r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/MelanieWalmartinez • 2h ago
Video Students get smudged by indigenous elders for peace and blessings throughout the year
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u/Liberkhaos 1h ago
What I like the most about this is that she asks the kids if it's okay first.
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u/Wooden_Minute2923 1h ago
I recall the summer I joined a river expedition with elders who insisted on smudging the canoe only after every kid agreed and when the quietest boy whispered no we all waited in the rising wind until he changed his mind and right then a log jammed free saving us from capsizing into the rapids. Asking permission first like that elder did makes the whole thing feel safe and true.
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u/gbakermatson 1h ago
we all waited in the rising wind until he changed his mind
I'm getting "peer pressured into compliance" vibes from this.
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u/Ice_Cream_Warrior 53m ago edited 49m ago
| We all waited after he said no to change his mind.
ah yes great example of respecting permission and why it either is a) performative and meaningless, or b) meaningful but we don't accept no. Community and showing of support is very important and can be hard to do without ceremony and religion, but even in the example wooden_minute can't see that it then wasn't really asking permission, because they then waited until the boy begrudgingly accepted.
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u/SnugglyCoderGuy 53m ago
That's because that's what it was. Once he said no, either move on or let the kid get out and not participate in the blessing, and then get back in.
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u/CanadianWazowski 59m ago
Peer pressured into preforming a religious ceremony
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u/Turgid_Donkey 24m ago
Reminds me of that high school football coach that held prayer with the team. Several students said they very much felt pressured to participate and felt they'd be punished if not.
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u/EdenEvelyn 46m ago
So your group collectively shamed him into agreeing to do something after he very clearly refused? Thats not compliance, it’s coercion and not something you should be proud of.
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u/YourAuthenticVoice 49m ago
WTF??? So you made that kid sit there and know he was holding everyone up because he didn't want to participate?
That's fucked up. That isn't consent by any reasonable measure.
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u/Sad_Air_820 45m ago
Peer pressured into agreeing to nonsense. Cool, cool, cool.
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u/RosemaryCroissant 54m ago
That’s generally always the case, even if most assume not! I went to an episcopal school for elementary, and the priest would offer the ash cross thing for Ash Wednesday (?) and I didn’t know what it was so I always declined, and it was no big deal at all. I was little enough they could have done it to me anyway, but it’s always optional in the places I’ve seen ceremonial stuff like this done.
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u/GroundbreakingAd8310 6m ago
This right here. Nobody cares that u have prayer circles at school we care when u try to force everyone to participate. The issue is most people dont understand this concept for some reason
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u/allkinds0ftime 15m ago
I’m in Bozeman and I would pay all expenses for her and others to come here and do it at my kid’s school. This kind of graceful offering to the children of the race that stole their land is the epitome of forgiveness and serenity.
We have so much to learn.
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u/Key_Strawberry_381 28m ago
Yeah that part I love too! Consent in all forms is necessary and wonderful!
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u/Dexodrill 33m ago
Thank you for confirming that. I can't hear the clip right now!
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u/RuckFeddit2469 27m ago
How would you feel if they asked if it was OK to give out bibles or put anointing oil on their foreheads?
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u/AliEffinNoble 2h ago
This is a indigenous school on or near a reservation. Y’all need to chill out. You can clear see them ask the kids if it’s ok and that the elder looks to their parent giving the nod of approval.
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u/Gurnenthar2 1h ago
Indeed, the children are using their hands to pull the sage over their heads, which is what we do in our ceremonies.
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u/ohowjuicy 1h ago
Yeah I didn't fully understand what that motion was, but to me it clearly indicated that the kids are familiar and comfortable with with this performance.
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u/double_think95 53m ago
You’re pretty much cupping the smoke and putting it on yourself, that’s smudging
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u/Odd_Old_Professional 34m ago
Yeah, it was pretty clear that these kids are familiar with the ceremony.
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u/evilpercy 2h ago
Do not even care if it is a Indigenous school, everyone can use a little help this year.
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u/StrengthDazzling8922 1h ago
I could use a smudge these days.
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u/DeanBranbeno 27m ago
Forreal! If I got a smudge as I walked into work then it might make the day a bit better and less monotonous.
