Is my whole city guilty of appropriation? The post But Why Cant I wear a Hipster Headdress? deals explicitly with the kinds of things youll see in the Hall of Shame. Marginalized subcultures are often excluded from the fashion industry at the outset, but when a style or trend they display is ultimately embraced by the mainstream, the subcultures contribution is often disregarded. Cultural appropriation is a complex and often controversial topic. I am very interested in many cultures and I am glad that its okay to be. Thanks!! The leather fringe purse youre crazy about may look great with your new outfit, but its actually modeled after a medicine bag, which has religious importance in indigenous cultures. ). if Culture X appropriates something from Culture Y, is it acceptable for Culture Y to take something of equal value from Culture X, or would that be a case of (forgive the analogy) a sacred object for a sacred object makes the whole world disrespectful? I dont think so. "There is a degree of pushing boundaries in college life," Scafidi said. Similar to "Moana," Raya from the Disney film "Raya and the Last Dragon" is a popular Halloween costume that includes elements of Southeast Asian culture. You can do this as an insider. At the least, fashion should be crediting the sources that inspire its designs. It ranges from the aggressively entitled stance of, I can do whatever I want! to the perpetually angry approach of everything is cultural appropriation!. Thank you for the informative response. Today, it has become a popular trend where women from all races shapes, and sizes, have adopted wearing these colorful and vibrant beads on proudly on their waists. Mia Moody-Ramirez, director of graduate studies and American studies at Baylor University, says cultural appropriation has long been present in American history, but social media has elevated the awareness of it. Of course, some will wear them subtly under their everyday clothes and those who wear them openly. The popularity of body chains can therefore be seen as the best way to appreciate a culture, as they are increasingly worn around the waist and can be constructed of hooped chains, threaded strings, or tiny beads. But there will probably always be someone who thinks what Im doing isnt ok, which makes this decision somewhat difficult. Many indigenous people will receive only one in their life-time, or perhaps never have that opportunity. For one, they are worn by maidens across most of Africa. I strongly agree with everything you said and I often fail to understand why people choose to be ignorant on the subject of appropriation. She says, We put good intentions into our work, and look forward to the person who will wear it. Its just not clear how that goes on to those of us that read them now. On the other hand, some people cant hold back their distaste for this particular accessory and go as far as considering it evil and a sin to wear. For example, thanks to the anthropological work done by Swanton with the Haida back in the day, Robert Bringhurst can hop on over to a library, pull the texts, and republish them in whatever way he wants. No, waist beads are not evil. It will, no doubt begin with me printing out several posts from your blog. Thats certainly true. As a fashion piece, Guccis turban would profit in the face of that. It looks so cool!. Ive been trying to learn more about cultural appropriation, but its been difficult. It also cheapens the symbols earned by others. Exploring the Debate Around Cultural Appropriation and Wearing Waist In South Korea, a government initiative started in 2013 gives free entry to Seoul's five palaces to anyone wearing a hanbok, Korea's national dress worn by both men and women. Over centuries women have been known to adorn themselves with different accessories on different parts of their bodies. Exploring the Life and Legacy of the Ancient Greek Mathematician, Are Fairlife Protein Shakes Healthy? But they were not the only African community found to have worn these beads during that time. So, lets take your moccasin example, you say youre ok with me (a white person wearing them). Saying that its somehow worse in the aboriginal situation because aboriginals arent the majority is just continuing the discourse of aboriginals-as-children, I think. For many Natives, it was a very frustrating experience to click on tags such as #Native American and find the material to be mostly very UN-Native. Prior to that day, and most likely going back to the dawn of Tumblr, the #Native American tag had been one which none of the native/first nations people could go to and not cringe and get pissed looking through. Almost every conversation Ive tried to have in which I questioned how/what cultural appropriation is has immediately led to people assuming that Im trying to claim it doesnt exist or matter. Thanks! I am worried that it will draw less attention to my brothers artwork, however, and cut down on my ability to drive business to him this way. Sorry if that was long winded; stories and their transmission are fascinating to me, and I like all the perspective I can get. My question is: I went to a Pow-Wow, and I bought a Bone-Choker necklace. "If there were any consciousness in this country of the huge problem of violence against Native