Native American Practices: Why You Cannot Do Them
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BY NICOLE LAU
⚠️ CRITICAL NOTICE: This article explains why non-Native people CANNOT and MUST NOT practice Native American spiritual traditions. These are CLOSED PRACTICES belonging to Indigenous peoples who have survived genocide. This article will NOT describe specific practices in detail—doing so would be disrespectful and harmful. Instead, it explains WHY these boundaries exist and MUST be respected.
The Most Important Thing You Need to Understand
If you are not Native American/Indigenous, you CANNOT practice Native American spirituality. Period. No exceptions. No "but I'm respectful." No "but I feel called." No "but my great-grandmother was Cherokee." Just NO.
This is not about gatekeeping. This is about respecting the sovereignty of peoples who have survived 500+ years of genocide, cultural erasure, and ongoing colonization. Their spiritual practices are not for you.
Why This Article Exists
This article exists because too many non-Native people:
- Appropriate Native American spiritual practices
- Claim to be "shamans" or "medicine people"
- Sell fake "Native American" ceremonies and products
- Treat Indigenous spirituality as a commodity to consume
- Cause real harm to Native communities through appropriation
If you are reading this and feel defensive, sit with that discomfort. Your feelings are less important than Indigenous sovereignty and survival.
Understanding the Context: Genocide and Ongoing Colonization
The Reality of Indigenous Experience
Before we discuss why you cannot practice Native American spirituality, you must understand what Indigenous peoples have endured and continue to endure:
Genocide: An estimated 90-95% of Indigenous peoples in the Americas died due to disease, warfare, and deliberate extermination following European colonization. This is one of the largest genocides in human history.
Land Theft: Indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands, confined to reservations (often on the worst land), and continue to fight for land rights today.
Cultural Genocide: The U.S. and Canadian governments systematically attempted to destroy Indigenous cultures through:
- Boarding schools that kidnapped children, forbade Native languages and practices, and committed widespread abuse
- Laws banning Indigenous spiritual practices (until 1978 in the U.S.)
- Forced assimilation policies
- Destruction of sacred sites
- Theft of sacred objects for museums and private collections
Ongoing Oppression: Indigenous peoples today face:
- Poverty, lack of healthcare, and inadequate education on reservations
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic
- Environmental destruction of sacred lands
- Continued theft and appropriation of culture
- Racism and discrimination
- Violation of treaty rights
This context is not ancient history—it is ongoing reality.
Spiritual Practices Were Illegal
In the United States, Native American spiritual practices were ILLEGAL until the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978. That's not ancient history—that's within living memory.
Indigenous people were:
- Arrested for practicing their religions
- Punished for speaking their languages
- Forced to practice in secret
- Separated from their spiritual traditions
While their practices were being criminalized, white people were appropriating and commodifying those same practices. This continues today.
Why Native American Practices Are Closed
They Belong to Specific Nations and Communities
There is no single "Native American spirituality." There are hundreds of distinct Indigenous nations, each with their own:
- Languages
- Cultures
- Spiritual practices
- Protocols and traditions
- Sacred knowledge
These practices belong to specific peoples and communities. They are not generic "Indigenous wisdom" available to anyone.
They Are Tied to Land, Ancestry, and Community
Indigenous spiritual practices are inseparable from:
- Specific lands and sacred sites
- Ancestral connections and lineages
- Community relationships and responsibilities
- Languages that carry spiritual concepts
- Cultural contexts that cannot be separated from practice
You cannot practice these traditions outside their proper context. Attempting to do so is not only disrespectful but spiritually meaningless.
They Are Protected by Indigenous Sovereignty
Indigenous nations are sovereign entities with the right to determine:
- Who can participate in their spiritual practices
- What knowledge can be shared and with whom
- How their traditions are represented
- What constitutes appropriate use of their culture
Respecting Indigenous sovereignty means respecting these boundaries without question.
Common Forms of Appropriation (That You Must Not Do)
This section describes what NOT to do. If you have done any of these things, stop immediately.
Fake "Shamans" and "Medicine People"
Non-Native people claiming to be "shamans," "medicine people," or "spiritual leaders" teaching "Native American" practices are:
- Committing fraud
- Appropriating Indigenous culture
- Taking economic opportunities from actual Indigenous practitioners
- Spreading misinformation
- Causing spiritual and cultural harm
The word "shaman" is not even Native American—it's from Siberian Tungus peoples and has been misapplied to Indigenous American spiritual leaders.
Selling Ceremonies and "Workshops"
Non-Native people selling:
- "Sweat lodge" experiences
- "Vision quest" retreats
- "Medicine wheel" teachings
- "Native American" ceremonies of any kind
This is cultural theft and commodification. It's also dangerous—people have died in fake sweat lodges run by non-Native frauds.
Using Sacred Objects and Symbols
Non-Native people using:
- Dreamcatchers (see separate article)
- Medicine wheels
- War bonnets/headdresses
- Sacred pipes
- Sage for "smudging" (see separate article)
- Any other Indigenous sacred objects
These objects have specific meanings, protocols, and restrictions. Using them outside their proper context is disrespectful and harmful.
