In a previous article, I introduced the philosophy of ecohumanism where I distinguished it from its humanist counterpart while briefly discussing how its morality is what makes it uniquely identifiable. In this article, we will discuss what paganism is because as the title suggests, it has a relationship with ecohumanism. Why should we care about this relationship? We should care because it helps us to (re)connect with our Earthly roots that make us who we are. Details about this will follow.
What on Earth is Paganism?
For anyone who is familiar with paganism, it should be apparent that the title of this section is a pun, and one that is intentional! For anyone that is not familiar with paganism then there is no need to worry because this section will serve as a general overview of what it is.
Paganism describes the religion and culture of pagans. But what does the word “pagan” describe? The etymology dictionary Etymonline provides an answer. It is derived from classical Latin, which refers to a “villager, rustic; civilian, non-combatant” person.1 Alternatively, it describes someone who does not identify as Jewish, Christian or Muslim.2 What is interesting in this context is that the word “peasant” has a similar meaning; according to A Dictionary of Geography a peasant is a “farmer whose activities are dominated by the family group”.3 In other words, it is someone who subsists on the land that they live on, and who tends to not use it for commercial purposes.
As we can observe, both pagans and peasants have something in common, which is that they generally do not reside in urban areas or they at least express a preference for living in rural areas. In addition, they tend to have a way of life that is in close harmony with the natural environment. So what on Earth is paganism? To put it simply, paganism is the worship of nature by people that have a spiritual connection with their surroundings. By “spiritual”, I mean a connection that is both emotionally felt and cognitively acknowledged. Thus, paganism is technically not a religion. Rather, it describes a way of life.
Examples of paganism can be found across the world, however, being in Canada at present means that one of my biases that I make evident here is that I am focusing upon them. With that said, paganism in Canada is noticeable in its indigenous people, which consist of First Nations groups including the Inuit and Métis.4 The total population of the indigenous stands at 1.8 million as of 2021, which means that they account for approximately 5% of Canada’s population.5
The First Nations as well as the Inuit and Métis are distinct groups of indigenous people that have been living in Canada long before its (re)discovery by Europeans.6 They are noticeably pagan in their worldview, which is one that perceives all of life as an interconnected whole that is indivisible. To some extent this is reflected in academia where researchers refer to their knowledge as “traditional ecological knowledge”, which has become increasingly recognized since at least the early 1990’s both as a term and source of value for advancing scientific understanding of the relationship between organisms and their environment.7
To put this into perspective, I suggest observing the featured image of this article. It depicts a totem pole that is aptly named “Eagle with Salmon, Orca, Bear with Salmon” that was carved by a member of the Tsawout nation (pronounced “say-out”). This photograph was taken by me on the 2nd of September, 2022 during a trip to Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, which serves as an example as to what indigenous art and culture can be like. This totem pole as with others that can be found on Vancouver Island is a reflection of indigenous cultural heritage that is intended as a demonstration of respect for other lifeforms not just because of what they provide for humans (e.g. in terms of food and/or clothing) but also because of their existence alone.
An Indigenous Perspective
As of the 21st century, paganism has an elusive existence. In Canada this is exemplified in that its indigenous people are a minority that are in a struggle to preserve their way of life that has, and continues to be threatened because of the impacts of colonization. The colonization of what eventually came to be known as Canada began during the 15th century with the Doctrine of Discovery that was influenced by Christianity, and endorsed by monarchies of European nations such as those of France and England.8 In short, the colonization of the land and its indigenous inhabitants happened mainly because of cultural differences, resulting in the subjugation of the pagan way of life that was held as sacred by its practitioners.
