Sage smudging has become a viral trend. What’s the truth behind the smoke?
“Saging” has become common in movies, TV shows, social media, and cleansing rituals
–people burning sage bundles in the hope of purifying space and clearing bad energy.
Instead of healing, the appropriated use of saging in popular culture is having a harmful effect.

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Indigenous communities have tended a relationship with white sage for thousands of
generations. White sage (Salvia apiana) only occurs in southern California and northern
Baja California, Mexico. Today, poachers are stealing metric tons of this plant from the
wild to supply international demand. Saging the World spotlights the ecological and
cultural issues intertwined with white sage, centering the voices of Native advocates
who have long protected and cherished this plant.

The short documentary was produced by Rose Ramirez, Deborah Small, and the
California Native Plant Society to foster awareness and inspire action for white sage.
For more information on the film and ways to support white sage, visit cnps.org/sagingtheworld.