Claiming Indigenous Ancestry Without Proof
The "my great-grandmother was Cherokee princess" phenomenon is so common it's a cliché. People claim Indigenous ancestry to:
- Justify appropriating practices
- Claim "exotic" identity
- Access benefits or opportunities
- Feel special or spiritual
If you cannot prove your Indigenous ancestry through tribal enrollment or documented family connections, you are not Indigenous. Family stories are not proof. DNA tests are not proof. Feeling a "spiritual connection" is not proof.
The Harm of Appropriation
Economic Harm
When non-Native people sell fake Indigenous ceremonies, products, or teachings, they:
- Take money that should go to Indigenous communities
- Undercut legitimate Indigenous practitioners
- Profit from stolen culture while Indigenous people live in poverty
Spiritual and Cultural Harm
- Spreads misinformation about Indigenous practices
- Dilutes and distorts sacred traditions
- Makes it harder for Indigenous people to practice their own traditions
- Contributes to cultural genocide
- Disrespects ancestors and sacred knowledge
Physical Harm
Fake ceremonies run by non-Native people have caused:
- Deaths (particularly in improperly run sweat lodges)
- Injuries
- Psychological trauma
- Spiritual harm
Perpetuating Colonization
Appropriation is a continuation of colonization—taking what you want from Indigenous peoples while denying them sovereignty, rights, and respect.
What You Should Do Instead
1. Respect the Boundaries
Simply do not practice Native American spirituality if you are not Native American. This is non-negotiable.
2. Support Indigenous Communities
- Support Indigenous-led organizations and causes
- Advocate for Indigenous rights and sovereignty
- Support the Land Back movement
- Learn about and support Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women initiatives
- Buy from Indigenous artists and businesses (not appropriators)
- Support Indigenous language revitalization
- Respect treaty rights and sacred sites
3. Educate Yourself About Indigenous Issues
- Learn accurate history (not the sanitized version)
- Understand ongoing colonization and its impacts
- Listen to Indigenous voices and perspectives
- Read books by Indigenous authors
- Follow Indigenous activists and educators
- Understand your role in colonization (if you're a settler)
4. Call Out Appropriation
When you see non-Native people appropriating Indigenous practices:
- Speak up and name it as appropriation
- Don't support these businesses or practitioners
- Educate others about why it's harmful
- Amplify Indigenous voices calling it out
- Support Indigenous people who are harmed by appropriation
5. Explore Your Own Ancestral Traditions
Instead of appropriating Indigenous practices, explore your own ancestral spiritual traditions with depth and respect.
Common Excuses and Why They Don't Work
"But I'm Honoring Native Culture"
No, you're not. Honor means respect. Respect means listening when Indigenous people say "this is not for you" and actually respecting that boundary.
"But I Feel a Spiritual Connection"
Your feelings don't matter more than Indigenous sovereignty. Feeling drawn to something doesn't give you the right to take it.
"But My Teacher/Book Said It's Okay"
If your teacher is non-Native, they're wrong. If your book is by a non-Native author, it's appropriation. Seek out actual Indigenous voices.
"But I'm Part Native" (Without Proof)
Family stories are not proof. If you're not enrolled in a tribe or cannot document your ancestry, you're not Indigenous for the purposes of practicing Indigenous spirituality.
"But Indigenous People Shared It With Me"
One Indigenous person's opinion doesn't speak for all Indigenous peoples. Many Indigenous people explicitly state that their practices are closed. Respect those boundaries.
"But I'm Oppressed Too"
Other forms of oppression don't give you access to Indigenous practices. Indigenous peoples face specific, ongoing colonization. Your oppression, while valid, doesn't entitle you to their spiritual practices.
A Message to Indigenous Readers
If you are Indigenous and interested in reclaiming your spiritual traditions:
- These are your birthright and heritage
- Seek out elders and knowledge keepers in your community
- Don't let colonization's shame prevent you from exploring your culture
- You have the right to reclaim what was stolen from your ancestors
- Connect with your specific nation and community
- You don't need permission from non-Native people
Conclusion: Respect Is Not Optional
Native American spiritual practices are not for non-Native people. This is not debatable. This is not flexible. This is not open to interpretation.
Indigenous peoples have survived genocide, cultural erasure, and ongoing colonization. Their spiritual practices are sacred, protected, and NOT FOR YOU.
If you truly respect Indigenous peoples, you will:
- Honor their boundaries without question
- Never practice or teach their spiritual traditions
- Support Indigenous sovereignty and rights
- Call out appropriation when you see it
- Explore your own ancestral traditions instead
- Listen to and amplify Indigenous voices
- Work to dismantle colonization
Anything less is continued colonization. Choose to be part of the solution, not part of the ongoing harm.
This article is part of our Respectful Cultural Education series. Fifth article in the series.
To honor the sacred boundaries discussed here while still deepening your own spiritual practice, consider exploring the 13 New Moon Rituals for a gentle, culturally-rooted way to work with lunar cycles, or the Sacred Space Cleanse for a respectful energy clearing practice; and if you seek a personal introspection tool that stays within your own lineage of wisdom, the Shadow Work Tarot offers a beautiful path for inner exploration that honors the boundaries of closed traditions.
