Введение
Мошеннический духовный практик
Plastic shamans, or plastic medicine people, is a pejorative colloquialism applied to individuals who are attempting to pass themselves off as shamans, holy people, or other traditional spiritual leaders, but who have no genuine connection to the traditions or cultures they claim to represent. In some cases, the "plastic shaman" may have some genuine cultural connection, but is seen to be exploiting that knowledge for ego, power, or money. Plastic shamans are believed by their critics to use the mystique of these cultural traditions, and the legitimate curiosity of sincere seekers, for their personal gain. In some cases, exploitation of students and traditional culture may involve the selling of fake "traditional" spiritual ceremonies, fake artifacts, fictional accounts in books, illegitimate tours of sacred sites, and often the chance to buy spiritual titles. People who have been referred to as "plastic shamans" include those believed to be fraudulent, self proclaimed spiritual advisors, seers, psychics, self identified New Age shamans, or other practitioners of non traditional modalities of spirituality and healing who are operating on a fraudulent basis. <blockquote>It is a very alarming trend. So alarming that it came to the attention of an international and intertribal group of medicine people and spiritual leaders called the Circle of Elders. They were highly concerned with these activities and during one of their gatherings addressed the issue by publishing a list of Plastic Shamans in Akwesasne Notes, along with a plea for them to stop their exploitative activities. One of the best known Plastic Shamans, Lynn Andrews, has been picketed by the Native communities in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and other cities. Among critics, this misappropriation and misrepresentation of Indigenous intellectual property is seen as an exploitative form of colonialism and one step in the destruction of Indigenous cultures:
The para esoteric Indianess of Plastic Shamanism creates a neocolonial miniature with multilayered implications. First and foremost, it is suggested that the passé Injun elder is incapable of forwarding their knowledge to the rest of the white world. Their former white trainee, once thoroughly briefed in Indian spirituality, represents the truly erudite expert to pass on wisdom. This rationale, once again, reinforces nature culture dualisms. The Indian stays the doomed barbaric pet, the Indianized is the eloquent and sophisticated medium to the outer, white world. Silenced and visually annihilated like that, the Indian retreats to prehistory, while the Plastic Shaman can monopolize their culture. Defenders of the integrity of indigenous religion use the term "plastic shaman" to criticize those they believe are potentially dangerous and who may harm the reputations of the cultures and communities they claim to represent. It is also claimed by traditional peoples that in some cases these plastic shamans may be using corrupt, negative and sometimes harmful aspects of authentic practices. In many cases this has led to the actual traditional spiritual elders declaring the plastic shaman and their work to be "dark" or "evil" from the perspective of traditional standards of acceptable conduct. Another innovation may include the introduction of sex magic or "tantric" elements, which may be a legitimate form of spirituality in its own right (when used in its original cultural context), but in this context it is an importation from a different tradition and is not part of authentic Native practices. Article 11: Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Article 31: 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Many of those who work to expose plastic shamans believe that the abuses perpetuated by spiritual frauds can only exist when there is ignorance about the cultures a fraudulent practitioner claims to represent. Activists working to uphold the rights of traditional cultures work not only to expose the fraudulent distortion and exploitation of Indigenous traditions and Indigenous communities, but also to educate seekers about the differences between traditional cultures and the often distorted modern approaches to spirituality.
