Post by Haloveir on Jun 9, 2014 6:15:29 GMT -8
I came across this article today concerning a group of native Alaskan fishermen that had defied the law by continuing to fish king salmon after Fish and Game had announced a ban, due to religious reasons.
I have to say, when it comes to a Native continuing to practice their centuries-old faith by maintaining stewardship of a land and harvesting its resources (which I maintain they do more carefully in most cases than the rest of us do), I'm not bothered by it. There's a big difference, to me, between a modern polytheist deciding that only bald eagle wing feathers will do for their custom smudge fan...and a Native American petitioning to use the feathers or take a bird because it has been a core tenet of their practice since before we got here. It has to do with precedent, but probably also our track record. Native Americans were living alongside the animals in the United States for a very long time before Europeans invaded and decided to start wiping out species in the name of fashion and trend.
"But Viv, I don't hunt!" you say. Maybe you're a vegetarian, or you get all your meat from the market, so you feel that this doesn't really apply to you. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that this is just one part of a larger issue, an issue that could land polytheists in hot water if we're not aware of the laws concerning this land that we share and honor. I'm speaking, of course, about the illegal wildlife trade.
I mentioned birds earlier because while we may not all live near an ocean or a river or even a forest, we all come into contact at some point during our day with birds. Many of us today have no idea that possessing a feather or a bone from a hawk or a songbird is illegal in the United States, as Lupa mentions in one of her articles. She also has a great collection of animal parts laws that you may find useful. The Department of Natural Resources also has an article on this, for those who want more concrete proof. Yet many of us have raven or crow feathers on our altars, or tie owl or hawk feathers to our staffs, and believe that since we're doing it for religious reasons that there's no problem. If you stop to think about it, there's no way of telling if someone got that hawk feather by shooting the bird or finding it in the woods, and when someone in the community that is admired and respected takes to using or wearing animal pieces, it can create a demand for that animal that puts its existence in danger.
Personally, I've received no rejections from the gods or spirits when I use imitation feathers or furs in my practice, and found that it's a great way for a large amount of people (my my, hasn't our population boomed quite a bit?) to symbolically honor an animal without the demand for it wiping it off the earth. You're probably already doing something similar with another part of your practice...sympathetic magic, anyone?
I have to say, when it comes to a Native continuing to practice their centuries-old faith by maintaining stewardship of a land and harvesting its resources (which I maintain they do more carefully in most cases than the rest of us do), I'm not bothered by it. There's a big difference, to me, between a modern polytheist deciding that only bald eagle wing feathers will do for their custom smudge fan...and a Native American petitioning to use the feathers or take a bird because it has been a core tenet of their practice since before we got here. It has to do with precedent, but probably also our track record. Native Americans were living alongside the animals in the United States for a very long time before Europeans invaded and decided to start wiping out species in the name of fashion and trend.
"But Viv, I don't hunt!" you say. Maybe you're a vegetarian, or you get all your meat from the market, so you feel that this doesn't really apply to you. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that this is just one part of a larger issue, an issue that could land polytheists in hot water if we're not aware of the laws concerning this land that we share and honor. I'm speaking, of course, about the illegal wildlife trade.
I mentioned birds earlier because while we may not all live near an ocean or a river or even a forest, we all come into contact at some point during our day with birds. Many of us today have no idea that possessing a feather or a bone from a hawk or a songbird is illegal in the United States, as Lupa mentions in one of her articles. She also has a great collection of animal parts laws that you may find useful. The Department of Natural Resources also has an article on this, for those who want more concrete proof. Yet many of us have raven or crow feathers on our altars, or tie owl or hawk feathers to our staffs, and believe that since we're doing it for religious reasons that there's no problem. If you stop to think about it, there's no way of telling if someone got that hawk feather by shooting the bird or finding it in the woods, and when someone in the community that is admired and respected takes to using or wearing animal pieces, it can create a demand for that animal that puts its existence in danger.
Personally, I've received no rejections from the gods or spirits when I use imitation feathers or furs in my practice, and found that it's a great way for a large amount of people (my my, hasn't our population boomed quite a bit?) to symbolically honor an animal without the demand for it wiping it off the earth. You're probably already doing something similar with another part of your practice...sympathetic magic, anyone?
