Cultural Heritage: Yay or Nay?

[FollowerofOdin]

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?

Yes, I do. I'm drawn to my cultural heritage and worship the gods of my ancestors. Still working on the books, though.

[Materialist]

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?

Yes, the ritual structure I use is derived from my ancestral religions of British/Scandinavian/Indo-Iranian. Mythologically, theologically, general beliefs-wise, I follow the ideas of Joseph Campbell's interpretations of religion and the beliefs of the World Pantheist Movement out of old mother Britain.

[Materialist]

Oh this opens up a whole can of worms for me!
I want to include aspects of my ancestral heritage in my practice because for the longest time in my Pagan wanderings I've been focusing on "generic" spirituality, as it were, and I want to make my path more personally meaningful and get a sense of focus.

However, being biracial I quickly hit this wall of "well I don't know where in Africa my dad's ancestors were from" and "I'm an American, isn't it cultural appropriation to claim X pantheon if I didn't grow up around it?" and "okay I have European heritage but if I limit myself to European cultures is that some form of internal colonial oppression?"

Long story short: I get stuck in really anxious ethical debates with myself when I try to apply cultural heritage to my spiritual path.
I know for sure I've got English and French heritage so that's "safe" for research, but it's slow going at this point.

I hear you. I'm also of mixed ancestry, and trying to find the perfect fusion of all the elements is an ongoing process. For African ancestry genetic tests are available that can help narrow down where your family came from. Oprah Winfrey had it done, I think Wanda Sykes did, bunch of other celebrities have had it done for PBS shows.



When I'm studying pre-Christian religions, if it sends a thrill through me, it turns out to be an ancestral one. I found Mazdayasna awesome, and afterwards genetic testing on my maternal grandfather's side showed that part of the tree most likely originated around Armenia. What a coincidence. Certain aspects of Hinduism have always attracted me-and guess what? Testing myself showed I'm part Indian. Also part British and Scandinavian, religions that have attracted me for a while.

Gee, maybe it's a sign?

So I think you shouldn't limit yourself. Read stuff about African religions, see if any of it calls to you-I'll have to do this as well, also got me some African heritage.