«Пластиковые шаманы», или люди пластической медицины, – это пренебрежительное разговорное обозначение людей, выдающих себя за шаманов, священнослужителей или других традиционных духовных лидеров, но не имеющих подлинной связи с традициями или культурами, которые они якобы представляют. В некоторых случаях «пластиковый шаман» может обладать определенной культурной связью, но, по мнению окружающих, использует эти знания ради эго, власти или денег. Критики считают, что пластиковые шаманы используют мистику этих культурных традиций и искренний интерес соискателей для собственной выгоды. В некоторых случаях эксплуатация учеников и традиционной культуры может включать продажу фальшивых «традиционных» духовных церемоний, поддельных артефактов, вымышленных историй в книгах, несанкционированных туров по священным местам и часто возможность приобрести духовные титулы. К «пластиковым шаманам» относят тех, кого считают мошенниками, самопровозглашенными духовными советниками, провидцами, экстрасенсами, самоидентифицирующимися шаманами Новой Эры или другими практиками нетрадиционных форм духовности и исцеления, действующими нечестным путем. Это очень тревожная тенденция. Она настолько серьезна, что привлекла внимание международной и межплеменной группы целителей и духовных лидеров, известной как Круг Старейшин. Они были глубоко обеспокоены этой деятельностью и на одном из своих собраний рассмотрели этот вопрос, опубликовав список пластиковых шаманов в Akwesasne Notes вместе с призывом прекратить их эксплуататорскую деятельность. Один из самых известных пластиковых шаманов, Линн Эндрюс, подвергался пикетированию со стороны коренных общин в Нью-Йорке, Миннеаполисе, Сан-Франциско, Сиэтле и других городах. Среди критиков такое присвоение и искажение интеллектуальной собственности коренных народов рассматривается как эксплуататорская форма колониализма и один из шагов к разрушению культур коренных народов: параэзотерическая индейскость пластического шаманизма создает неоколониальную миниатюру с многослойными последствиями. Прежде всего, предполагается, что старейшины коренных народов не способны передавать свои знания остальному белому миру. Их бывший белый ученик, хорошо осведомленный об индейской духовности, представляет собой истинного ученого эксперта, передающего мудрость. Эта логика вновь укрепляет дуализм природы и культуры. Индейцы остаются обреченными варварскими питомцами, а индианизированные – красноречивыми и утонченными посредниками для внешнего белого мира. Заглушенные и визуально уничтоженные, индейцы отступают в доисторию, в то время как пластиковый шаман может монополизировать их культуру. Защитники целостности религии коренных народов используют термин «пластиковый шаман» для критики тех, кого они считают потенциально опасными и кто может нанести ущерб репутации культур и общин, которые они якобы представляют. Традиционные народы также утверждают, что в некоторых случаях эти пластиковые шаманы могут использовать искаженные, негативные и иногда вредные аспекты подлинных практик. Во многих случаях это привело к тому, что традиционные духовные старейшины объявили пластиковых шаманов и их деятельность «темными» или «злыми» с точки зрения традиционных стандартов приемлемого поведения. Другой нововведением может быть введение сексуальной магии или «тантры», которые сами по себе могут быть законной формой духовности (при использовании в своем первоначальном культурном контексте), но в данном контексте это импорт из другой традиции и не является частью подлинных местных практик. Статья 11: Коренные народы имеют право на практику и возрождение своих культурных традиций и обычаев. Это включает в себя право на сохранение, защиту и развитие прошлых, настоящих и будущих проявлений их культуры, таких как археологические и исторические памятники, артефакты, проекты, церемонии, технологии, изобразительное и исполнительское искусство и литература. Государства обеспечивают возмещение посредством эффективных механизмов, которые могут включать реституцию, разработанную совместно с коренными народами, в отношении их культурной, интеллектуальной, религиозной и духовной собственности, отобранной без их свободного, предварительного и информированного согласия или в нарушение их законов, традиций и обычаев. Декларация о правах коренных народов
