on magical roots (european witches, pls help)

[Trent]

I am just going to cross my fingers and hope the right people find this. I am an American who has been practicing witchcraft for about a year now. I feel drawn to folk magic, but I am very much the stereotypical American white person–just a mix from so many European countries. On my Mom’s side Dutch, German, Slavic Jew, and Scottish. On my Dad’s side Scotts-Irish and French. But there are people who are born and raised in those cultures and practice those folk magicks still, and I was raised as a white American girl. My family’s sole culture is (and has been for generations) Christianity.

I don’t want to practice the watered down, appropriative American witchcraft that is presented to me, so really I’m just making things up as I go and it’s not enough anymore. I’ve always felt drawn to the Jewish on my Mom’s side, but I wasn’t raised Jewish and the matriarchal line ends with my great-grandfather, so I can’t claim Jewish mysticism. On my Dad’s side I’ve felt pulled towards my grandmother’s French side, but France is one of the few places where they actually burned their witches, and the few people who still practice there keep it very secretive (as far as I know, and for good reason). I have good reason to believe I was burned at the stake in a past life. I’ve always felt a kinship to the Waldenses and Joan of Arc as a child (St. Michael is my patron, too). I want to belong to a folk practice like this, but I also desperately don’t want to make a mockery of the people who belong to these cultures.

Could some European witches/pagans please weigh in on this? What do I do? I desperately want to belong somewhere, but I’m a privileged white woman living on stolen land. I don’t belong anywhere and I’m starting to worry that magical practice doesn’t have a place for me. Please send help!

(edit: I also don’t want this to come across as victim-y in anyway. I am a person of privilege trying to figure out how to practice witchcraft without being appropriative, and I just have absolutely no idea how to do that)

Discussion

[BabyNonsense]

I’m Native American, so I realize that this post wasn’t necessarily asking for my opinion, but I do want to weigh in because I think I have some perspective that can help.

I appreciate your good intentions when it comes to wanting to be respectful of the land you live on, not wanting to “appropriate” anything. I think you have very good kind intentions. I do, however, think you’ve taken it to far. If you are limiting yourself so much that you are feeling unfulfilled spiritually, you’ve got to make a change.

Just because your specific ancestors were not born here does not mean that you can’t connect to the world around you. Hell, my tribe is from Canada, should I force myself to feel out of place in here in Texas, or Kentucky where I grew up? No! That would make make me absolutely miserable.

Further…I think this sort of racial thinking is incredibly toxic for our community. The intention is supposedly to be respectful of certain cultures, however, the result is incredibly harmful. I am constantly seeing young witches asking if they “have” to practice Hispanic-rooted magic because they are Hispanic. AND!!! It is precisely this type of thinking that allows groups like AFA to get away with what they are doing.

Ancestor stuff can be very fulfilling. Not for me, but i can see the appeal. I worry about this community taking things too far and saying “you can only do xyz if you are from xyz.” That’s how we end up with AFA shit. No thank you.

And just dropping this here because I feel like I explain it a thousand times a day – Natives are generally very welcoming people. If you’ve ever attended a native event, you know this. We sell our crafts because we don’t want our traditions to die out. Hell, we often invite people into our dancing circles if they want in. Like, listen to us and our leaders before you listen to anyone else.

[Marythewitch]

In Europe, cultural appropriation isn’t as much of a big thing as it is in the states. European culture is very overlapping and as long as you’re being respectful and finding out accurate information then go for it!
(By this I mean that you don’t need to worry about cultural appropriation of learning French Magick or worshipping Greek gods – obviously we still do not think it’s acceptable to appropriate another’s culture and as a white woman myself it would be completely inappropriate for me to follow practices of Indigenous Americans or African Tribal Magic etc)

It’s very common for Europeans to be able to trace our roots to multiple countries and cultures, and I can’t think of any that would be offended by you immersing yourself in their culture and history. Especially as you can trace your family history to those countries!

You sound very respectful and like you want to get this all right, it’s tough feeling like we don’t belong in a certain category or group but you do belong to this world and nobody can get pissed at you for wanting to learn about your ancestors and their culture 🙂

Unless a practice or religion is closed, then you are free to join in – it’s just knowing the line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.
Cultural appreciation would be learning about French history, learning about your ancestors, learning about French magic from French Witches.
Cultural appropriation is taking aspects of someone’s culture that is not yours and claiming them as your own, which is especially worse when doing that to a minority or vulnerable group.

[annekevictoria]

I have (and sometimes still am) struggled with this quite a bit. Discovering more about your ancestors culture is the very best way of avoiding legitimate appropriation. Besides, if you are doing this for your own expansion rather than profit, then any type of of appropriation is unlikely. As a “white American” we can be inspired by our ancestors culture while creating our own within our practice. I have journeyed to my ancestors asking for guidance, and whoever has that wisdom steps forth and teaches me. I also think its important to remember that we are the sum of all of our ancestors, when I look in the mirror I see them. Even though our indigineity is far back, I believe we can still access that ancient wisdom since we are made of the thousands+ who came before and created us. Blessings!

[waltzingzeniba]

I mean if you’re drawn to French folk magic, why not start there? Just don’t claim any titles or lineage that you don’t have. I’m Canadian myself, but I do follow a lot of folk magic practitioners from various European countries, and that’s the sentiment I’ve seen – it’s open, but treat the practice with respect and don’t misrepresent yourself.

Here are some resources I’ve found useful for books on European folk magic and folklore. France isn’t my focus, but maybe you’ll find something.

[https://www.sacred-texts.com/](https://www.sacred-texts.com/)

[http://www.esotericarchives.com/](http://www.esotericarchives.com/)

[https://www.grimoire.org/grimoire/](https://www.grimoire.org/grimoire/)

[https://www.gutenberg.org/](https://www.gutenberg.org/)

[https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ssbdrhov1p18fft/AAA-iKgWkyvTp9X3pIh_KCbCa?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ssbdrhov1p18fft/AAA-iKgWkyvTp9X3pIh_KCbCa?dl=0)

[https://folklorethursday.com/](https://folklorethursday.com/)

[picking_a_name_]

I’m another white American mutt. I do borrow from anywhere, but I try to understand at least a little about the culture I borrow from, I try to notice where I have been blind to those cultures, I don’t claim to be an expert (particularly knowing more than someone from that culture), and I don’t sell my products. I think it would be even worse for me to say I will only practice things that come directly from the cultures my ancestors were in and ignore the Deity associated with the mountain I can see from my home or the history and beliefs of “minorities” that make up around half the US.

[DarthDep]

My magic comes from the ground beneath me, where I physically am in the world. How I practice that magic also comes from the earth beneath me.
But the one who is journeying with me in Spirit is from where my great-great-great grandmothers lived.
Because my power and my magic don’t come from the same place, that doesn’t make either of them belong any less to me.
It isn’t your fault that the land didn’t ever belong to you. The magic is showing you that magic is meant for you by letting you feel the possibility of it. Meditate, clear your mind and set your intention to discover how to practice your magic.

[DarthDep]

I’m really sorry, that makes me sound utterly crazy.