Shamanistic Magick: Pagan Tradition or Culture Theft?

Are you interested in the magickal and spiritual culture of Native Americans, but undecided on where to look for authentic information? If so, you are not alone. There are a lot of people out here willing to mislead you, and many put up a good front. Well, they say that imitation is the truest form of flattery~ but where is the line drawn between imitation and plain old culture theft? How does one interested in the spiritual wisdom and magickal arts of a culture such as the native American culture define the line between the two? over the last few decades this topic has been hotly debated in some pagan circles , but has yet to come nearer to reaching any resolution. With irresponsible writers and peddlers looking to make themselves wealthy and famous through the hijacking of Native American culture , it seems likely that this problem will only continue to grow. In this article I hope to help the newcomer to the pagan community recognize who some of these people and organizations are and how to chose between those who are working toward a respectable practice and those who are exploiting culture.