Martin Luther King Day has prompted me to reflect upon the minorities within our own minority of the Community. I have had conversations in the past with Black Pagans and Wiccans and have to admit that once the conversations moved to the arena of what it’s like to be a Black Pagan or Wiccan, it was a little awkward for several reasons. However, it was interesting to learn through the conversations with Black Pagans and Wiccans that some of them were common and shared.
Probably the most awkward part of the conversations was overcoming the issue of whether or not I would be perceived as being racist by accidently using inappropriate phrases or words. I learned a great deal from these conversations with Black Pagans and Wiccans, though, and wanted to share some of the issues that were discussed.
ISSUE NO. 1: What should we call Black Pagans?
First, there’s enough issue in the mundane world with trying to choose the politically correct phrase at the time. Do you say black person or African American? For the most part, I’ve been told that it’s acceptable to use the phrase Black Pagan or Black Wiccan, but there is a lack of agreed terminology and issues concerning that phrase as well.
ISSUE NO. 2: Terms “Black Pagan”, “Black Wiccan”, or “Black Witch” being misinterpreted as someone who follows the left-handed or Dark Path.
I’ve been told that apparently, most Black Pagans and Wiccans have an issue with the term and having to consistently reiterate that it does not mean that they follow a left-handed or Dark Path. For the most part, I was told that they didn’t really like the phrase “Black Pagan” because of this, but that there really isn’t any better terminology to use at the moment.
ISSUE NO. 3: All Black Pagans are not alike and they don’t all know each other.
Just like all Pagans and Wiccans cannot be considered to have the same personality, likes, or dislikes, neither can Black Pagans and Wiccans. Since Black Pagans and Wiccans are in such a minority in the Pagan and Wiccan culture; however, it is a tendency to think that one or two represent them all. Just as the Community does not like to be viewed in this manner, the Black Pagans wish to be viewed as individuals as well with commonality under the term of Pagans and Wiccans.
ISSUE NO. 4: Prejudice that Black Pagans and Wiccans should be following their heritage and following Voudou, Hoodoo, or other African-based or descended religion.
This is so ridiculous on so many levels that I find it difficult that they encounter this in our Community. First, the Community itself consists of many individuals that follow Paths that have no hereditary or genetic link. I’ve seen plenty of people with Irish ancestry follow an Egyptian Path, white people following Native American traditions, and Swedes following Huna, the Hawaiian traditions. Why would having darker skin make any difference?
Secondly, we believe in reincarnation. I don’t recall any entry in the “Reincarnation Manual” that said a soul cannot manifest with white skin in one incarnation and dark skin in another. In fact, there are so many white people that believe they have been an Egyptian in a past life, that they debunk this theory themselves. If you had an incarnation in Egypt, then you very well may have had dark skin. Yup. For those who don’t know, Egypt is in Africa.
Third, the majority of generational Black Americans in America probably have some ancestry from Ireland, England, France, Norwegian, or other European lines (unfortunately as a result of the history of the United States). To assume that Black Pagans should automatically gravitate to Voodou instead Paganism or Wicca is highly prejudicial and falsely assumes that the “Black” heritage should automatically override any calling Black Pagans and Wiccans may have back to their own European heritage and ancestry.
ISSUE NO. 5: Avoidance.
Another commonality that was expressed to me is that “white” people in the Community avoid Black Pagans and Wiccans. To be truthful, I think this is prejudicial behavior resulting from non-prejudicial reasons.
We try very hard to leave behind prejudices from the mundane. So much so, that sometimes I think we end up creating them in our Community. What I really think is going on is that sometimes people in the Community will avoid people and issues solely on the basis that they don’t want to lose the appearance of being open-minded. They don’t want to take the chance of “making a mistake” by action or word and being labeled racist or close-minded in a Community that values diversity and open-mindedness.
In short, we need to work on our own self-manifested prejudicial behavior created from avoidance. While we may believe that Black Pagans and Wiccans are equals and deserve the same treatment from everyone else in the Community, we need to stop avoiding them and those of any other nationality because of the “risk” of not appearing open-minded. If you are not sure about terms, inquire and ask in a respectful manner as you would any other person in the Community.
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Number 4 is like saying I should exist fully on a diet of potatoes just because I am Irish, or that everyone that is a legal United States citizen, should be a British traditional just because we were a British colony at one point. I love this article. Thank you so much for writing it.
Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Brightest of Blessings!
Why should there be a distinction? Pagans are pagans, wiccans, witches….just plain and simple. Why have to identify yourself by race? Just sayin”…..
Agreed, shouldn’t have to except when a group is being treated otherwise. There aren’t too many “white” witches that encounter an argument over why they didn’t pick Voodou instead of the Craft. And, that is treating a group otherwise. I suppose the point is not to treat each other differently on any basis other than personality. One day, hopefully, the should be will be the “is”.
