I have no problem with Wicca.
It's the Wiccans I can't stand!

CULTURAL IMPERIALISM IN WICCA

This essay entitled Cultural Imperialism in Witchcraft was originally published on Siubhan's Little Pagan Page Musings, but unfortunately, like most criticicisms of Wicca, it has disappeared from the internet.

It was located at: http://www.siubhan.com/witch/musings/imperialism.html

Over the years, I've been troubled by the way that modern Witchcraft appropriates goddesses and gods from all around the world with seemingly no respect for the religions these deities come from. This abuse takes two major forms, and both are disrespectful in their own way. ... I don't believe it's ethical to take deities from living religions and use them outside their proper religious and cultural context... Another practice that bothers me is that of conquering peoples using deities from the conquered.

It is essentially an expression of Anglo-American cultural imperialism ethnocentric cultural imperialism

Limitations: Neo-shamans, who are mostly White, are frequently charged with cultural appropriation. This can take the form of simplifying or mis-interpreting traditional practices (as many scholars have argued that Eliade did) or it may take the form of "stealing" elements which are considered to belong to other cultures (such as the Native American sweat lodge). Neo-shamans typically argue that these ritual elements or techniques are "universal" and therefore belong to them equally; however, many indigenous groups find this assertion offensive. In addition, Carlos Castaneda in particular has been discredited as a reliable source about indigenous shamanism and many have claimed that he actually made up all or most of his encounters with Don Juan. (An interesting book which examines some of these charges, as well as other issues relating to neo-shamanism, is Robert J. Wallis, Shamans/ Neo-Shamans.)

The dilution of Wicca to "Do whatever feels right" isn't something I'm interested in. Ecclectism when done respectfully and with skill is all well and good, but I find most of the time eclecticism has just become a convenient and misguiding label for cultural appropriation. I think this is why I have chosen the BTW path.

Many of these traditions have survived among people who are at a considerable financial and social disadvantage. Native Americans have suffered four centuries of oppression, genocide, and theft. Today many live in conditions of poverty and want, with little access to a better future. When we take their symbols and their legends to create our own "Native American Wicca," are we showing them respect - or are we following in the footsteps of those ancestors who took their land and herded them like cattle into reservations?

Many of us believe that we are entitled to use religious symbols and traditions from any culture. Many of our ancestors believed that they were entitled to use any land and resources they could claim, since they were capable of using it more efficiently than the "savages" or "primitives" who were already there. Have we inherited their sense of entitlement? Once again, there is no one right answer to this question...but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't question our motivations and own up to our position of privilege before we decide to incorporate a living tradition into our own practice.

Those who follow an established tradition have access to that tradition's safeguards. Those who pull imagery and ideas willy-nilly from a tradition may miss those small but important details. Santeros know that Oya and Yemanja don't like each other and keep their shrines as far apart as possible. Asatruar know how seriously the Norse divinities take even casual oaths, and how poorly they regard oath breakers. A casual student of Santeria or Asatru may not know these things -- until they find out the hard way. Some practices have gained a reputation for being "dangerous," largely because of people who burned their fingers when playing with forces they didn't understand.

Since most pagans are White, I think it is especially important for us to be sensitive to issues of cultural appropriation. We have to acknowledge that we benefit from White privilege, both individually and collectively. Because of our nation's history of prejudice, unfair treatment, violence, and outright genocide against non-White groups, it is our responsibility to work toward ending racism and social injustice. And this includes respecting non-White peoples' wishes when it comes to their culture.

Source: (http://www.whywiccanssuck.com/twessay.html)

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