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u/Confusionitus 1h ago edited 1h ago
I went to high school near a very large indigenous community and we did this every year. It was completely optional of course but I always thought it was a nice gesture and opted in every time.
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u/evlhornet 1h ago
I’d cover myself with smoke and bathe in the purifying waters of Lake Minnetonka if I could.
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u/ThatGuyBackThere280 52m ago
I mean I'd opt to take it if given the chance. If anything, using a smudge it would at least help keep ghosts away from hunting me for at least 1-3 minutes.
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u/Sudden_Buffalo_4393 1h ago
I’m 1/2 Native, didn’t live on the Rez but “lived” on the Rez and went to school there. Never saw anything like this. I think it’s awesome and would have 100% taken part. My mom was basically doing this at our house anyway.
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u/InvidiousPlay 34m ago
Apparently these practices are very different or non-existent depending on the specific tribe.
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u/ayoungmanfromtheuk 1h ago
Yeah it is just a totally nice gesture, the cryptofascist edgelord always get triggered by this shit it's so sad
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u/joyful_maestra 1h ago edited 53m ago
The school is near Milwaukee, WI. The children must have indigenous ancestry, proven through being a tribal member or a direct descendant to attend. Source: my kids go here.
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u/Imaginary_Dig_5014 1h ago
Looks like shes politely walking to the parents to ask if they would also like this treatment as well at the end. She seems like a nice lady.
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u/Dartmoor_Guardian 45m ago
Yeah some people need to chill out. I assumed these were indigenous kids and I don’t even live in a country where there are any indigenous peoples /:
And asking permission is great for kids with allergies most of all.
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u/Rusty_Shackleford_NC 2h ago
I did this exact same thing every day before high school. Only it was weed, and we tried to keep it from getting into our hair and clothes lol
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u/K10RumbleRumble 1h ago
Served likely the same purpose :) spent a little time with your people before the day. Had a little time. Maybe even call it a ceremony, and all walked in a little more level headed than you were before.
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u/Vierno 1h ago
I don’t even miss the high, I miss the process, the ceremony, the community, and ritual.
The process was the thrill of acquiring it. The illegality, the adrenaline the anticipation. Once you met up with that sketchy dude and secured the bag IT WAS ON.
The ceremony was going down to the basement, getting out the accoutrements, the devices, the papers, the grinders, having the food ready, the funny movie on deck.
The community was the best buddies in that basement who with one look at, you could tell felt the same giddiness as you did without even having to speak a word about it to each other.
The ritual is when it all comes together. Packing a fresh bowl after cleaning the screen. Passing around Barack Obonga, Bong Jovi, Billy Bong Thornton ,or for special occasions Dank Vader. Sometimes you’d have special guests in the basement that couldn’t hack a water pipe, so your one friend who has fingers like a Japanese origami artist rolls everyone a nice 6 paper joint. But no matter what you knew it was time once the lighters sparked up.
I really don’t miss the high, I miss all the fun, feelings, and shenanigans that quieted all the bullshit at that time in your life, and you and your buddies just stepped into your own world for a few hours and enjoyed each others company. Nothing more nothing less.
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u/Candid_Initiative992 1h ago
Just a question but do American schools do cultural exchanges? One of my favorite memories from school was exchanging students (New Zealand) with a Japanese school. Our students learnt about Japanese history & traditions, aswell as the Nihon Buyo dance while we taught the Japanese kids about the New Zealand history, Māori culture & our school Haka. We did a farewell Haka to the Japanese students on their last day & they joined in, stuff like that will forever be itched in my memory lol
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u/maple_crowtoast 1h ago
Yes! My school did that in high school! The visiting students were always very popular 😅
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u/Forward-Cockroach945 1h ago
Yes we do have cultural exchange students . My family has hosted a few one from Switzerland and a few from Brazil. I have friends locally that have studied abroad as well.
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u/levelZeroWizard 1h ago
That sounds like a seriously awesome memory. Exchange programs are so awesome for child development
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u/Silent-Coach-697 57m ago
Yeah ours were from France. They came here first and then me and others went to them the next semester
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u/jcwitty 2h ago
Here I was thinking “that’s pretty cool, I hope people aren’t weird about it in the comments.”
