Dr. Andrei Znamenski (University of Memphis) paper presentation, Portland, OR, October 21, 2006

1. Native Americana in ModernNative Americana in Modern
Western Nature SpiritualitiesWestern Nature Spiritualities
Andrei A. ZnamenskiAndrei A. Znamenski

2. What I want to address in this paper?What I want to address in this paper?
 The heavy presence of Native Americana inThe heavy presence of Native Americana in
Western New Age/nature communitiesWestern New Age/nature communities
 Different approaches to the identity formationDifferent approaches to the identity formation
among the Native Americans and the Newamong the Native Americans and the New
Age/nature communitiesAge/nature communities
 The issue of “traditional” and “non-traditional”The issue of “traditional” and “non-traditional”
spiritualityspirituality
 The current drift away from Native AmericanaThe current drift away from Native Americana
among the New Age/nature communitiesamong the New Age/nature communities

3. Native Americana: ExamplesNative Americana: Examples
 Concepts: Mother Earth, Great Spirit, FourConcepts: Mother Earth, Great Spirit, Four
Directions, tribe, and sacred circleDirections, tribe, and sacred circle
 Rituals: sweat lodge, sun dance, and visionRituals: sweat lodge, sun dance, and vision
questquest
 Artifacts: sacred pipe, eagle feather, dreamArtifacts: sacred pipe, eagle feather, dream
catcher, sage, and medicine wheelcatcher, sage, and medicine wheel
 Print culture:Print culture: Black Elk SpeaksBlack Elk Speaks (1931),(1931),
Carlos Castaneda’s novels,Carlos Castaneda’s novels, Book of theBook of the
HopiHopi (1969) by Frank Waters, and Native(1969) by Frank Waters, and Native
American “medicine cards”American “medicine cards”

4. Heavy presence of Native Americana inHeavy presence of Native Americana in
Nature Spiritualities, 1960s-1990sNature Spiritualities, 1960s-1990s
 The American Indian asThe American Indian as
an antidote to modernityan antidote to modernity
and Western Civilizationand Western Civilization
 Joseph Campbell:Joseph Campbell:
American Indians are “theAmerican Indians are “the
most spiritual people onmost spiritual people on
earth”earth”
 Native Americans as theNative Americans as the
archetype of the ancient,archetype of the ancient,
ecological and spiritualecological and spiritual

6. Popular Perception: NativePopular Perception: Native
American are Stewards of NatureAmerican are Stewards of Nature

7. From the United States to EuropeFrom the United States to Europe
 US is the motherlandUS is the motherland
of the “New Age”of the “New Age”
 Dominant position ofDominant position of
English languageEnglish language
 America “flood ofAmerica “flood of
printed matter” andprinted matter” and
“Native American”“Native American”
traveling “shamans”traveling “shamans”
as inspirations foras inspirations for
European spiritualEuropean spiritual
seekersseekers

8. Neo-shamanic group in GermanyNeo-shamanic group in Germany

9.  American Indian style tepees at the paganAmerican Indian style tepees at the pagan
festival in Glastonbury (UK), 2003festival in Glastonbury (UK), 2003

10. Erecting a sweat lodge and a tepee in the vicinityErecting a sweat lodge and a tepee in the vicinity
of Johanennsburg, South Africaof Johanennsburg, South Africa

11.  Construction of a sweat lodge during anConstruction of a sweat lodge during an
international gathering of seekers of tribalinternational gathering of seekers of tribal
spirituality (Siberia, Russia), 2003spirituality (Siberia, Russia), 2003

12.  In her rituals “CelticIn her rituals “Celtic
shaman” Light Hawkshaman” Light Hawk
still uses a rattlestill uses a rattle
made by a Hopimade by a Hopi
Indian friend whenIndian friend when
she pursued Nativeshe pursued Native
American spiritualityAmerican spirituality
in the 1980sin the 1980s

13. Identity Issue: Native American ViewIdentity Issue: Native American View
 Native Americana is a collective resource to beNative Americana is a collective resource to be
used by the Native Americans in their culturalused by the Native Americans in their cultural
constructionconstruction
 The use of Native Americana by surroundingThe use of Native Americana by surrounding
society waters down Indian identitysociety waters down Indian identity
 The use of “traditional” Indian rituals by WesternThe use of “traditional” Indian rituals by Western
seekers is a fraud, “shamanic neo-imperialism,”seekers is a fraud, “shamanic neo-imperialism,”
and “cultural genocide”and “cultural genocide”
 Extreme view: native communities must sanctionExtreme view: native communities must sanction
particular ceremonies and approve books on theparticular ceremonies and approve books on the
IndiansIndians

