“Plants Don’t Have a Culture to Appropriate”: Accounting for Accusations of Cultural Appropriation of Peyote Ceremonies

Summary

People who attend peyote ceremonies, a sacred Native American practice, respond to accusations of cultural appropriation by either denying that cultural appropriation exists (arguing that peyote is for everyone) or acknowledging it but claiming they are not appropriators (emphasizing their respect for the ceremonies). These strategies allow them to maintain a positive identity and minimize stigma. The findings come from an ethnography conducted in a Southern U.S. state.

Study at a glance

Abstract

ABSTRACT The concept of cultural appropriation has drawn increasing attention from academic disciplines and nonacademic circles. Yet, there is no consensus on what constitutes cultural appropriation nor whether it is harmful. The contested nature of the concept suggests that it is important to understand how people respond to such accusations. Indeed, understanding how people resist accusations of cultural appropriation (i.e., how they account for their actions) can provide insights into defining cultural appropriation and understanding its impact. Accordingly, we rely on data from an ethnography of people who attended peyote ceremonies (a sacred Native American practice) in a Southern U.S. state to understand how they account for accusations of cultural appropriation when they are presented. Findings suggest that participants delegitimized accusations in one of two ways: saying that cultural appropriation does not exist (e.g., peyote is for everyone) or that appropriation exists but they are not appropriators (e.g., they were respectful of the ceremonies). Regardless of which approach they used, participants drew on broader narratives that allowed them to maintain a positive identity while minimizing the potential stigma of being appropriators.

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