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u/MelanieWalmartinez 2h ago
I posted it here and in the other interesting sub, I got very different responses and not in the good way 💀
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u/RedOtta019 1h ago
Are you indigenous OP? Its pretty standard for absolutely anything indigenous to get comments from racists of all kinds from white to black supremicists
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u/MelanieWalmartinez 1h ago
Yes 🥀 I swear I’m going insane because I’ll post something cool and then forget that a looot of people are still racist
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u/dougielou 1h ago
I’ve already seen this video but I want you to know that I think it’s cool and interesting to see how other cultures welcome their children back to school.
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u/Cloverose2 1h ago
It's a beautiful tradition that makes children feel welcomed and supported. The fact that people are taking it as anything other than a statement of care is frankly bizarre.
I can't imagine being so miserable that one could look at this and see anything other than a community supporting their children and the children clearly welcoming it and appreciating it.
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u/cantwalkintheshadows 1h ago
This complete stranger thinks this is cool as fuck op, thank you for sharing.
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u/rglurker 1h ago
Or just plain ignorant and think everything is evil.
Also remember. 50%+ are likely engagement bots at this point
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u/Barackrifle 1h ago
I grew up Irish catholic. This is tame for the amount of smoke they're throwing around and far fewer ashsy foreheads here
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u/throwaway098764567 1h ago
some are probably just anti religion not necessarily racist, which doesn't make it hurt less but is something they're more likely to grow out of... at least i did. i never had a problem with native american stuff, but religion in general i had a huge issue with when i was young because it was part of my abuse as a kid. took a long time to get over that and become ok with the idea that not all religious people are evil. at least a few folks may be early in a similar journey.
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u/RedOtta019 37m ago
Cousin you should know better. The instagram comments were worse 🥀
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u/uncommonrev 1h ago
Racist, and or ignorant and mostly just miserable. The old adage misery loves company has never been more true. At least on the internet. I'd bet a lot of people popping off about this or that would have a drastically different reaction to this if they encountered it in the real world instead of being in talk shit on the internet mode.
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u/Turbulent-Matter501 1h ago
I saw this on FB and fundies were going absolutely bonkers over it and talking about how satanic it is. Hilarious.
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u/finicky_foxx 1h ago
Damn, same here. I saw this and thought, "Aww, that's beautiful." The fuck is wrong with the people in the comments?
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u/lllllllllllllllllI_I 1h ago edited 1h ago
This is a indignous school on a reservation where the students are native Americans
These guys all in the video are natives
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u/Screambloodygore1184 2h ago
God damn I’m so tired of the internet you people are exhausting as fuck with your bitching about every little thing. Embrace other people and cultures and move the fuck on about your life
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u/Howllat 2h ago
Yeah good luck with that... Its amazing how the internet allows uncultured fucks to connect with anyone across the world and yet they are more closed minded than ever in their echo chamber.
Its weird to see what some internet people see as bizarre.
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u/Jive_Turkey__ 2h ago
I'm sure you'd feel the same if some christian was waiting at the school to put the sign of the cross on all the children entering.
Also, you're bitching about people bitching. gooble gobble19
u/JadedLeafs 1h ago
You mean like they do in Christian and Catholic schools?
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u/man_on_the_mooney 1h ago
I went to public school in CT and I remember my teacher putting a cross on my forehead for Ash Wednesday, definitely didn’t ask for permission. I was just excited to have someone paint my face, I had no idea what it was at the time
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u/MatttheJ 1h ago
That literally happens at catholic schools you dunce, and nobody has an issue with it, because it's not harming anyone and the parents/kids don't care.
Why are you trying to force outrage and a culture war into this thread? You're precisely what's wrong with the whole internet.
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u/LordButtworth 1h ago
It kinda comes with the whole Christianity thing. If parents had a problem I doubt they would pay to send their kids to a Catholic school.
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u/Lowly-Worm_ 2h ago
The manufactured outrage increases engagement. The barrage of atrocities increases derealization. An efficient model.
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u/Aggressive_Tear_769 1h ago
I've been in this situation, my parents were all "peace, love, plants, crystals and scents" and we lived in a community with more people like that.
This kind of blessing felt very loving to me, I would know the person and what their intentions were.