women and the thousandsof missing and murdered Indigenous women in this country, they'd have to stop and think about what putting on a sexy Indian costume might mean," Speed said. As such, it is important to understand the history and cultural significance of waist beads before deciding to wear them. Throughout the making of our hand drums, we were taught about their history and use. People tend to be sensitive about it, though largely, I think, from an inferiority complex about not knowing the classic stuff as well as they really ought to (being European-descendants and all, whose entire worldview has been shaped by this stuff). Non-natives with a real interest in aboriginal cultures face this as well. At the end of the day, the waist beads make the most stunning kind of jewelry, and in addition to there being no laws that stop you from wearing them . As such, they will never get any respect now. Some argue that wearing waist chains is a way to express creativity and individuality, while others believe that it can be seen as a sign of cultural appreciation. (Im not trying to be antagonistic or anything; this is just a bit of a shock to a Winnipeggers system. In that time, they were called girdles or belts and were worn by women as a status symbol. At the most, it should be finding a way to work with those cultures and bring them into the fold. funny ways to say home run grassroots elite basketball Menu . My daughters class just read the book Squanto and is having a Squanto Day in 2 weeks where the kids dress up as Native Americans. Exploring the Benefits of Probiotics in Greek Yogurt, Who Invented the Pythagoras Theorem? If youre buying art, find out what it means. I dont want casino money, I dont want to be involved in tribal bickering, er, I mean tribal politics and I dont need the Feds to tell me what I already know. Is wearing a feather and or more than one (a peacock or pheasant feather, for instance) in ones hair wrong? In Latin American cultures, waist chains were often used to show strength and courage. It would really bother me to see folks using that symbol without strong ties to the cultural understandings of the place thunderbirds hold in our cultures. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. Im very sorry if (that?) Fidelity of transmission wasnt thought of the same way, so its a tough comparison to make clearly. While wearing jewellery is ultimately a matter of personal preference, knowing the background of the pieces origins might give us a better perspective of whether we should or shouldnt do so. It is meant to bring spiritual protection by glaring at any negative people or energy surrounding you. So anyway my dad brought me along and brought some of the things that had been given to him by the nation: a cedar hat, a drum (which he plays when he is invited to drum/sing with the nation), and an eagle feather. Ever. . Thank you. Mmmm, I think the comment was an attempt to bring in the history of colonialism and margnialism I deliberately did not discuss, as I think this has been discussed better elsewhere and I was hoping to add something slightly different to it. I have to object to phrases like just some religious mumbo-jumbo with no further meaning. That, to me, is the root of the problem. Thank you! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Her reporting focuses education, race, and public policy. I have no intention whatsoever to promote them as authentic Aboriginal art. I can hear just how clueless I sound in asking this- trust me. Ah, I mean because of the intersectionality because of their Indigenous and gender identities It would make sense to me that any North American Native person could legitimately claim two-spirit even if their particular Nation had no evidence of it being part of their particular background. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? What is your opinion? That leads to a second question to consider is tit for tat appropriation ever appropriate? In terms of your analogizing the misuse of other symbols like the Victoria Cross etc. The rise of boho chic has especially blurred the lines. Jacobs said the hairstyle was inspired by American film director and producer Lana Wachowski, but there was no acknowledgement of the styles origins or spiritual significance to Rastafarianism. . Now, whether its considered fashion appreciation or appropriation, it can be a hot button issue. Etchiboy is a good website I use on occasion as it labels and describes each sash design, I believe with the intention of informing peopel hey this is a nice sash yes but its a FRANCO MANITOBAN sash. Of course cultural appropriation and stereotyping of indigenous people is happening here as well, but the criticism of it not so much. Others argue that it is a form of cultural appropriation, as it involves taking something from a culture without understanding its history and significance. Is that the stinking white privilege attitude. Yikes! That tradition has bled inwards onto the prairies in the past 25 years, through the hair-pullingly frustrating pan-Indian approaches that have developed. The context of the sash is not lost from what youre telling me. