Badger, and ethics in animism

[dibeartach.livejournal.com]

The Eurasian Badger : Rain, masculinity, wildness/nature, patterns or routines, tradition, strength, physicality, underworld/lower Otherworld, subtlety, mysteries, transition, life-path, fortune/fate, and significant crossing of paths with others. Comfort or warning, establishing place while maintaining personal freedom, focus and stability, gentle power. Also twilight, grounding, age, earth wisdom, and Spring and Winter.

I'm doing a whole bunch of meditations on Badger at the moment, and feel like this animal will be one of influence not just for the duration of the meditations like some of the other energies that have visited me, but a long term focus. In one of my wanderings, it came about that the claw was the power, so to speak, of the Badger. As far as I know, Eurasian Badgers are protected, thus it's probably going to be impossible to find a genuine claw for sale, even though I felt this to be important.
That made me think about the use of animal skins/claws etc in animism. My totem animal is the Salmon, and it was made abundantly clear to me that I was never to harm, hunt or eat Salmon under any circumstances. Later I found out that is a common attitude in regards to totem animals.
But as for other animals, we know from tribal cultures that animal skins, furs, claws and talons, and other parts were used to invoke that animal power in the past. Thus my strange message in regards to feeling like it was important to find a Badger claw.
What are your views on this little corner? Is it ethical to use animal bones or furs or what have you in animist practices?

Comments

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with everything that's been said here. Decide for yourself (and talk to Badger) where your boundaries are. Since you're probably going to have issues getting an actual claw, a replica or other substitute should work just fine. I've found in my own practice that totems appreciate substitutes when they're offered as a way of preserving endangered physical animals.