Let’s imagine living under a regime where we have been separated from our community of friends and relatives, and forced to speak a language that we don’t understand while practicing a religion that offers little consolation because it constantly reminds us that we are the property of foreigners in a place that used to be our home. This is what some have had to live through simply because they did not wish to surrender their ethnic identity, culture, and heritage. However, this is gradually changing because as of 2021 the Government of Canada has formally recognized September 30th as a federal statutory holiday that is called National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.9 As its name implies, it is about acknowledging and remembering a part of Canadian history that has not only led to an injustice but also to a loss of wisdom that has much to teach about living alongside Earth’s ecosystems, including the health and happiness that comes with it. Perhaps there is even something to learn about what it means to be human.10
Although discussion of the colonization of Canada and its indigenous people may not seem relevant to the topic of this article, it is nonetheless important to consider. The reason for this is because it serves as a reminder among many as to how suffering can arise when humans are ideologically motivated to impose their will upon something that they do not understand. Viewed this way, it is reflective of a subconscious desire to control something that cannot realistically be controlled. In this context the subjugation of the indigenous people and their way of life is not merely a demonstration of disrespect but also an attempt to “civilize” their way of life through regimentation. This is exemplified by the development of the residential schools that the indigenous had to attend because of how the European colonizers perceived that they needed to be “educated” in accordance to their value system.11
The worldview of the colonizers was one that viewed nature as an object that needed to be subdued in order to satisfy the needs and desires of its own populations. This worldview was a defining characteristic of the West, which favored rationality over emotion, in addition to being influenced by Western science especially since the 17th and 18th centuries. The result of this was an imbalanced and impoverished philosophy that could only perceive nature for its parts that seemed disaggregated in their appearance and chaotic in their behavior. In other words, viewed this way, this colonial tragedy and its aftermath needn’t have happened if the colonizers had a worldview and value system that had integrity. This historic event could have been avoided if the colonizers had been able to see nature in its totality rather than its individual parts, and if they had learned to value humans and all other organisms as though they were the last to exist.
Ecohumanism and its Pagan Roots
Why should we care about paganism and its relationship with ecohumanism? The answers lies in that the latter has its roots in the former. What this means in general is that ecohumanism combines the best that science has to offer in terms of objectivity and logic, and the best of paganism in terms of subjectivity and ethics. Thus, it has the dynamism of science that is always in a state of progression, and it has the static quality of paganism because of its wisdom that has timeless value. What distinguishes ecohumanism from paganism is the way in which science and technology can enhance the quality of life of all human beings, while concurrently enabling them to live in closer harmony with the environment in which they are embedded. In other words, it is a philosophy that “seeks” to guide humans in becoming less anthropocentric, which would be accomplished without losing the qualities that make them human such as the characteristics of emotion and cognition.
Ecohumanism embodies ecological concepts and principles. As such, it is a philosophy that helps humans to coexist with all other lifeforms and non-living entities. It does so in a manner that can not only be sustained for an indefinite period of time, but that also leads to the continuous regeneration of ecosystems resulting in the development of environments that encourage long-term survival, evolution, and well-being to all lifeforms, and something else that is particular to humans – meaning. In theory, it represents an ideal to strive for. In practice, it is in the stage of infancy. This is partly due to it being a novel philosophy, and partly because it is extremely challenging to put it into practice as a result of a socioeconomic system that consistently and constantly acts as a hamper for moving away from its economic clutches. In this sense, what paganism helps us to see is that it is not money that we need, but rather, resources that enable us to survive and thrive into the future. And, of course, it goes without saying that this must happen alongside a spiritual transformation.
References
1 Etymonline. 2022. pagan | Search Online Etymology Dictionary. Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=pagan.
2 See reference 1.
3 Mayhew, S., 2015. Peasant. In: A Dictionary of Geography, 5th ed. Oxford University Press, p.105.
4 Not all indigenous people in Canada identify as First Nations; these include the Inuit and the Métis.
5 Statistics Canada. 2021. Census of Population. Available at: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm?MM=1.
6 The Canadian Encyclopedia provides a general overview of First Nations groups: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/first-nations.
7 Freeman, M., 1992. The Nature and Utility of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. 20(1), pp.1-6. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milton-Freeman/publication/269576083_The_nature_and_utility_of_traditional_ecological_knowledge/links/552d546d0cf21acb092172a2/The-nature-and-utility-of-traditional-ecological-knowledge.pdf.
8 Indigenous Values Initiative. 2018. What is the Doctrine of Discovery?. Available at: https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/what-is-the-doctrine-of-discovery/.
9 Government of Canada. 2021. Federal Statutory Holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/maple-leaf/defence/2021/07/federal-statutory-holiday-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation.html.
10 Discussion of what it means to be human and understanding it is unanswerable here. This will be reserved for a future publication.
11 Government of Canada. 2020. The Residential School System. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2020/09/the-residential-school-system.html.