The "Stick To Your Own Culture" Fallacy and What It Means For Cacao

The "Stick To Your Own Culture" Fallacy and What It Means For Cacao

by Nick Meador

(Published Feb 17, 2026)

Sometimes when people are learning about and connecting with ceremonial cacao, voices appear on the Internet saying to "stick to your own culture" and leave cacao alone. (Watch the video below!)

The idea is that cacao has a long history of cultural significance in the Americas, so only people with indigenous American heritage "should" connect with or share cacao.

But this is a vast oversimplification that doesn't leave room for the importance of respectful and ethical cultural sharing, with proper credit and compensation going back to indigenous teachers (like in our courses, where 50% of the course price goes to the indigenous teacher, and much less goes to Soul Lift Cacao).

Plus I've heard many indigenous elders express a desire for cacao to go out into new contexts to be a "heart medicine" for the world.

Have you heard this kind of thing? Let us know in the YouTube comments.