Plastic shamans, or plastic medicine people, is a pejorative colloquialism applied to individuals who are attempting to pass themselves off as shamans, holy people, or other traditional spiritual leaders, but who have no genuine connection to the traditions or cultures they claim to represent. In some cases, the "plastic shaman" may have some genuine cultural connection, but is seen to be exploiting that knowledge for ego, power, or money. Plastic shamans are believed by their critics to use the mystique of these cultural traditions, and the legitimate curiosity of sincere seekers, for their personal gain. In some cases, exploitation of students and traditional culture may involve the selling of fake "traditional" spiritual ceremonies, fake artifacts, fictional accounts in books, illegitimate tours of sacred sites, and often the chance to buy spiritual titles. People who have been referred to as "plastic shamans" include those believed to be fraudulent, self proclaimed spiritual advisors, seers, psychics, self identified New Age shamans, or other practitioners of non traditional modalities of spirituality and healing who are operating on a fraudulent basis. <blockquote>It is a very alarming trend. So alarming that it came to the attention of an international and intertribal group of medicine people and spiritual leaders called the Circle of Elders. They were highly concerned with these activities and during one of their gatherings addressed the issue by publishing a list of Plastic Shamans in Akwesasne Notes, along with a plea for them to stop their exploitative activities. One of the best known Plastic Shamans, Lynn Andrews, has been picketed by the Native communities in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and other cities. Among critics, this misappropriation and misrepresentation of Indigenous intellectual property is seen as an exploitative form of colonialism and one step in the destruction of Indigenous cultures:
The para esoteric Indianess of Plastic Shamanism creates a neocolonial miniature with multilayered implications. First and foremost, it is suggested that the passé Injun elder is incapable of forwarding their knowledge to the rest of the white world. Their former white trainee, once thoroughly briefed in Indian spirituality, represents the truly erudite expert to pass on wisdom. This rationale, once again, reinforces nature culture dualisms. The Indian stays the doomed barbaric pet, the Indianized is the eloquent and sophisticated medium to the outer, white world. Silenced and visually annihilated like that, the Indian retreats to prehistory, while the Plastic Shaman can monopolize their culture. Defenders of the integrity of indigenous religion use the term "plastic shaman" to criticize those they believe are potentially dangerous and who may harm the reputations of the cultures and communities they claim to represent. It is also claimed by traditional peoples that in some cases these plastic shamans may be using corrupt, negative and sometimes harmful aspects of authentic practices. In many cases this has led to the actual traditional spiritual elders declaring the plastic shaman and their work to be "dark" or "evil" from the perspective of traditional standards of acceptable conduct. Another innovation may include the introduction of sex magic or "tantric" elements, which may be a legitimate form of spirituality in its own right (when used in its original cultural context), but in this context it is an importation from a different tradition and is not part of authentic Native practices. Article 11: Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Article 31: 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Many of those who work to expose plastic shamans believe that the abuses perpetuated by spiritual frauds can only exist when there is ignorance about the cultures a fraudulent practitioner claims to represent. Activists working to uphold the rights of traditional cultures work not only to expose the fraudulent distortion and exploitation of Indigenous traditions and Indigenous communities, but also to educate seekers about the differences between traditional cultures and the often distorted modern approaches to spirituality.
Статья 31: 1. Коренные народы имеют право сохранять, контролировать, защищать и развивать свое культурное наследие, традиционные знания и традиционные культурные выражения, а также проявления своей науки, технологий и культуры, включая человеческие и генетические ресурсы, семена, лекарства, знания о свойствах фауны и флоры, устные традиции, литературу, дизайн, спорт и традиционные игры, а также изобразительное и исполнительское искусство. Они также имеют право сохранять, контролировать, защищать и развивать свою интеллектуальную собственность в отношении такого культурного наследия, традиционных знаний и традиционных культурных выражений. Декларация о правах коренных народов
