Incense in The Wind: White Sage

Thursday, 9 May 2024

White Sage

Californian white sage, which grows in Southwest America, is used by American Indians / Native Americans as a ritual purification known as smudging, which may have taken place for thousands of years. The commercial exploitation of white sage smudging has upset some Native Americans - partly due to over-harvesting of the white sage, though mostly due to misappropriation of a sacred ritual. I am empathic towards a culture or religion who feel abused. For example, I feel the behaviour by Salmon Rushdie and Charlie Hebdo in deliberately ridiculing sensitive aspects of peoples' personal beliefs is inappropriate. I do believe we should not deliberately ridicule and insult each other. I don't think that "freedom of speech" means we can say offensive shit to each other and be protected from the consequences. That said, clearly some of the reactions have been reprehensible. But while I am empathic toward the complaints by the Native Americans about other cultures selling white sage smudges, I think that sometimes people can become a little too precious and possessive over their own culture, and not see the advantages in sharing ideas, knowledge, and culture.

Anyway, I suspect the white sage scent in most white sage incense comes from plants that have never been near California.

The scent of white sage is generally herbal, cleansing, slightly sharp, kind of green and fresh.

Reviews