14. Identity Issue: Western seekers’ viewIdentity Issue: Western seekers’ view
 Identity is a matter of individual choiceIdentity is a matter of individual choice
 An individual has a right to eclecticallyAn 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 toAttempts of Native Americans to
“copyright” particular rituals/symbols is a“copyright” particular rituals/symbols is a
segregationsegregation

15.  Many NativeMany Native
American spiritualAmerican spiritual
practitioners, like thepractitioners, like the
late Archie Fire Lamelate Archie Fire Lame
Deer, disagree withDeer, disagree with
the Indianthe Indian
“fundamentalists” and“fundamentalists” and
share their spiritualityshare their spirituality
with non-Indianwith non-Indian
spiritual seekersspiritual seekers

16. Is the spiritual appropriation of Native AmericanaIs the spiritual appropriation of Native Americana
not authentic and “Non-Traditional”?not authentic and “Non-Traditional”?
 Imagined New Age/nature communities are notImagined New Age/nature communities are not
necessarily imaginary communitiesnecessarily imaginary communities
 How much time does it take for a new religiousHow much time does it take for a new religious
path to turn from “invented” to “traditional”?path to turn from “invented” to “traditional”?
 Religion/spirituality is not less valid if it has beenReligion/spirituality is not less valid if it has been
recently minted or contains elements of deceitrecently minted or contains elements of deceit
 The argument that cultures are monoliths is aThe argument that cultures are monoliths is a
fallacyfallacy

17. ““Merlin’s call”: from Native Americana toMerlin’s call”: from Native Americana to
ancient European folkloreancient European folklore
 Many New Age/nature communities areMany New Age/nature communities are
sensitive to Native American criticismsensitive to Native American criticism
 A growing realization that NativeA growing realization that Native
Americana cannot make Western seekersAmericana cannot make Western seekers
more indigenousmore indigenous
 A current drift toward European pre-A current drift toward European pre-
Christian folklore (Nordic and CelticChristian folklore (Nordic and Celtic
spiritualities)spiritualities)

18. A dream of Jungian analyst Fred Gustafson:A dream of Jungian analyst Fred Gustafson:
ambivalence about the use of Native Americanaambivalence about the use of Native Americana
““I saw a fine pair of beadedI saw a fine pair of beaded
moccasins that were just likemoccasins that were just like
the ones I had been lookingthe ones I had been looking
for. They were light-colored, offor. They were light-colored, of
a blue-tan tone. I picked thema blue-tan tone. I picked them
up and saw the price was $40.up and saw the price was $40.
I knew I already had twentyI knew I already had twenty
dollars on me. Money was notdollars on me. Money was not
the issue though. I needed tothe issue though. I needed to
see what size they were butsee what size they were but
could not find the marking forcould not find the marking for
the size. If anything, I was notthe size. If anything, I was not
concerned for the price but Iconcerned for the price but I
feared they were too large forfeared they were too large for
me.”me.”

19. Neo-shamanism Print Culture: Castaneda’sNeo-shamanism Print Culture: Castaneda’s
Don Juan to Bates’ Anglo-Saxon sorcererDon Juan to Bates’ Anglo-Saxon sorcerer

20. Some new spiritual archetypes invoked bySome new spiritual archetypes invoked by
Western neo-shamansWestern neo-shamans
MerlinMerlin OdinOdin

21. Celtic shaman Tira Brandon Evans: from readingCeltic shaman Tira Brandon Evans: from reading
books about Indians shamans to talking withbooks about Indians shamans to talking with
“grand farther” Merlin“grand farther” Merlin

22. Enlightening about ABCs of Nordic Spirituality,Enlightening about ABCs of Nordic Spirituality,
Savannah, GASavannah, GA

23. Incorporating Wicca rituals into Neo-ShamanismIncorporating Wicca rituals into Neo-Shamanism

25. ConclusionsConclusions
 In matters of religion/spirituality such verdicts asIn matters of religion/spirituality such verdicts as
“traditional” and “non-traditional” do not make“traditional” and “non-traditional” do not make
sense.sense.
 Elements of Native Americana became integralElements of Native Americana became integral
part of many New Age/nature communities. Aspart of many New Age/nature communities. As
such, these elements are authentic andsuch, these elements are authentic and
“traditional.”“traditional.”
 In current Western nature spiritualities NativeIn current Western nature spiritualities Native
Americana now is either mixed with or give wayAmericana now is either mixed with or give way
to European pagan folkloreto European pagan folklore