Why only Native People can smudge with white sage:

let's start with what smudging is. of course, smudging methods can differ from person to person, but this is my experience as an american-cherokee person. smudging is essentially the burning of herbs to release smoke. smudging has a large symbolic aspect to it, as the smoke

can be seen as a sort of catalyst for healing and purification. not every tribe burns the same type of herb, and assuming that every tribe has the same ritual for smudging is disrespectful, as is assuming that smudging rituals are identical from tribe to tribe.

smudging is commonly done with a shell to hold the herb(s) and a bird's feather to move the smoke. smudging has a very deep basis in the 4 elements, and symbolizes a communion between them.

what is white sage?
salvia apiana, or white sage, is native to to the Southwest of America and northwest of Mexico. it is especially sacred to the Lakota, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Navajo. due to overharvesting by non-natives, sage has become difficult to

acquire for natives. given the amount of wholesale vendors, most sellers dont even know if the sage they sell was ethically sourced or not. most people still don’t know that they’re using something that doesn’t belong to them, both spiritually and literally, when they burn white

sage.

how can you help?
just because you aren't native, doesnt mean you can't use smoke to cleanse your spaces (notice how i didn't call it smudging, as that is a cultural term). don't burn with white sage, consider using incense instead.

here are some organizations that help to protect white sage, as well as native farmers and other plants.

https://unitedplantsavers.org/ 

http://tnafanm.org/ 

http://welrp.org/ 

http://www.tocaonline.org/