White sage poachers put Native cultural practices at risk

New Age practitioners and online influencers have created a demand for smudge sticks made of white sage, opening markets for poachers.
Indigenous peoples and environmentalists hope that a new documentary will help raise awareness of what people can do to reduce poaching.
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[@Oldaccfrom]

Seeing many endangered sacred things improperly harvested like palo santo and white sage is so sad. I hope there will be more recognition of this issue.

[@karrac7331]

Thank you for the information and spreading awareness! Its sacred and its a closed practice to us Native Americans.

[@glizandro]

Thank you!

[@jerilucas9013]

I taught classes how to make smudge 🍡 sticks, the different types for different reasons. Everything natural. Most made have by products like risan and flavorings. Making natural smudge sticks is a process that takes three to four weeks curing, rolling ...if done the native American old ways.... processing white sage is sacred. True white sage is known as buffalo sage ... I have three plants in my yard I harvest thanking each plant with an offering.

[@locoshadowaztec]

Are you indigenous to these lands, and if not, have you paid your respects to the indigenous people of these lands. When we practice anything in this world, it is important to be grateful and acknowledge the enablers because we can't have the benefits of a practice without the acknowledgment of those that made it possible

[@jerilucas9013]

@@locoshadowaztec my grandfather was Blackfoot taught me much yet not enough.

[@locoshadowaztec]

@@jerilucas9013 It is never too late to come back home brother. You have a legacy that goes back thousands of years.

[@jerilucas9013]

@@locoshadowaztec never left the echoes of hollow ground when walking.... listening to the sound of the ground I walk upon.... either solid or breaking into quick mud ... Life is just that ... Always listen to the surroundings you are in.... You'll be surprised what you hear and if spiritual may have vision(s). I walk the path of the white She-Buff ... She saved my life....

[@theogoldberg8919]

It's a beautiful tradition. Endangered but hopefully preserved...

[@dreamscomingtrue6424]

I love white sage. I never knew where it came from.

[@Mark_Chandler]

first time i heard of burning sage for medical reasons..Interesting

[@devilloc29]

They come up to Etiwanda and clean it out ?

[@ellenlandowski1659]

Typical US.. Something is popular....people poach it all out.

[@Yahdish]

Okay, just keep advertising the sage and where they grow. You're just inviting more poachers.

[@germanshepherd6638]

I only buy why sage from India . Never from America