Source: here.
A statement on the Indica controversy
As you know, last May I was awarded a fellowship grant for the development of my project “The New Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina” from Indic Academy’s Center for Global Polytheist and Indigenous Traditions led by Dr. Edward Butler. As part of my contractual obligations relating to that grant, I also participated in the online Conference for Polytheism Today and Tomorrow: Dialogues on Pluralism and Polytheist Art, alongside many others.
It recently came to everyone’s attention that Indica is associated with and has publicly shown support for the Hindutva nationalist movement (blog post linked for a very detailed run-down of the situation – I make no claims of endorsement for the rest of the blog as I don’t know the author, but this particular piece checks out). I freely admit I had no knowledge of what Hindutva was (or that it even existed) prior to the recent controversy bringing these associations to light, seeing as I’m not Hindu or even interested in anything related to Hinduism or India. My association with Indica starts and ends with my contractual obligations to a grant facilitated for and by polytheists under Dr. Butler’s directorial work.
I am in a difficult position right now, because I am firmly opposed to any form of nationalism or right-wing conservatism while at the same time being contractually associated with an organization that, months after the beginning of my involvement, publicly endorsed such movements. In the intent of full disclosure and honesty, I want to make clear why I cannot simply end my professional association with Dr. Butler and the CGPIT/Indica before June 2022.
The grant I received has a project deadline of June 2022. The size of the grant was also equivalent to roughly half a year of rent for me personally, and my use of that money was solely for living expenses, as I explicitly outlined in my agreement with Indica. Indica has absolutely no intellectual rights or control over my project, which also has nothing to do with anything relating to Indica or Hindu matters. The fellowship contest was international and for any kind of polytheist, which is why I participated. My contractual obligations are simply to give two annual reports (one of them being in the form of my talk at the Conference recently) and to complete the project I undertook thanks to the grant’s support within the deadline (aka until June 2022 – evidently this obligation is to show that you didn’t just take grant money for other purposes but did indeed complete the project the grant for which you applied was intended to fund). Other than that, I am under no obligation to work with, support, endorse, or follow Indica’s line on any matter whatsoever. They also make no money off of me as far as I am aware nor have I given a single cent to anything Indica related.
I’ll be perfectly honest. I cannot return the grant money. It was spent on living expenses, exactly as intended (and it’s been more than half a year since I received it), and my financial situation does not allow for me to give such a big chunk of money back; it is simply not something I can afford. Knowing that, I will continue to fulfill my contractual obligations (and thankfully they are minimal as already explained) until the end of my deadline and completion of my project.
I am saddened by Dr. Butler’s stance on the Indica matter, although I can also understand it to an extent, as he is employed by them (while I am not and I still have some obligations, as explained). For what’s worth, Dr. Butler was nothing but helpful and supportive of me and my work, and made it clear everyone is free to have and enforce their own stance and approach on this matter. I am still grateful for all the help and the grant itself, without which my project could not have happened, and which I will strive to complete on time. Still, I cannot and will not associate with Indica past the end of my project and contractual obligations.
I hope I have made my precarious position on this matter clear and I hope everyone knows I will never willingly support any sort of nationalism.