Plastic shamans, or plastic medicine people, is a pejorative colloquialism applied to individuals who are attempting to pass themselves off as shamans, holy people, or other traditional spiritual leaders, but who have no genuine connection to the traditions or cultures they claim to represent. In some cases, the "plastic shaman" may have some genuine cultural connection, but is seen to be exploiting that knowledge for ego, power, or money. Plastic shamans are believed by their critics to use the mystique of these cultural traditions, and the legitimate curiosity of sincere seekers, for their personal gain. In some cases, exploitation of students and traditional culture may involve the selling of fake "traditional" spiritual ceremonies, fake artifacts, fictional accounts in books, illegitimate tours of sacred sites, and often the chance to buy spiritual titles. People who have been referred to as "plastic shamans" include those believed to be fraudulent, self proclaimed spiritual advisors, seers, psychics, self identified New Age shamans, or other practitioners of non traditional modalities of spirituality and healing who are operating on a fraudulent basis. <blockquote>It is a very alarming trend. So alarming that it came to the attention of an international and intertribal group of medicine people and spiritual leaders called the Circle of Elders. They were highly concerned with these activities and during one of their gatherings addressed the issue by publishing a list of Plastic Shamans in Akwesasne Notes, along with a plea for them to stop their exploitative activities. One of the best known Plastic Shamans, Lynn Andrews, has been picketed by the Native communities in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and other cities. Among critics, this misappropriation and misrepresentation of Indigenous intellectual property is seen as an exploitative form of colonialism and one step in the destruction of Indigenous cultures:
The para esoteric Indianess of Plastic Shamanism creates a neocolonial miniature with multilayered implications. First and foremost, it is suggested that the passé Injun elder is incapable of forwarding their knowledge to the rest of the white world. Their former white trainee, once thoroughly briefed in Indian spirituality, represents the truly erudite expert to pass on wisdom. This rationale, once again, reinforces nature culture dualisms. The Indian stays the doomed barbaric pet, the Indianized is the eloquent and sophisticated medium to the outer, white world. Silenced and visually annihilated like that, the Indian retreats to prehistory, while the Plastic Shaman can monopolize their culture. Defenders of the integrity of indigenous religion use the term "plastic shaman" to criticize those they believe are potentially dangerous and who may harm the reputations of the cultures and communities they claim to represent. It is also claimed by traditional peoples that in some cases these plastic shamans may be using corrupt, negative and sometimes harmful aspects of authentic practices. In many cases this has led to the actual traditional spiritual elders declaring the plastic shaman and their work to be "dark" or "evil" from the perspective of traditional standards of acceptable conduct. Another innovation may include the introduction of sex magic or "tantric" elements, which may be a legitimate form of spirituality in its own right (when used in its original cultural context), but in this context it is an importation from a different tradition and is not part of authentic Native practices. Article 11: Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Article 31: 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Many of those who work to expose plastic shamans believe that the abuses perpetuated by spiritual frauds can only exist when there is ignorance about the cultures a fraudulent practitioner claims to represent. Activists working to uphold the rights of traditional cultures work not only to expose the fraudulent distortion and exploitation of Indigenous traditions and Indigenous communities, but also to educate seekers about the differences between traditional cultures and the often distorted modern approaches to spirituality.
Многие из тех, кто работает над разоблачением пластиковых шаманов, считают, что злоупотребления, совершаемые духовными мошенниками, могут существовать только при незнании культур, которые представляет мошеннический практик. Активисты, работающие над защитой прав традиционных культур, работают не только над разоблачением мошеннического искажения и эксплуатации традиций коренных народов и общин коренных народов, но и над просвещением искателей о различиях между традиционными культурами и часто искаженными современными подходами к духовности.