Of course there are expectations but I understood that even if the magic wasn't real, the care and love was. Compare that to having to perform Christianity and having to sit through church where an old guy shouted at a crowd and I'd take the blessing every single time.
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u/WalkAffectionate2683 1h ago
I got a catholic education and never an old man shouted at me lol.
Though that made me atheist as fuck haha
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u/Pandalicious1234 1h ago
If you study the bible hard enough you come back around to atheist. Happened to me. Brought up baptist
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u/RelevantDress 1h ago
For real, Ive been around a lot of spiritual and religious people in my life and nothing was oppressive or forced on me, except for Christianity. My pastor beat me when I missed sunday church and said I would end up in hell unless I cleaned up my act.
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u/daryan1 2h ago
My Persian mom does something similar to this, burns Esfand whenever i started a new school year or college etc. persian incense
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u/Lost-Purple-7020 1h ago
This is beautiful. When I think of what happened to Indigenous kids in Canada - residential schools and being ripped from their families - to have an elder there wanting to give something protective is so meaningful and beautiful.
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u/ModestMouseketool 32m ago edited 25m ago
I love being native and seeing my culture, thats a beautiful eagle feather fan! 🧡🪶
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u/Papa_Raj 1h ago
I grew up on a rez and they did this at our school on occasion. Mostly in locker rooms before sporting events and going to assembly.
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u/RTA-No0120 2h ago edited 1h ago
If the kids are comfortable with it, I see no problem.
Even if it might not be useful, all they wanna do is give them luck, peace, protection and positivity throughout the year.
It’s not like they’re forcing anyone and it’s not like they’re doing that, for their worse.
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u/MelanieWalmartinez 2h ago
It’s a private indigenous school, and you can hear her ask before smudging
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u/RTA-No0120 1h ago
Right. I mean even if it was a public school. Isn’t the gorv forcing Christianity back into school? This one isn’t forced and respecting the boundaries of each individual, so I’d still have no problem with that.
The world and specially kids, are in a really dire need for positivity anyway, so let’s bring them the seeds of good, so the next generation can be a bit better than ours.
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u/JohnnyRelentless 1h ago
If this was a public school it would be a problem, just like it's a problem when it's Christianity. Our schools aren't for the religious indoctrination of other people's kids.
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u/Lootlizard 1h ago
It reminds me of seeing the catholic kids come into school with ash on their foreheads for Ash Wednesday.
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u/Crazy_Ad_91 1h ago
I would have found this as cool as hell as a kid going to school. More culture exposure, please.
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u/kwecl2 1h ago
Cool. We smudge our kids too at our school. Some pretty crazy comments in here about something that they'll literally never have to do.
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u/MelanieWalmartinez 1h ago
We have a smudging room in my university too, love it
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u/Freshiiiiii 13m ago
I smudged in school. They always emphasized it was optional. I really liked it. It never felt like a religious ceremony (it was a Catholic school so I know what that felt like, and it wasn’t the same). Just felt like a nice meditation/blessing
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u/MuthiRappa 2h ago
God forbid people have some traditions.
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u/TheMadManiac 17m ago
I don't see a difference between this and a Christian standing in front of a school trying to bless the kids with holy water
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u/Freshiiiiii 14m ago
If it’s a Christian school, and they’re there with permission from the school (not just a rando) and they ask each kid’s permission, I think that’s fine too.
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u/InformationConfident 1h ago
Not only their own traditions, but practicing those traditions on the land that was stolen from them.
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u/rolloutTheTrash 37m ago
I see no difference between this and being taken on a field trip to the local parish on Ash Wednesday when I used to attend a Catholic school as a kid. If this isn't mandatory and the parents are aware, why not?
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u/Icon8423 1h ago
This a Native school in a suburb of Milwaukee. It's a wonderful campus that integrates the culture along side regular school education. Beautiful building too, main entrance is being updated now, hence the use of this side entry.
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u/MathamphetamineUser 57m ago
Only a matter of time before someone uses AI to replace her with Tommy Chong
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u/RazsterOxzine 20m ago
Nothing like being blessed by an native elder or a medicine man. Feels good.
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u/daddysbestestkitten 10m ago
She asked permission...they aren't forcing anything on those kids... It's not like they're forcing their children to take part in daily prayer...
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u/soljakid 41m ago
It's crazy to me how people see indigenous people as an almost foreign entity....
