Cultural heritage and practice

[ilthit]

Speaking as a Finn who has lived more than a third of her life abroad, and in the spirit of the comm rules (no elitism, personal attacks, trolling, etc.), I'd like to bring up this topic.

Because a lot of Pagan paths are tied to a particular cultural heritage or then combine or conflate gods or ideas from many strains, I'm often second-guessing myself about my "right" to follow a certain idea or invite a certain God, and on the other hand feeling both connected and disconnected from the Paganism of my own heritage. I tend to make my peace over and over again by reminding myself gods have never stuck to one place only and the thing that matters is that my connection with them is authentic and I approach them with respect. The niggle of self-doubt remains. 

As background: The first Pagan path I discovered was Wicca, as is often the case, which is a tradition that conflates. Over the years I've come to believe in a cosmology that differs from the Wiccan one, so while I can still agree with the five points, I'm not sure I want to call that my path anymore. The main sticking point being the idea that all gods are the same god. Yes and no, I think. But more on the "no" side in practical terms. I'd still like to celebrate the Wheel of the Year, and do, because who's stopping me, but it's only this Imbolc that I've really tried to connect with Brighid herself as an individual goddess. This is an ongoing project. But I am not of Irish (or even Celtic) heritage. So it's been on my mind, and the material I've been reading has, if anything, reinforced my hesitation. She appears to "belong" to Irish reconstructionism. 

On the other hand I am sitting here in ancient Gaul, where we had the earliest mentions of Brigandu. On yet another hand, I'm sitting where Hekate received sacrifices at least up to the sixth century. Gods travel. 

Any thoughts, experiences on the subject of relating your personal cultural heritage with your faith?

Comments

[haptalaon]

Not a disagreement, more of an expansion :) x

> "Personally, I feel that the living members of the culture, if there are any, take priority"

The difficulty is, you do get white nationalist types who are very invested in Norse and English mythology as white-exclusive. I think it's important to spell out how and why this is different from a Native American group wishing to eject outsiders from their rites.

In particular, specify what we mean by "living members of a culture". I'm English and Irish. Am I a living member of Irish culture? Kiiiind of, but I don't think that gives me exclusive or special claim to Irish mythology: I wasn't raised in it or with it except the way any child is, with books of generic fairy stories. I might have a slightly better appreciation of the ideas and images in it than someone living in a place with different trees and cultural frameworks, but it's not a special thing.

The cultural destruction and loss experienced in like the Victorian period can't be reversed. We lost our shot. When folklorists visited little villages to record songs and stories, they were visiting these little micro-cultures who were the authentic keepers of traditions and lore. Industrialisation and modernisation stomped that stuff. I didn't get my lore from my granny, but from books written by folklorists. Hence, the culture is a dead one.

(I think part of the attraction white randos have to joining a Native Tribe, is because it is a genuine and unbroken ancient thing. The English don't even have the names and myths of their gods, so I get the appeal. Similar to how everyone would love to be a hereditary witch.)

(Specifically, where I came from all the kids were evacuated for the war in the early 40s and came back not being able to speak their own language. That's what killed my culture, and why I did not inherit it. I'm now no more native to it than anyone else on the planet)

On the one hand, you've got a person from a culture with historic rites and stories who wants to practice and preserve them without it being diluted, stolen, stomped, adapted or forgotten.

On the other, you've got a person from a culture where the cultural practices were already lost (like, by the time Christianity showed up!), trying to revive them; and as part of thst revival, lay exclusive claim.

The former is like a stranger showing up at your grandma's birthday claiming that, in a sense, isn't she everyone's grandma? Lots of old people care about the younger generation but uhhh it's still Weird thst you're at this party? Get away from my nan?

Whereas the latter is like, you meet a girl, decide she's Your Girl, and start making rules about who she can and can't see.

One of these things is not like the others.

And especially because white nationalist types do this as a kind of "gotcha" to people from closed cultures. I think it's important to spell out specifically why some cultures are closed, what the reasoning is, why it's important. Instead of promoting it as a blanket rule.

(If only because stubborn people like me accept things better when they're explained instead of imposed!)

[ilthit]

Gosh, you're right. Finnish culture--the rites and traditions--also died. Tiny bits and pieces like fishing spells I still got from my mother's generation, but worship of Tapio or veneration of holy places is entirely reconstructionist. The Sami do have that unbroken tradition but ours is gone.