Man, if I had a penny for every “Why should there be distinctions/We’re all one race, the human race”, I would never have to worry about bills ever again. I almost thought you were an Occupier, ha!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news (well, no I don’t or Black Witch would have such less content) but in our world, Pagan or mainstream, it does matter what your background is. If Pagans were Pagans, what would be the face of it? What would be the main culture of it? Difference is important, whether a minority Pagan wants to deal with it or not. Being Pagan doesn’t mean being any less of a passive potential bigot (something Black Pagans have dealt with – White Pagans, not so much). Especially in Paganism where the face of the culture is so painfully White that sites like mine have to exist because how else would we be represented? Through phony whitewashed African culture that is constantly misused and misunderstood due to that abscence of voice? Nope. It’s important because, no, not all Pagans are alike. At all. Ever. Black Pagans are going to have different reactions and perceptions to Paganism because of Black culture with its history and nuances the same way that, given if you’re White judging from your comment, you’re going to perceive Paganism differently because of White culture with its history and nuances (and stronger social privileges). This is with every culture and how it’s going to perceive religion or whatever it comes across.
And you may as well extend the argument to Paganism itself: Why consider yourself a Alexandrian, Faerie, Trad or Neo Witch/Wiccan/Pagan? Aren’t we all the same sort of weird where we all like trees and flowers an awful lot? Technically you contradicted yourself by dividing Pagans from Wiccans from Witches. Why did you feel that was important? Aren’t we all the same thing, plain and simple? Even the different Pagan traditions stemmed from wherever they come from, they don’t pop out of a vaccuum. You may not like it but this is the world we live in, Pagan or not and it’s going to take a very loooooong time to make it just “is” as Meadmuse described.
What Meadmuse offered, the idea to not treat each other differently besides their character, is nice but really a difficult concept when applied. Look at Occupy and the media circus that surrounds it. Though they pitch the idea of “The 99%”, the face of the protest is awfully White, awfully middle class and awfully rampant with unchecked privilege. Even when the Occupiers have to face it, they rather pretend racism and other forms of bigotry doesn’t exist rather than admit, “Man, maybe the system is more messed up than we thought”. Even the fact there’s a DisOccupy/Decolonize should be telling. So it’s a wonderful thought and hopefully one day it will be applied because that would be awesome but first we have to peck at the foundation and not go “So what?”
Stunning! What a powerful and compelling statement. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
No problem.
Thank you for mentioning my blog! It is very kind of you. Let me address your issues since I am a firm believer in being involved in things that involve me:
Issue 1: Now, not all Black people are monolithic and since I’m not the ordained representative of my race (no one is) but I personally mess with people who don’t know whether to say “Black” or “African-American” because it’s clearer than crystal the only Black person they probably know or recognize is just Obama. We’re fine with Black (usually), saying “African-American” in informal settings scream “Please! I don’t know how to be around you guys!…Don’t rob me?” Do you say “White” or “Caucasian” or nothing at all when in reference to White people?
Issue 2: It is bothersome that, yes, we do have to make certain to mention that we’re not evil people at heart and the term “Black” refers to our skin, not the type of magick we practice. That’s the one time it’s really smart to say “African-American Witch/Wiccan/Pagan” but you only need it the one time and remember, not every Black person is African American, some are African-[some other country] too. I see Black as reference to “African Diaspora”. I call my site Black Witch because it’s that, I’m Black and I’m a Witch. If the reader has a literacy level above a toddler, they should be able to figure it out, especially from my About Me page.
Issue 3: Lol, really? No sh*t. Any White person who assumes this just needs to be asked if they know everyone in Congress, Hollywood, the Royal family and other White people. Or just pushed into traffic, they cannot possibly be that smart to safely continue living and interacting, ha!
Issue 4: That goes both ways: White Pagans assuming Blacks should participate in their own heritage or to stay away from their own heritage (because they’re eeeeevil) and stick with safe ol’ Eurocentric gods. Yes, there is reincarnation but that “reincarnation” card sometimes have White Pagans believing they can pretty much bombard and hijack a totally other culture and force the natives of it out *CoughNativeAmericancough* So it can become all-around stupidity.
Issue 5: Yah, talking about privilege and cultral misapproriation and tokenization can make White people wanna avoid the “other” (but take snatches of their culture because, hey, that’s shiny). That happens whether the parties are Pagan or not. Chances do have to be taken, however. That does mean getting embarassed. Sounding like you’re Ron Paul’s little brother. Getting looked at odd. Et cetera. They just have to remember that, there’s a severe unbalance in the Western community and that does annoy minorities in anything from education to religion because it’s usually our culture on the chopping block or being Whitewashed, or being picked apart, not the other way around. We as minorities don’t like being cultural ambassadors or someone’s learning experience – basically being treated as specimens, just like our cultures by the Western world.
So to reach peace for everyone, it’s going to take a lot of thinking and hurt feelings. I think this post was pretty decent.
Loved your comment and your insight. So poignant and funny as could be. Hubby thinks we’d be rolling on the floor if the two of us ever got together and I think he’s right.
Brightest of Blessings!
Mead Muse
You could definitely see your enthusiasm within the paintings you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
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