This culture was there long before white Europeans settled there and forced people from their ancestral homes into reservations and demonised them as savages simply because they lived off the land and respected it.
Maybe one day the American government will collapse, and the native tribes will be able to take back the land that was stolen from them.
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u/Selectivedeviant 16m ago
They were deemed savages because of tribal warfare, forced sexual slavery, other slavery and hacking peoples skin off. They were murdering and enslaving each other long before the Europeans got here
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u/higgsbison312 1h ago
Fun fact as Central Asian (Kazakh and Kyrgyz mix) we perform the same ritual.
Another fun fact, recently learned that we have some ancient relationship to Navajo and Apache tribes?
Makes sense to me because we even look similar.
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u/Fudd-recurve-bow 1h ago
I saw an elder smudge some kids because they were crying at canoe journey, it gave me a chuckle when the kid screamed a little louder
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u/Uncle_Paul_Hargis 42m ago
I'm sure this pisses off certain people, but I think this type of stuff is awesome. I can't tell if this is the US or Canada, but I think keeping indigenous cultures alive is incredibly important. This is obviously not being forced on anyone, it's being done respectfully.
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u/enrick92 50m ago
Here in India during holi or diwali our folks just go around throwing colours (often made of toxic chemicals) on everyone
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u/visionofacheezburger 33m ago
This is the tolerance and freedom of religion our forefathers dreamed about.
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u/TheRealDesastr 1h ago
My first thought was: "wow that's really cool, wish there was an equivalent/chance for adults"
Smh at racist assholes. World would be better if they just shut up.
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u/SrGraphiteBlimp 2h ago
Not the people with no culture throwing a hissy fit in the comments.
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u/PraireGentleman 52m ago
I remember when I was 17, I did a smudging and a sweat lodge with some Indigenous people. It’s probably some of the most effective spiritual/ religious practices I’ve seen, you’re surprisingly refreshed after spending an hour sweating it out
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u/FartPhylactery 33m ago
I’m getting ashes on Ash Wednesday and smudges on smudge Friday.
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u/MercRussians 23m ago
More consideration for the kids’ consent to practice it than the Pledge of Allegiance. Used to get detention and even suspension for not standing up and crossing my heart for a god I don’t believe in. Indigenous people stay based.
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u/topredditbot 19m ago
You did it! Your post is officially the #1 post on Reddit. It is now forever immortalized at /r/topofreddit.
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u/Inner-Guava-8274 14m ago
I hope that guy in the background is not holding a bible 😂. But we’re in a very confusing time…The kids need all the blessings and peace they can get.
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u/pastelfemby 3m ago
As someone pretty allergic to sage... I have mixed feelings when it happens in more general spaces, even with antihistamines my body aint gonna have a good time.
School on the reserve though? Absolutely.
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u/Longjumping_Spot7410 1h ago
I'll be so honest with you guys, if I were walking into my class at the adult age of 32 and an indigenous elder offered to smudge me before I started my class, I'd cry at the sentiment alone. I've got my inhaler if my asthma acts up, but the act alone would mean a lot
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u/Lukewarmluk 1h ago
It’s going to be interesting how Reddit feels about this. Religions, indigenous and white ppl in one post.
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u/TheManAcrossTheHall 1h ago edited 1h ago
Reddit is filled with hypocrits. If this was Christians drawing a cross over them, the comments would be going apeshit. But when it's other superstitions, it's fine?
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u/btsd_ 1h ago
If this is a native reservation school, then its no different than a catholic school...
If its a public school in the USA, then your point stands otherwise its a nothing burger
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u/nub_node 1h ago
We just did a lame-ass prayer meeting at the flagpole out front every morning at my Christian private school.
Good time to meet up with the older kids to trade and battle Pokemon, tho.
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u/Reasonable-Record494 1h ago
I'm assuming this is at an indigenous school/on a reservation? In that case no different from a Catholic school making the sign of the cross over students coming in. If it's not, I'm not super comfortable with just asking kids if it's OK. Kids don't want to upset adults, they'll say yes even if they'd rather not, especially when they're young.
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u/Chonch_Monkey 2h ago
Clearly that's sage and she is trying to ward off the evil little shits from coming to school