In 2023, non-native-led and owned companies continue to make a profit and exploit indigenous ceremonies and spiritual practices without including, honoring, or sharing profits with members of native communities.
The issue is not that non-native people are participating in indigenous ceremonies. The issue is that non-native organizations and businesses are profiting from the use of indigenous cultural practices without building real relationships, allyship and solidarity with native people and communities. This is called cultural appropriation.
CNN News recently reported that the Avatar movie sequel has been criticized and boycotted by indigenous people because it is a story told by a white man about a generalized version of indigenous culture and struggles against oppression, instead of working in partnership with native people to raise up their voices, and stand in solidarity, in the real struggles that they are facing (read the article here).
The Center for Support and Protection of Indian Religions and Indigenous Traditions (SPIRIT) exists to address the issue of cultural appropriation and raise awareness so that each of us can do our part to be much more mindful and discerning about how we choose to engage with indigenous traditions, cultures and practices.
Today, they're bringing attention to a multi-million dollar organization profiting from the Lakota Inipi traditions, The ManKind Project or MKP.
While MKP is doing good in the world with its mission to help men through personal and spiritual development, its offerings include sweat lodges, ceremonial items, spirit names, and many other practices taken from the Lakota Nation, with almost no direct relationships with the Lakota people or communities, alongside questionable and irresponsible behavior by leadership.
This issue was first brought to MKP in 1993, but the organization has "refused to engage with any Indigenous leaders from outside of the organization" and little to nothing has changed about how they operate their business in 2023.
The MKP executive leadership team has begun dialogues with the SPIRIT organization, in the last couple of months, and it is important for us to hold them accountable to their own mission of being men of integrity, and support them to do the right thing - to take this humbling lesson to heart, and go along with the cease and desist demand of the SPIRIT organization.
Find out how and learn more about SPIRIT's mission: https://www.spiritprotection.org/take-action
