The Evergreens, the Iroquois, and my cultural appropriations

A meditation on the amalgamation of spiritual traditions and cultural influences that have influenced and inspired me, and how I feel about borrowing from cultures not my own.

The YMCA was involved in a good amount of my childhood adventure. I remember wearing a headdress and earning feathers in the Y Indian Guides. It was a place for father and son to bond. The program began in the 1920s with St. Louis YMCA Director Harold S. Keltner and his guide, Joe Friday, an Ojibwe Indian. In speaking with his friend, Keitner saw the wi…