by Emily Johnson

Created on: January 26, 2009

The answer to the question of how to use an American Indian medicine wheel is that, if you have a medicine wheel and you don't know how to use it, then it was not intended for you and you should not use it at all.

New age spiritualism that borrows from Native religions has become very trendy among many non-Indian people, but Indians who practice tribal spiritual traditions find this cultural appropriation disturbing. "Use" of Native ceremonial objects and attempts to conduct ceremonies without being informed by an actual American Indian spiritual leader is considered by most Indians as tantamount to heresy and disrespectful of sacred religious traditions.

Think about how a Roman Catholic might feel if their Jewish hostess served guests martinis from a Eucharist chalice. Just as a rosary is sacred to a Catholic; the cross to a Methodist; baptismal water to a Baptist; the menorah to a Jew; the Qur'an to a Muslim; the prayer beads to a Hindu; the mandala to a Buddhist - you get the idea - the medicine wheel and other Indian spiritual objects are not toys. These objects are not something to be played with or experimented with by anyone other than the people they were intended for.

Well-meaning non-Indian people are genuinely curious about tribal beliefs. Growing concern about how human activities are harming our earth has resulted in intense interest within religious communities and groups that emphasize respecting and protecting nature. In Christian traditions, it has even become common for clergy to explore how they might incorporate Indian rituals, songs, or symbolism within Christian ceremonies or services.

My Anishinabe (Ojibwe) family attends a Christian church. One Sunday several years ago, our Methodist congregation celebrated "Native American Heritage Sunday". My husband and I were asked to deliver the remarks, with the topic being how non-Indians can best respect Native American spirituality. Our simple message was to leave Indian religions alone. Most Indians just want the right to freely practice their religious traditions absent any outside interference.

The service was lovely until the closing hymn was sung just before the benediction. In advance of us singing a Lakota hymn, the music director instructed the congregation to stand up and form a circle. He directed us to hold hands. When the music began, he commanded our very large, rather awkward circle to move in a clock-wise direction, doing a little side-step mimicking a really bad Iroqouis friendship

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>