Merlin’s call”: from Native Americana to ancient European folkloreto ancient European folklore

Many New Age/nature communities are Many New Age/nature communities are sensitive to Native American criticismsensitive to Native American criticism

A growing realization that Native A growing realization that Native Americana cannot make Western Americana cannot make Western seekers more indigenousseekers more indigenous

A current drift toward European pre-A current drift toward European pre-Christian folklore (Nordic and Celtic Christian folklore (Nordic and Celtic spiritualities)spiritualities)

A dream of Jungian analyst Fred Gustafson: A dream of Jungian analyst Fred Gustafson: ambivalence about the use of Native ambivalence about the use of Native

AmericanaAmericana““I saw a fine pair of beaded I saw a fine pair of beaded moccasins that were just moccasins that were just like the ones I had been like the ones I had been looking for. They were light-looking for. They were light-colored, of a blue-tan tone. colored, of a blue-tan tone. I picked them up and saw I picked them up and saw the price was $40. I knew I the price was $40. I knew I already had twenty dollars already had twenty dollars on me. Money was not the on me. Money was not the issue though. I needed to issue though. I needed to see what size they were but see what size they were but could not find the marking could not find the marking for the size. If anything, I for the size. If anything, I was not concerned for the was not concerned for the price but I feared they were price but I feared they were too large for me.” too large for me.”

Neo-shamanism Print Culture: Neo-shamanism Print Culture: Castaneda’s Don Juan to Bates’ Anglo-Castaneda’s Don Juan to Bates’ Anglo-

Saxon sorcererSaxon sorcerer

Some new spiritual archetypes invoked Some new spiritual archetypes invoked by Western neo-shamansby Western neo-shamans

MerlinMerlin OdinOdin

Celtic shaman Tira Brandon Evans: from Celtic shaman Tira Brandon Evans: from reading books about Indians shamans to reading books about Indians shamans to

talking with “grand farther” Merlintalking with “grand farther” Merlin

Enlightening about ABCs of Nordic Enlightening about ABCs of Nordic Spirituality, Savannah, GASpirituality, Savannah, GA

Incorporating Wicca rituals into Neo-Incorporating Wicca rituals into Neo-ShamanismShamanism

ConclusionsConclusions In matters of religion/spirituality such In matters of religion/spirituality such

verdicts as “traditional” and “non-verdicts as “traditional” and “non-traditional” do not make sense.traditional” do not make sense.

Elements of Native Americana became Elements of Native Americana became integral part of many New Age/nature integral part of many New Age/nature communities. As such, these elements are communities. As such, these elements are authentic and “traditional.” authentic and “traditional.”

In current Western nature spiritualities In current Western nature spiritualities Native Americana now is either mixed with Native Americana now is either mixed with or give way to European pagan folkloreor give way to European pagan folklore