We need to stop appropriating previous native resources.
…”the destruction of white-sage lands amounts to cultural genocide.”— Weshoyot Alvitre, a Tongva artist
I know it smells something magical, otherworldly.
I know it’s been in the movies and books many of us have come to love.
I also know it isn’t ours to use and we need to stop stealing from indigenous peoples.
The ecological damage is horrific. The disrespect to Native people and traditions is equally shocking. — Jan Timbrook
And just because you can buy it in your local metaphyscial shop doesn’t mean it is legal:
illegal harvest is occurring on public lands and non-permitted harvesting is also taking place on private land. In June 2018, four people were arrested for the illegal harvest of 400 pounds of white sage in North Etiwanda Preserve of Rancho Cucamonga, California. — Wikipedia
And, even if it were legal, just because something is legal doesn’t make it ethically or morally acceptable.
I mean, seriously, haven’t indigenous people been harmed enough by white ‘settlers’, i.e. colonizing invaders?
Let’s just please stop burning sage.
The same forces, however, boosted the visibility of another Native Californian use of white sage: smudging. Many Native communities across America have traditions of burning sacred materials to cleanse spaces, heal bodies, or sanctify events, but most traditionally used their own valued regional plants, such as cedar to tobacco. As Native people were pushed into Los Angeles, they adopted the use of white sage. (Although it was hard for many people to get fresh sage to use as food, the city was close enough to sage grounds to get bundles of dried leaves and stalks.) Eventually, smudging with white sage took on symbolic value as a pan-Native American act of unity, resilience, and resistance. — https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/white-sage
If you’ve been using sage for spiritual/magical purposes and are willing to stop, here are some alternatives:
- Bay leaves are lovely for writing on before burning.
- Dried rosemary branches work very well offer both clearing and protection energies, rosemary is hardy and can be grown in most US climates with little effort.
- Dried Lavender bundles are also lovely to use and easy to grow in pots or gardens.
- Sound is a very old and powerful tool for energy clearing, I have a vintage brass bell I use.
And if you’re on the fence about stopping your practice of burning white sage, here are some additional articles on this topic:
Thank you for reading.
Kat❤
