In Search of Ecopaganism 2

If I'm going to discuss Native American Paganism as a type of Neopaganism, I need to discuss terminology. 'Indian' is a misnomer that causes confusion-- that's out. And so 'American Indian' must go too. 'Native American' and 'indigenous people' are equally unwieldy, and I also dislike both for reasons that others might not. My choice is 'Injun', because it's brief, non-derogatory, of traditional usage, unconfusing, and could be seen as short for 'indigenous' rather than 'Indian'. Anyway, it's the best I can come up with, and I ask readers not to take offense at my using it.

My suggestion is that Injun religion is de facto, and should be recognized as, a major type of Neopaganism-- and not just in America- Germans have flocked to Lakota powwows as spiritual seekers, possibly due in part to Karl May's fin de siecle German novels, which were very popular with German boys. There seems to be some interest in Injuns across Europe. Injun spirituality is presently categorized as a form of Shamanism, which is unfair, since North American religions often involved far more than shamanistic features, if they could be called shamanic at all. And because the icon of the Noble Redskin loomed so large in America in the 1960s, the formative years of Neopaganism, and Injun spirituality has a large non-organized following of non-Injuns, it has a claim to be recognized as a major genre of Europic Neopaganism apart from Shamanism.

But the question arises-- 'Is it fair to call it Neopagan?' That's a complex and controversial question. But briefly, I would justify it because presently-existing Injun religion is 'neopagan' to the extent that, like European paleopaganism, strong attempts were made (by Christians) to stamp it out, and it has had to be revived by the Injun tribes, whose members often live 'off Rez' now in the modern world of the Europics, and no longer in their traditional lifeways. Which is also the case with the Europics who have sought to revive their traditional religions as Neopaganism. But from what I've read, Injuns generally do not want Europics to appropriate their culture, especially their religion. Their religion is for the tribe alone-- which is like the argument that only people of Celtic or Germanic ancestry should practice that type of Neopaganism. Though the case of Injuns is much stronger, since their culture, with its religion, was generally not stamped out as thoroughly or for as long as in the case of Europics-- it is still a living religion tradition with continuity, not a long-dead religion. And so it is cultural appropriation, I think, for non-Injuns to make free with their culture. But as someone who grew up with the 'Indian' as an important iconic figure of the American heritage and American mass culture, albeit in negative as well as positive forms, the clamor about cultural appropriation has suppressed an important influence for good in the American character. If there were a way to mediate this situation so that others could share more freely in the legacy of the Injuns, it would be a blessing. Perhaps the development of pan-Injun culture as seen in national powwows, for instance, and particularly among urban-acculturated Injuns, whose tribes may have lost much of their cultural heritage, or who are tribally-intermarried, or married to non-Injuns-- this is where pan-Injun religion might begin to be extended to non-Injuns (wannabes). But as Neopaganism? I don't know, but if it happens, many people might not like it but it would be something that must be acknowledged. After all, Neopaganism is still under the same onus as Injun religion was--"It's Pagan! Heathen!', 'It isn't a real religion!' But I think there is so much of value to everyone in elements of Injun spirituality and religion, that this inhibition of usage by non-Injuns is tragic. Not just for Americans, but everyone.

In the next shtook I'll discuss the importance of the Injun heritage as I experienced it as a boy in the Fifties and Sixties, through mass culture, and in my Sixties Countercultural teens, through reading and an encounter with real Injuns.