About SPIRIT

The Center for the Support and Protection of Indian Religions and Indigenous Traditions (SPIRIT) was founded more than 30 years ago to address the issue of cultural misappropriation. In 1993 the Lakota Nation, with the support of the National Congress of American Indians, announced the “Lakota Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality.” (see sidebar) 

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SPIRIT played an active role in educating the public about why this “Declaration of War” was necessary, and why cultural misappropriation is particularly harmful to Indigenous peoples. 

This is the final phase of genocide. First whites took the land and all that was physical. Now they're going after what is intangible.

—John Lavelle, Santee Sioux Lakota, Founder of SPIRIT, 1993

This 1993 New York Times article about SPIRIT gives a sense of the origins of the organization and of this movement. 

The issue of cultural appropriation isn’t new.  Over the last few decades, there have been increasingly clear statements by Indigenous peoples about this, such as the 2003 “Looking Horse Proclamation on the Protection of Ceremonies.”  There is also an increasingly robust international and national legal system to give Indigenous people the ability to address this matter in a court of law, if needed.  Many organizations have come to realize the harm that is done to Indigenous people when our sacred ceremonies and traditions are stolen and commercialized, and have stopped harmful misappropriation.  Yet some people continue to violate the clear wishes of the Lakota Nation and Indigenous Nations in general. 

The ManKind Project (MKP) has come to the attention of SPIRIT as the largest organization in the world to sell sweat lodge ceremonies, medicine pouches, and in many ways demonstrate a deep disrespect of Indigenous traditions.  SPIRIT had been less active in recent years, but after reviewing what is happening with The ManKind Project, SPIRIT is moving into action, for now focusing exclusively on the egregious behavior of MKP. 

The primary role of SPIRIT in this matter is to serve as a source of information about the ManKind Project’s misappropriation.  SPIRIT will gather information about the ManKind Project and share it with Indigenous organizations and nations, and we trust that they will act as they see fit once they are fully aware of the situation.  

SPIRIT will also provide educational materials on this matter so that members of MKP and the general public can learn more about this matter and take action.  

SPIRIT will continue doing this until the ManKind Project dissolves their “Lodge Keepers Society,” halts all cultural appropriation, and engages in a public Truth and Reconciliation process with tribal leaders.