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Author Topic: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?  (Read 27524 times)

Riothamus12

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #165 on: August 19, 2013, 09:03:53 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 
Very much so though I incorporate things from ones outside.I think such things might resonate more strongly with most people though I do not see a problem with those who follow others. If that is the path their soul must walk then I shall not judge. The Holy Ones ultimately care little for race or ethnicity. They favor those who walk the many faced path of wisdom with sincerity whether that means following ones who were prayed to by another group or not.
https://inthespiritofconversation.wordpress.com/
I started a blog. Feel free to peruse. It's still in it's early stages and I have to write more, so do bare with me if it's all a little basic so far.

LadyLabcoat

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #166 on: August 23, 2013, 10:19:15 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?


I haven't. My father is from a Criollo family (descendants of Spanish Conquistadors in Guatemala who never officially mixed with the native population) and my maternal grandmother is Californio and Dutch/German, and my maternal grandfather was Northern Irish/Scottish/possibly French way back. I practice Celtic Reconstructionism, medieval witchcraft (minus the alleged boiling of un-baptised babies), and I count Athena and Kwan Yin among my pantheon and I'm almost 100% certain I have no Chinese or Greek ancestry. I tried Asatru for a little bit because I was studying Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, but it was a bit overwhelming. And the website I was on had a LOT of people with some pretty...restrictive opinions about who should be practising it at all. Like, for instance, Ireland and Scotland aren't 'Northern Europe' enough for them...if you catch my drift.

So, I've been considering this idea as well. But culture is learned, not inherited, so it only matters if you were raised in that faith as part of the culture you learned. If you came from a Christian or non-religious background then you've got a bit more wiggle room as to who can present themselves to you. I am not Welsh (at all, I've checked. A lot.), but Rhiannon came to me and has been with me since. We are all one people, and (in my opinion) all Gods are representations of universal archetypes that people look to, and in that sense, it doesn't matter if you're Greek and the Morrigan comes to you instead of Athena.

Ravyn

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #167 on: September 30, 2013, 09:30:24 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 

No, tho i am so much of a European mutt that i don't know even where i'd start with heritage and culture in relation to the Divine.

Caffeinated Autumn

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #168 on: December 29, 2013, 01:28:55 am »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324


Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 
Not really...my great grandfather had told me and my mother's side of the family that he was of Irish descent but then on his death bed, he admitted to my grandmother that he was actually Jewish and had his name, religion, and nationality changed to escape the persecution of the Nazis. My father is middle eastern and my mother is from Texas and is part Mexican. So I don't really have any family connections to any of the Celtic countries like Wales, Ireland, etc.

I just felt pulled towards that path immediately.

DavidMcCann

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #169 on: December 29, 2013, 01:40:46 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

Short answer: no. I always label myself Irish on official forms which ask you your ethnic group, I've lived in Ireland (briefly), I've studied Gaelic (unsuccessfully), but I've never felt any pull to Celtic religion. There are English in my family tree (they get everywhere :) ) but I've never wanted to be heathen, either.
Minorities are almost always in the right.
They haif said. Quhat say they? Lat thame say!

Louisvillian

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #170 on: January 02, 2014, 03:01:32 am »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

Early in my path along Neopaganism, I would decidedly say yes. I strongly interlaced Celtic deities, mythology, and cultural symbols into my practice. I lessened this as time went on, though, and the primary continuing point of it is that my patron god in Wiccan practice is Cernunnos. That, and ancestor worship in the home.
Most of my religion, though, has increasingly become Hellenistic.

Scales

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #171 on: January 02, 2014, 11:46:56 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 
A combination of yes and no. I'm a mostly dutch euro-mutt, 3rd to 5th generation in North America, and though I use a mixture of various traditions that suit my path, I go back to dutch folklore and traditions from that geographical era as a default or a starting point if I want to explore something new.

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #172 on: February 21, 2016, 04:04:52 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 
I'm not sure I understood your question correctly. Are you asking if we worship exlusively the deities/ spirits that belong to our own culture(s)?
If yes, then the answer is definitely a 'yes', with me at least. Part of the reason why I decided to return to the pre-christian deities of my ancestors is because I never could understand why we're supposed to worship the Jewish God, or Jesus (make no mistake, I have no problem with the Jews). I just never could relate to either of those beings. Another reason is because I believe that Jesus' message of peace and brotherhood - while admittedly not a bad message - doesn't work either way, and is actually detrimental to my people who've become docile and just accept everything life throws at them (as opposed to the pre-christian ancestors who were infamous for their warring and rebellious character). On the other hand, why would I want to worship any 'foreign' deities anyway?