Plastic shamans, or plastic medicine people, is a pejorative colloquialism applied to individuals who are attempting to pass themselves off as shamans, holy people, or other traditional spiritual leaders, but who have no genuine connection to the traditions or cultures they claim to represent. In some cases, the "plastic shaman" may have some genuine cultural connection, but is seen to be exploiting that knowledge for ego, power, or money. Plastic shamans are believed by their critics to use the mystique of these cultural traditions, and the legitimate curiosity of sincere seekers, for their personal gain. In some cases, exploitation of students and traditional culture may involve the selling of fake "traditional" spiritual ceremonies, fake artifacts, fictional accounts in books, illegitimate tours of sacred sites, and often the chance to buy spiritual titles. People who have been referred to as "plastic shamans" include those believed to be fraudulent, self proclaimed spiritual advisors, seers, psychics, self identified New Age shamans, or other practitioners of non traditional modalities of spirituality and healing who are operating on a fraudulent basis. <blockquote>It is a very alarming trend. So alarming that it came to the attention of an international and intertribal group of medicine people and spiritual leaders called the Circle of Elders. They were highly concerned with these activities and during one of their gatherings addressed the issue by publishing a list of Plastic Shamans in Akwesasne Notes, along with a plea for them to stop their exploitative activities. One of the best known Plastic Shamans, Lynn Andrews, has been picketed by the Native communities in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and other cities. Among critics, this misappropriation and misrepresentation of Indigenous intellectual property is seen as an exploitative form of colonialism and one step in the destruction of Indigenous cultures:
The para esoteric Indianess of Plastic Shamanism creates a neocolonial miniature with multilayered implications. First and foremost, it is suggested that the passé Injun elder is incapable of forwarding their knowledge to the rest of the white world. Their former white trainee, once thoroughly briefed in Indian spirituality, represents the truly erudite expert to pass on wisdom. This rationale, once again, reinforces nature culture dualisms. The Indian stays the doomed barbaric pet, the Indianized is the eloquent and sophisticated medium to the outer, white world. Silenced and visually annihilated like that, the Indian retreats to prehistory, while the Plastic Shaman can monopolize their culture. Defenders of the integrity of indigenous religion use the term "plastic shaman" to criticize those they believe are potentially dangerous and who may harm the reputations of the cultures and communities they claim to represent. It is also claimed by traditional peoples that in some cases these plastic shamans may be using corrupt, negative and sometimes harmful aspects of authentic practices. In many cases this has led to the actual traditional spiritual elders declaring the plastic shaman and their work to be "dark" or "evil" from the perspective of traditional standards of acceptable conduct. Another innovation may include the introduction of sex magic or "tantric" elements, which may be a legitimate form of spirituality in its own right (when used in its original cultural context), but in this context it is an importation from a different tradition and is not part of authentic Native practices. Article 11: Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Article 31: 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.|Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Many of those who work to expose plastic shamans believe that the abuses perpetuated by spiritual frauds can only exist when there is ignorance about the cultures a fraudulent practitioner claims to represent. Activists working to uphold the rights of traditional cultures work not only to expose the fraudulent distortion and exploitation of Indigenous traditions and Indigenous communities, but also to educate seekers about the differences between traditional cultures and the often distorted modern approaches to spirituality.
Терминология
Слово "шаман" происходит от эвенкийского слова "šamán". Этот термин вошел в употребление среди европейцев благодаря русским, взаимодействовавшим с коренными народами Сибири. Оттуда антропологи переняли термин "шаманизм" для описания любой культурной практики, включающей поиск видений и общение с духами, независимо от разнообразия культур, объединенных этим обобщением. Представители коренных народов Америки и коренные народы используют собственные термины для описания своих традиций; их духовных учителей, лидеров или старейшин не называют "шаманами". Среди других авторов, продвигавших идею обобщенной шаманской религии в этот период, был Роберт Блай, который утверждал, что "самым полезным дополнением к размышлениям о поэзии за последние тридцать лет стало представление о поэте как о родственнике шамана – я шаман". Заявления Снайдера и Блая свидетельствуют о глубоком интересе к шаманизму в контркультуре 1960-х и 1970-х годов. Лесли Мармон Силко позже осудила присвоение Снайдером религиозных практик коренных народов в своем эссе 1978 года "Старомодная индейская атака в двух частях". Впоследствии Майкл Харнер разработал концепцию неошаманизма, или "основного шаманизма", которая также содержит необоснованное утверждение о том, что практики нескольких североамериканских племен имеют больше общего с практиками сибирских шаманов, чем просто поверхностные сходства. Это неверное наименование привело к тому, что многие люди, не принадлежащие к коренным народам, стали считать изобретения Харнера традиционными церемониями коренных народов.
Документальный фильм
В 1996 году Терри Мэйси и Дэниел Харт сняли документальный фильм об этом явлении под названием «Белые шаманы и пластиковые знахари».