Post by E on Apr 24, 2009 0:41:23 GMT -5
Original post by Faeng:
I know, I know this is a loaded topic. I am just really thinking out loud. In the last week this subject has come up quite a bit in my reading both from a Native American and a Northern perspective. The idea being that a cultural tradition and belief system is passed down through a persons bloodline. That no one outside of that bloodline can truly follow that path. Now I have been doing a lot of research in a northern direction as of late. That is part of my bloodline. I have also gone in a Celtic direction in the past that also being part of my bloodline. However I have done a great deal in the direction of Native American, which is not known to me to be part of my heritage. It is something though that has called to me as long as I can remember.
My thoughts on this are either it is more environment that determines culture or if they are right and it comes from the blood that somewhere I have some native background I am not aware of. I admit that there are a couple of areas of my family I am not sure of. All I know is a bit of general info of possible countries of origin. My family isn't interested in our background and the few that are still living don't know much.
I personally feel that even though it is important to know and honor where your family came from that it isn't necessarily a persons DNA that determines a persons culture or belief system. Then of course you get into the whole difficulty now with the fact especially here in the states most of us are not from just one bloodline. There are at least four origins for mine and at least six for my daughter.
I am just wondering what peoples thoughts were on this. I am not looking for a huge argument. I am just curious.
Bear:
I think it's a good place for noobs to start. I don't think it has to be where someone ends up.
Blackrose:
I don't think it's limited to bloodlines, but I do think there is something to be said about being immersed in a culture. For instance, I do have Celtic bloodlines and I have drawn very strongly to some aspects of Celtic spiritualities - particularly Irish since not even all Celtic cultures are exactly the same. However, I also have Germanic and Slavic bloodlines, but am less interested in them. I believe that a lot of this has to do with the fact that my father - the Irish side - is very 'into' his culture and so I was raised with a strong sense of connection and pride in my Irish heritage. My mother - the other parts - did not place as much emphasis on her culture, and they were never really parts of my life beyond a certain, minimal extent...
I believe that there are things that are simply hard for outsiders to understand... that if you take something out of its cultural context, you may not understand it or experience it in its 'original' form... This can be hard for someone even if they are part of the bloodline if they are removed from the culture and the history of a thing - which is another reason why I feel it's often more cultural and less bloodline...
And that is one reason why I have always been, personally, leary of going in a "Native American" direction. I am skeptical of much of what gets passed off as Native American spirituality - as much as I am about much of what gets passed off as Celtic spirituality. There are different tribes, after all, with beliefs and practices particular to those tribes... Not to mention just a lot of misinformation and white-washing of things...
But, anyway, as you say, it is cultural... and while I do not believe that one must be a part of the bloodline, I do believe that one must explore the culture, become part of the culture, if one is to truly follow a cultural belief system...
The other option is to take the aspects of the system you are drawn to, and make it a part of your own system instead of seeking to follow the particulars of another... This is one reason why I am rather hesitant to say I am on a Celtic path, because even tho I have a connection to my heritage and to some of the beliefs, I do not strictly follow a Celtic path... and so do not feel comfortable in claiming the moniker for myself - and I even have the bloodline
I know, I know this is a loaded topic. I am just really thinking out loud. In the last week this subject has come up quite a bit in my reading both from a Native American and a Northern perspective. The idea being that a cultural tradition and belief system is passed down through a persons bloodline. That no one outside of that bloodline can truly follow that path. Now I have been doing a lot of research in a northern direction as of late. That is part of my bloodline. I have also gone in a Celtic direction in the past that also being part of my bloodline. However I have done a great deal in the direction of Native American, which is not known to me to be part of my heritage. It is something though that has called to me as long as I can remember.
My thoughts on this are either it is more environment that determines culture or if they are right and it comes from the blood that somewhere I have some native background I am not aware of. I admit that there are a couple of areas of my family I am not sure of. All I know is a bit of general info of possible countries of origin. My family isn't interested in our background and the few that are still living don't know much.
I personally feel that even though it is important to know and honor where your family came from that it isn't necessarily a persons DNA that determines a persons culture or belief system. Then of course you get into the whole difficulty now with the fact especially here in the states most of us are not from just one bloodline. There are at least four origins for mine and at least six for my daughter.
I am just wondering what peoples thoughts were on this. I am not looking for a huge argument. I am just curious.
Bear:
I think it's a good place for noobs to start. I don't think it has to be where someone ends up.
Blackrose:
I don't think it's limited to bloodlines, but I do think there is something to be said about being immersed in a culture. For instance, I do have Celtic bloodlines and I have drawn very strongly to some aspects of Celtic spiritualities - particularly Irish since not even all Celtic cultures are exactly the same. However, I also have Germanic and Slavic bloodlines, but am less interested in them. I believe that a lot of this has to do with the fact that my father - the Irish side - is very 'into' his culture and so I was raised with a strong sense of connection and pride in my Irish heritage. My mother - the other parts - did not place as much emphasis on her culture, and they were never really parts of my life beyond a certain, minimal extent...
I believe that there are things that are simply hard for outsiders to understand... that if you take something out of its cultural context, you may not understand it or experience it in its 'original' form... This can be hard for someone even if they are part of the bloodline if they are removed from the culture and the history of a thing - which is another reason why I feel it's often more cultural and less bloodline...
And that is one reason why I have always been, personally, leary of going in a "Native American" direction. I am skeptical of much of what gets passed off as Native American spirituality - as much as I am about much of what gets passed off as Celtic spirituality. There are different tribes, after all, with beliefs and practices particular to those tribes... Not to mention just a lot of misinformation and white-washing of things...
But, anyway, as you say, it is cultural... and while I do not believe that one must be a part of the bloodline, I do believe that one must explore the culture, become part of the culture, if one is to truly follow a cultural belief system...
The other option is to take the aspects of the system you are drawn to, and make it a part of your own system instead of seeking to follow the particulars of another... This is one reason why I am rather hesitant to say I am on a Celtic path, because even tho I have a connection to my heritage and to some of the beliefs, I do not strictly follow a Celtic path... and so do not feel comfortable in claiming the moniker for myself - and I even have the bloodline