A post is making the rounds over on witchblr (the witchcraft side of tumblr, yes that's a commonly used term/tag) about tarot being a closed practice, and that anyone who isn't of Rom descent is appropriating a cultural tradition and should stop right now.

Uh. Y'know, despite divination with cards being common across damn near every culture, and that the historical roots of what we know as tarot today come from decks of cards that were created in the 15th century for the rulers of the Duchy of Milan. 

:: sighs, picks eyeballs up off the floor ::

In theory if I mildly rant about it here, I won't respond to the clueless, probably well-intentioned munchkins on tumblr. In theory. We'll see if the theory is correct.

(I feel that there are magical practices and traditions that ARE closed practices, and if you don't have ties to the linked cultures, you SHOULD NOT work with those things.) 


madgastronomer: detail of Astral Personneby Remedios Varo (Default)

From: [personal profile] madgastronomer


Whaaaaaat? How unbelievably ignorant. I've done quite a bit of reading on the history of Tarot, I'm not even aware of any evidence that the Rom were reading cards before it became popularized broadly. And why would they, given that cards were a noble pursuit for a very long time?
staxxy: (Red Right Hand)

From: [personal profile] staxxy


exactly.

Divination goes back thru history for as long as we have had ways to trace or record it. The idea that any one culture or nationality has some sort of dibs on doing so is ludicrous.

madgastronomer: detail of Astral Personneby Remedios Varo (Default)

From: [personal profile] madgastronomer


Well, I'm totally fine with there being closed traditions, and with the divination systems of those traditions also being closed to outsiders. One specific method of divination, however cool or popular, is not the same as all divination ever. But Tarot specifically, we know where it comes from, and it doesn't come from Rom culture.
ouranophobe: (Supplication)

From: [personal profile] ouranophobe


Oh FFS... if I facepalm any harder, I'll knock myself into the middle of next week.
danabren: DC17 (Default)

From: [personal profile] danabren


It's all been said above, the things I came here to say. I am just adding my eyeroll to the heap.
minim_calibre: (Default)

From: [personal profile] minim_calibre


Passive-aggressively make a researched post on the history of tarot? IJS.

I mean, I vaguely wish I hadn't rolled my eyes and moved on at so much downright wrong BS under the assumption that no one would ever take that as gospel outside of Tumblr, but here we are.
dhampyresa: (Default)

From: [personal profile] dhampyresa


The French card game predates the divination practice! /is French, keeps forgetting that "tarot" in Anglosphere is SRS WITCHY BSNS and not a game people play on the regular
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