Cultural Appropriation:

There is a large problem with cultural appropriation in the Witch community as a whole.
Rather than "is it appropriation to do this," ask how it came to you in the first place. If the answer
is that it was taken, don't do it. The following is a guideline to what terms to not use, terms that
have appropriate alternatives, and cultures that are closed to anyone outside of them, items
used by those cultures, as well as paths and cultures that are completely open.
The reason some of these are being considered as appropriation, such as chakras and
Buddhism, is because people tend not to take the time to learn what the terms and religions
truly entail. These terms are generally not used in their correct forms, so for the Discord servers
that use this document, they are closed.
Please note that discussion of deities is fine to a degree. If you feel called to a deity that
is in a closed culture/practice, politely decline them or approach someone who works with them
*with respect* and discuss it. You should also be free to discuss these feelings on servers
without being attacked for them.
We must be cautious to not use wrong words to not harm cultures that may not be able
to withstand the shock of the Western World massively distorting their philosophy/way of
life/religion/belief. Yes, you can believe in something, for example, like chakras - but since you
understand chakras in the way the Western World understands it, and not the actual way, it's
better to say "energy points". First you're not wrongly using a word that does not mean what you
think it means, and second you use a more precise word that will allow you to discuss the
subject with other people in a respectful manner.
You can use smoke to cleanse because you believe it'll help cleanse your space
because of the properties of smoke or the herbs you used - you just have to not use the word
smudging, which is something totally different (it's like saying "tarot cards" to describe runes.
Those words have nothing to do with each other!).
Note: This document is a work in progress. The writer does research for it any time they
can, and it gets updated regularly.

1. Terms you *never* use

a. G*psy (Slur)
2. Practices and terms not to appropriate; culturally open alternative practices
a. Spirit/Power animal, Spirit guide; Spirit companion (Native American)
b. Smudging; Smoke Cleansing (Native American)
c. Golem; Guardian (Judaic)
d. Chakras; Energy Points (Hinduism, Buddhism)
e. Karma; Cosmic Forces (Hinduism, Buddhism)
f. Guru; Spiritual Leader (Sikhism, Hinduism)
3. Closed Cultures and Religions
a. Native American (most, approach with respect)
b. Native African (most, approach with respect)
c. Saami
d. Shinto (most branches open, approach with respect)
e. Sikhism
 f. Wicca (Gardenian, Alexandrian, Corilean--require initiation)
g. Hoodoo
h. Voodoo (dependent on group, approach with respect)
i. Haitian Vodou
j. Santera (requires initiation)
k. Polynesian religions, including Hawaiian
l. Hinduism (some closed branches, approach with respect)
m. Judaism (you have to earn the right)
n. Kemetic Orthodox (you have to earn the right)
o. Buddhism (some open branches, approach with respect)
p. Shinto (most branches open, approach with respect)
q. Rastafarianism
r. Armenian polytheism
s. Indigenous Religions, including Mayan, Aztec, and Incan
t. Diasporic Systems, including African, Smi and Romani
4. Items and symbols used by Closed Cultures and Religions
a. Dream catchers, only buy from Natives.
b. Religious or cultural head-coverings, head-wraps, hijab, etc; they should be worn
with respect and called by the correct terms
c. Bindi
d. Natha
e. Om () and other spiritual symbols used by the Dharmic Religions (Hinduism,
Sikhism, etc)
f. Mudras
g. Dreadlocks are both secular and religious, unless you are from one of the groups
they are a part of, dont get them
5. Open Cultures and Paths
a. Paganism, as an umbrella term
i. Hellenic
ii. Kemetic
iii. Etruscan
iv. Minoan
v. Roman
vi. Mesopotamian (including Babylonian)
vii. Celtic polytheism (including Gaulish, Irish, Scottish, German, Iberian,
Lusitanian)
viii. Slavic polytheism
ix. Finnish polytheism
b. Heathenism, as an umbrella term
i. Asatruar
ii. Vanatruar
iii. Rokkatruar
iv. Lokean
 v. Reconstructionist
vi. Northern Tradition
vii. Norse Tradition
viii. The Elder Troth
c. Neo-Druidism
d. Neo-Wicca

Also, you can appreciate the aesthetic of other cultures, but you have to remember that there is
more to each one than that. Culture is fluid and appropriation is not diversity.

~Many thanks to those who have helped in

the creation of this document.