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Ive been reading and talking to friends (some Indigenous, others not). It is simple for us to fall prey to these harmful fashions, especially when online stores consciously increase their inventory of new and appealing jewellery pieces to entice us. On January7, the Native/First Nations Tumblr community came together as a unified force and took back our tags: #Native American, #NDN, and the ridiculous #Indian Hat. WWD and Women's Wear Daily are part of Penske Media Corporation. Mainly at pow-wows and also at some galleries and stores run by people from local reserves in my community growing up.). In the short term I want to know if even this option is ok or still just a watered down version of offensive appropriation. Cultural Appropriation in Belly Dance - The Third Self He told me the story of that particular eagle feather: that it had been found as he was meeting a Squamish friend of his. AryaN IndiaN? Promise. Many women wear them as waist trainers like many women long ago. Are all feather headdresses cultural appropriation, even ones which bear only a slight resemblance to Native sacred regalia or none at all? Personally, I find the mass commercialization of art and culture problematic. Lolita in fact has come full circle in a sense, as it is now worn by Europeans. If I hear one more my great-great Grandmother was a Cherokee Princess story I typically respond with a question in our language and get the RCA dog look back from the Cherokee Princess. Like many other accessories, they are simply decorations that have been adorned by women, especially African women, since time immemorial. We also have a blended family situation and my husband has taken on my Scandinavian traditions despite his own cultural background. But there is nowhere in the bible that specifically states anything, negative or positive about waist beads. There are probably still going to be people who could read something like this and just not care (rargh), but I think that for at least some this might be the argument that finally penetrates and gets them thinking outside of their assumptions. Its meaning can vary just as much outside of Canadian culture as within it. This definitely goes into my roster of links for the next time (and I know there will be a next time) someone asks me, But why cant I wear a feather? As i got it i realized the motive on the back is a cat that is wearing something that looks very much like a war bonnet, is that considered offensive aswell or is it someone wearing the bonnet itself? the women in western countries wear waist beads for personal benefits or as a fashion jewelry. Thanks. That is, simply, absurd. There was no apology then. This was an absolutely fantastic post. cultural, logistical, and/or health reasons. The science of fear:Why do some people love to be scared during Halloween? Fashion trends come and go but like the little black dress some garb never goes out of style. All that being said, I think most cases of cultural appropriation involve white people appropriating other colors. In summary, one can conclude that there is no scripture in the bible that specifically states that waist beads are evil and that those who wear them are sinners condemned to hell. What about when Aboriginal people exploit cultural teachings and or symbols and mass produce them? Some scholars speculate that there may have been a version of it that existed in the Paleolithic period where it may have been made of teeth or shells from horses or mammoths. I think youre right that theres two sorts of appropriaters to deal with. Being white and wearing a dashiki might be interpreted as problematic; wearing one with cornrows or dreadlocks in your hair almost certainly would be. Ive stopped wearing it out of fear I dont deserve to wear it. Exploring the World of Knowledge and Understanding. I think youre talking about those who elevate (often to ridiculous heights). Waist chains appear to have been a very fashionable piece of jewellery based on the abundance of historical works of art from India that date to the Indus Valley culture. Thank you so much, and Im glad I found your blog before I did this unit. Take Priscilla Nieto, an accomplished jewelry maker from the Santo Domingo Pueblo. Get all the top news stories and alerts straight to your inbox. In short, the conversation around cultural appropriation is much bigger than putting dreadlocks on a white model or traditional Ethiopian weavings into a collection without giving the artisans due credit. The meaning varies though the symbol stays the same, and we can (and do) alter that meaning with how we use the symbol. Hello. When Is It OK To Wear Another Culture's Clothing? - NPR This is an example of cultural appropriation: purchasing machine-made or factory-made waist beads for $1. Its part of the whole estrangement cycle that these people deal with, and I think the sooner aboriginal people stop thinking of themselves as marginalized, the better for them. It has become commonplace to see young people with body chains across their waists and crystal rings on each hand. So heres the story: my dad has worked in the school district for a very long time, and also has lots of connections with the Squamish and Musqueam nations which go back a long time. Thank you so much for educating me on this issue. I am looking for lessons that inspire my tactile