Some years ago, when we wrote about the Voodoun pantheon, certain individuals became extremely “offended” by this – as how on earth can we (as “white people”) possibly know or understand anything about the Lwa or Guede? These same people conveniently forgot that, although we are “white people”, we are in fact South Africans – emphasis here on Africans – not by emigration but by birth (as our mothers and fathers and those before them going back to the Voortrekkers – the French, German and Dutch settlers), and that we probably know a lot more than these fucking critics, not just about the diasporic systems, but about the origins of these said systems as we were born in and live on the same damn continent that birthed these systems. Apart from this, we have also been taught by a number of traditional practitioners here (which, by the way, was not remotely bothered by our “whiteness”)…not even to mention our further endeavors in this country of ours.
Yes, this is indeed a post about unpopular opinions as it pertains to the Magickal practices of the world and its numerous cultures. Our opinions on these matters will only add yet another grain onto the beach of opinions regarding these topics, however, so be it.
That which we have recounted above is just one little situation where people simply assume to know the entirety of the matter without even bothering to understand the situation a bit more, or even to pay better attention.
You see, cultural appropriation, racism, sexism and more are all real and actual issues within this world – HOWEVER, people like to fling all of these terms around a little bit too easily and frequently, as if the general consensus and opinions of mundane society holds any weight when applied to the Occult Arts. Yes, we are indeed two “white people”, but no, we are not writing this from a position of “white privilege” but from pure logic and experience. And, by the way, “privilege” is not so much race-based, but social status-based…which anyone can see (and experience) proof thereof if you happen to fall under the breadline, regardless of race.
Nonetheless – certain individuals like to lay “claim” to their various religious and spiritual beliefs as if it is theirs (as a person, race or gender) to lay claim to – and fuck forbid that anyone who doesn’t fall within their little clique even so much as attempts to understand their practices, let alone dare to practice it, then apparently it becomes a human rights crisis. Yet, these same systems which these people claim to be so devout to, and which is comprised of countless Deities, Spirits and Entities – for all these peoples’ “devoutness”, they barely deign to ask these Deities their opinions on the matter.
To date – in all the years of our practices – we have NEVER encountered any Spirit, Entity or Deity from ANY practice or paradigm that refused to speak to us or work with us due to our race, gender or otherwise. Furthermore – no Intelligence EVER brought the matter up even in the least. What is the lesson here? People are racist and sexist. People are insecure about their own cultures. Not Spirits or Deities – and this holds great weight, as these systems rely heavily upon the say of their Spirits and Deities (but, apparently, only when convenient to the adherents).
The practice of Magick is not a culture-specific, race-specific or gender-specific thing – Magick is everywhere and cannot “belong” to any one person or group. Indeed, different cultures have different Magickal practices, yet (and pay close attention here): NO MAGICKAL PARADIGM IS COMPLETELY PURE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF OTHER PARADIGMS OR CULTURES. Magick itself is eclectic – cultures have begged and borrowed practices from other cultures since the dawn of mankind. No Magickal system is exempt from this – not even the ancient systems.
If you want to learn about a certain culture’s Magickal practices, then fucking do it. Who is the greater judge – people, or the Beings that you seek to work with? Will you skulk in the shadows, afraid to tread on any toes – or will you seek knowledge and power wherever it may be?
The disrespectful aspect comes in to play when you dabble and truly know nothing about a practice, yet you proclaim to know it all. As an example – when people think that Kali is solely a Deity of war, death and destruction…or if people think they must worship Fenrir because it opposes the Deities of “order” and thus in their tiny little post-Christian rebellious minds they think that this makes Fenrir the “true and just” Deity. We are not Indian nor Norse – but even we find these two cases offensive, not due to race but due to IGNORANCE.
It is said that there is no sin but ignorance – and we agree completely. Do not be pretentious and seek to know the practices of a culture as some weekend task or as some humanitarian endeavor. If you seek to know – then immerse yourself in it, learn EVERYTHING you can and put it into practice. We assure you that those that truly matter (and no, not these fallible and corrupt humans) will not fault you at all. Are you Indian and want to work with Freya? Go ahead. Are you Mexican and want to work with the Morrigan? Go ahead. Are you Black and want to work with Yama? Go ahead. Are you White and want to work with Baron Samedi? Go ahead.
We are sure that a fair amount of backlash will come from this post of ours – yet so be it. We, frankly, do not care. We state things as they are…and in fact, we will ask this: why is it that only certain, rather insecure, people become offended at others seeking to understand their practices while the vast majority in fact welcome this, so that their cultural practices and beliefs can be given the recognition they deserve? And furthermore – it’s rather funny how people can see race and gender of others so easily yet fail to see the flaws in their own person. Hmm.
So these “puritans” can go ahead and gripe as much as they want to, until their breath leaves their lungs (which is actually rather preferred) while we sit here next to Frey and Freya, Baron Samedi and Kalfu, Hekate and Lugh, Belial and Marduk, the Ben-El and the fucking host of all those we have ever worked with and we will all laugh our hearts out at the pettiness and self-imposed division of the living.
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