Mivi

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #173 on: February 21, 2016, 04:19:51 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?
I'm also yes and no. Yes because I'm a mudang/만신 and I certainly worship 신 being korean. No because I'm not Egyptian in any way but I also worship the netjeru.
Mivi | Mudang (Korean shaman-priest)

만신

Kettz

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #174 on: February 26, 2016, 03:15:15 am »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?


Personally I did. Most of my relatives are Irish. Hence most of my attachment for Irish Celtic culture. From what Brighid has told me, she choose me part of the fact my family tree worshiped her a long time ago.

RecycledBenedict

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #175 on: February 26, 2016, 07:54:19 am »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?


Definitely not.

My Agnostic ancestors would shun everything going outside the circles of respectability. My Lutheran ancestors would be suspicious against most what I do, with the possible exception of folk magic (Rural lay-Lutheranism was rather accepting of folk magic). My one or two Congregationalist ancestors would be more alarmed than my Lutheran ones. Fornsi∂r does not attract me, other than as a historical phenomenon.

Late Graeco-Roman imperial syncretism attracts me, because Sweden became latinized in the 12th century. Since that time, Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics are part of our shared common European heritage. By the way, I am very positive to Sweden's membership in the European Union, and I am worried over the risk that UK leaves EU. We need the British inside.

Modern Druidry emerged in a different part of Europe, on the other side of the North Sea. It helps me to connect to Nature, and, by connecting to Nature, connecting to The Absolute. It has nothing to do with any Blut-und-Boden-phantasies. The latter has a very unsavoury record in European 20th century history.

Dusk

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #176 on: February 27, 2016, 07:13:12 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

 
For me, it's complicated. The only part of my heritage that I am 100% sure about is the Guatemalan half. Going back further, more Spanish than Maya. If I look to my family's region, the religion is Catholic, Maya, and syncretised Maya-Catholic traditions. When I was younger I was interested in traditional and ancient Maya religion. But I grew up away from even modern Guatemalan culture. Many of my ancestors were colonizers and played a role in the destruction of traditional Maya culture. Expressions of traditional Maya culture are still widely discriminated against in Guatemala. I don't feel I have a right to that religion. Also, finding reliable and informative sources on Maya religion is tricky so I couldn't easily go down that path even if I wanted to.

Regardless, the first spirit to really make himself known to me and insist upon my attention was Jaguar, who is definitely tied to my heritage at least in terms of location. I kind of get the feeling that he's been with my family a while as well, but I can't verify that. I don't know whether he's a personal guide, family guardian, archetypal jaguar spirit, or even the face of a deity, and he's not telling (because practically speaking, it's not relevant right now - I give him offerings and ask for his guidance regardless), but at the very least he is connected to Maya deities and spiritual traditions. He's been with me for about 12 years and isn't going anywhere soon. So, I'm still kind of spiritually connected to that part of my heritage.

No clue of my heritage on the other side of my family due to an adoption. Somewhere where ghostly pale redheads can be found. I've been approached by Celtic and Norse deities so there could very well be a connection there, but that wasn't a conscious decision.
Shadows of Dusk - My tumblr with bits and musings related to my path.

j5j55356

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #177 on: July 10, 2016, 06:08:59 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
I'm just, kind of, taking a poll about the pagans on the site who utilized their cultural heritage to find a path versus those who haven't.

So.

Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?

I don't base it off of anything ethnic, because I work with the spirits right here on the land where I live, and I don't have any deities- so the whole thing becomes moot for me.

Merlick

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Re: Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?
« Reply #178 on: July 11, 2016, 03:27:29 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;46324
Did you base your pagan path off of the cultures in your family tree or not?


If I take a look at my closest ancestors there's a definite "no". They were all Christians and those I got to know personally were not proud of my choice.

Looking way way way back, I could say "yes", in a way at least. I'm German and I do worship german gods but I didn't make the choice based on heritage. It was just a feeling that this was the path destined for me.

Also I prefer to use norse names instead of the south germanic names that would have been used where I live.

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