learners, so Ill keep searching. Ive read in some places that wearing multiple pieces of Native jewelry is appropriation, especially Din jewelry. Why did you decide to put on that bonnet on and wear it to a concert? You know, your blog is really wonderful for Canadians who arent Mtis, First Nations or Inuits. This can be especially controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures. Many people argue that wearing waist chains is a form of cultural appreciation, as it allows people to express their creativity and individuality while honoring the culture from which the item originated. In other words, the movements practices belie its claims to have wrested itself from Americas colonial history. The use of costume cultural appropriation ranges all across ages, but Susan Scafidi, director of the Fashion Law Instituteat Fordham University andauthor of "Who Owns Culture? We were taught to give thanks and do a tree ceremony for the trees sacrifice, as well as, a bear ceremony to give thanks to the bear. Before I go on, I want to discuss something. The vast majority of diaspora/urban Hindus are polite and accommodating. You wont get permission from me, and frankly, no individual person (First Nations or otherwise) is going to be able to shield you from being criticized for wanting to profit off something that isnt yours. But still, there has been some caution and controversy around the costumes. On the other hand, some people argue that wearing waist chains is an act of cultural appropriation and should only be done with respect and knowledge of the culture from which it originated. It does not take long to find out that certain modes of so-called geisha dress are restricted in Japanese culture for example. The reason why Im extremely critical of appropriation is because it makes the laborers invisible. There is a lot more to be said on this topic, but Im going to leave it there because holy, ever longwinded! Ive been thinking about these appropriater types the ones youre calling elevaters w.r.t. Waist beads have a long and varied history, and they have been used by many different cultures throughout the world. While some people view waist chains as a fashionable accessory and believe that anyone should be allowed to wear them regardless of their cultural background, others argue that wearing waist chains is an act of cultural appropriation and should only be done with respect and knowledge of the culture from which it originated. I think that some people from outside a culture can have legitimate access to these things, without it being cultural appropriation. Thank you! My father is Metis but my maternal grandmother is Quebecois (living in western Canada), and at Quebecois winter festivals there is a Bonhomme (de neige) who sports a ceinture fleche. I wanted a better answer than youre racist if you dont understand. There is also an absolutely fantastic, clear, and accessible guide now available from Simon Fraser University as part of their Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage Project (2015) called Think Before You Appropriate: things to know and questions to ask in order to avoid misappropriating Indigenous cultural heritage. An imbalance of power between the appropriator and the appropriated is a critical condition of the concept. I felt uncomfortable doing so. It's demeaning. Many Hindu gods, including Lord Krishna, wore waist chains. If a pagan were to wear an animal skin during a pagan festival or ritual or what have you, would you/others find it offensive? I looked twice, because I was wondering if he had written some political slogan on it, or if he had otherwise defaced it, but apparently not: the political commentary was presumed to be self-evident. Thank you for this wonderful article. [Question:] Its pretty seldom that pics like these get posted by the people who are actually IN the photos, but thats good. I was actually asking about Greek because epic poetry comes from oral tradition and gets most of its conventions from there (although youre right, theres a shift in style with literacy and I should have been more clear I was thinking about the oral tradition), and I found the very different approaches to oral storytelling and the conventions around it interesting. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/is-fashion-appropriating-native-american-culture-2834537. Have a nice time being angry! Waist chains have been used for at least 4,000 years, and they first appeared on the Indian Subcontinent. Live From the Red Carpet at the Met Gala2023, History of the Met Gala, Fashions BiggestNight, A Walk Through The Mets Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of BeautyExhibit, A Look Back at Karl Lagerfelds Sketches forFendi. Since aboriginal cultures (the ones I know anything about at least) tend to place a strong focus on the meanings behind physical things, the majority of the things they construct and value are spiritual/religious in the modern scheme. But Im weird. I feel I understand the topic much better. Are Waist Beads Evil? Is Wearing Waist Bead A Sin? I think the way to combat aboriginal appropriation is to hit the root, not the branches. Please let me know because if it is Id like to get it covered!
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