Althouth most "wannabees" have very good intentions, there is truth in
the proverb: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions". It is
not wise to foster tribal misfits, kinder to help them find their way
home to make peace with their own tribe, and be good neighbours to us.
I am Irish, so I meet some who "wanna be" Celtic. I can relate to
many, but have difficulty dealing with types who say they'd like to be
Irish, but move the stones on our ancient burial grounds and (standing
on the graves of our priests) take snapshots of one another with their
tawdry good-luck fetishes -- from plastic leprechauns to stuffed cows --
bad behaviour such as gives offence both sides of the Atlantic.
In my experience, limited by levels of endurance, walking with
"wannabees" is like travelling with shadows -- they are just as alive,
as full of movement (shadows always dance in the light of fires built
by real people) and free of the ordinary responsibilities those of us
involved in sustaining the bigger self of our tribe willingly embrace.
As with all shadows, they dance around the light, but melt away if it
is focussed directly upon them. Even their darkness they fear to share.
Some "wannabees" arrive with good things to trade for acceptance.
Shadow-help can be of REAL value (never underestimate that). Most all
endangered communities welcome every bit of assistance going, even the
help of shadows which may disappear at dawn, the helpful one moving on
once his/her current phase ends, to seek and absorb more not-things of
other cultures in vain pursuit of an "all-enlightening native wisdom".
First Nation peoples can often do themselves a real favour by steering
wannabees towards material or linguistic studies (rather than spiritual
or mythological) so they will have some knowledge that cannot easily be
distorted to teach their own people on their return home.
It is important to be as kind as possible to these shadow people.
If not able to discern your path, they are at least travelling a public
highway which is very well signposted -- on tv everywhere, running in all
the cinemas, so they'd have great difficulty MISSING the message! :-)
They do less harm than if left to wander guruless. It's usually possible
(having traded such gifts as we are able) to send them on their travels
feeling uplifted by some simple experience, such as a shared sweat, less
addicted to spiritual cannibalism, capable, perhaps, of perceiving in a
less "self-seeking" context the next "aboriginal" community they try to
penetrate on their endless journey.
Marion Gunn
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Marion Gunn
Facs <Fax>: +353-1-2694409 Fo/n <'Phone>: +353-1-7068106 no/<or> 2839396
Seoladh <address>: An Cola/iste Ollscoile, Baile A/tha Cliath 4, E/ire.
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