The Appropriation of Native American Spirituality

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24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Native Americans and Canadians are largely romanticised or sidelined figures in modern society. Their spirituality has been appropriated on a relatively large scale by Europeans and non-Native Americans, with little concern for the diversity of Native American opinions. Suzanne Owen offers an insight into appropriation that will bring a new understanding and perspective to these debates. This important volume collects together these key debates from the last 25 years and sets them in context, analyses Native American objections to appropriations of their spirituality and examines 'New Age' practices based on Native American spirituality. The Appropriation of Native American Spirituality includes the findings of fieldwork among the Mi'Kmaq of Newfoundland on the sharing of ceremonies between Native Americans and First Nations, which highlights an aspect of the debate that has been under-researched in both anthropology and religious studies: that Native American discourses about the breaking of 'protocols', rules on the participation and performance of ceremonies, is at the heart of objections to the appropriation of Native American spirituality.

Original languageEnglish
PublisherBloomsbury
Number of pages204
ISBN (Electronic)9781441121288
ISBN (Print)1847063934, 9781847063939
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2008

Publication series

NameContinuum Advances in Religious Studies
PublisherBloomsbury

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