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The Ceremonial Elements of Non-Native Cultures
Abstract
Explores reasons behind the wrongful adoption of Native American ceremonies by Euro-Americans. Focuses on the need for ceremony, its relevance to environmental education, and the fact that some immigrant cultural traditions neither fit this new land nor value the earth. Suggests how non-Natives can express their connection to the land by creating their own earth-wise ceremonies. (SV)
... Among the calls for modern initiations to adulthood based on traditional models, there has been a strong voice that opposes non-natives adopting traditional ceremonies (Horwood, 1994). Horwood's (1994) paper was written to highlight how the "misappropriation and trivialization of Native American ceremonies within…the practice of outdoor education has drawn emphatic and articulate objections from both natives and non-natives" (p. ...
... Among the calls for modern initiations to adulthood based on traditional models, there has been a strong voice that opposes non-natives adopting traditional ceremonies (Horwood, 1994). Horwood's (1994) paper was written to highlight how the "misappropriation and trivialization of Native American ceremonies within…the practice of outdoor education has drawn emphatic and articulate objections from both natives and non-natives" (p. 12). ...
... 12). Still, even though Horwood (1994) feels that native spiritual ceremonies have no part in the "educational, often recreational, secular purposes of non-natives" (p. 12), he encourages non-indigenous people to seek out their own connections with the land and create ceremonies more suited to their cultures. ...
This paper examines to what degree a 10-week expedition to Ghana, West Africa may be considered a rite of passage for its British participants. A case study method was adopted to interview 14 British youths two months before leaving on expedition, three times on expedition, and six months post expedition. Thematic analysis was employed to identify positive and negative indicators of van Gennep's (1960) three stage model of rites of passage: separation, transition, and incorporation. The findings indicated that while the structure of the expedition mimics rites of passage on a superficial level, there are some aspects central to rites of passage that are missing from the overseas expedition experience. Expedition providers may consider adopting van Gennep's model as a way to 're-introduce' young people back into their communities with added responsibilities.
... While these practices might have been entertaining or even perceived to be culturally enlightening they usually did little more than entrench existing notions of what native culture entailed. There have been several articles written about the borrowing of native culture and the general message is that it is not to be practiced by groups outside the native community (Oles, 1992;Horwood, 1994). Clearly to expropriate a ritual and use it outside its cultural context is inappropriate. ...
... Various practitioners have grappled with this issue. Horwood (1994) reflects on the engagement of outdoor educators with indigenous cultural practices and proposes that practitioners must: (a) rediscover, re-examine, and draw on their own cultural heritage and traditions; (b) develop a deep and intimate relationship with place and allow this relationship to guide the emergence of authentic ceremonial expression; and (c) do the hard cultural work of learning from indigenous teachers that which they are free to share. Fisher (2002) strongly cautions that while practitioners will have an inevitable familiarity with indigenous beliefs and practices, they must guard against becoming part of the historical process that continues to romanticize indigenous cultures and to colonize, appropriate, or 'plunder' indigenous spiritualities. ...
Rites of passage models, drawing from ethnographic descriptions of ritualized transition, are widespread in adventure therapy programmes. However, critical literature suggests that: (a) contemporary rites of passage models derive from a selective and sometimes misleading use of ethnographic materials, and (b) the appropriation of initiatory practices and motifs out of the cultural contexts from which they emerged may be both unethical and ineffective. This paper explores the origins and applications of rites of passage models in adventure therapy, and discusses some of the central critical questions around their use. It challenges the simplistic use of complex cultural processes and offers some guidelines for the ethical and practical integration of such models in service of therapeutic outcomes.
This article is critical of the Infusion of pseudo-spiritualities in the form of non-legitimised indigenous wisdom and activities in environmental education. Drawing on a definition of true ecospirituality, the doctrine of the world soul, a teaching from western traditions, is presented as a viable alternative in the search for re-enchantment. Implications for environmental educators are addressed.
The authors describe a model of psychological depth and present some general principles that will enable adventure practitioners to manage the psychological level in the groups for which they are responsible. These principles call for the leader to pay attention to their language and the language of group participants. In particular, attention should be paid to four main criteria.
The first of these criteria is an indication of the way in which the participant is involved in the topic under discussion. The second criterion is derived from paying attention to the nature of relationships that are embedded in the participant's conversation. The third criterion is the level of emotional arousal experienced by the participant; no involvement indicating shallow psychological levels and stronger emotional arousal indicating increasing depth. The fourth criterion for assessing psychological depth is a measure of the normal bounds of confidentiality and privacy with which the subject under discussion would normally be treated.
McClellan Hall, a Native American, expresses distress and embarrassment at the improper use of Native cultural ceremonies at Association for Experiential Education conferences. G. Owen Couch, a non-Native, describes his personal experiences in using Native American philosophies inappropriately and his realization of the dangers in doing so. Both call for respect for other cultures. (KS)
- Knapp C.
- Oles G.W.A.