This ad produced by the NCAI is a powerful reminder of the complexity, history and pride present in a culture. It is a must watch for everyone, especially those that see no problem with cultural appropriation and racism by Dan Snider and the Washington football team.
In the U.S., Halloween has become the national holiday for cultural appropriation. In 2011, Ohio University started a poster campaign to urge students and others to avoid racist, stereotyping, and culturally appropriated Halloween costumes.
This has been one of the most effective campaigns we have seen addressing the issue of cultural appropriation.
Ohio U: Poster Campaign
USA Today: We’re a culture, not a costume catches on
An article on Slate by Palestinian-American novelist Randa Jarrar titled, Why I can’t stand white belly dancers: Whether they know it or not, white women who practice belly dance are engaging in appropriation, has stirred reactions from many different perspectives:
Colorlines: ICYMI: Belly Dancing When You’re a White Woman
Decolonizing Belly Dance: Community, Anger, Decolonization and THAT Article
The following websites and articles provide great starting points to begin to engage deeper and more critically with the issue of cultural appropriation:
White exploitation of Black Culture – Gradient Lair
AskBox reply distinguishing between cultural sharing and appropriation – Disney for Princesses
What’s the difference between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation – UnsettlingAmerica
Cultural participation/appreciation vs. appropriation – Southside Remittences
The Kreayshawn Complex: Cultural Appropriation As Counter-Cultural Expression – Black Girl Dangerous
A much needed primer on cultural appropriation – Jezebel
What is cultural appropriation and how to avoid it –Swanpinions
2013 was the year of cultural appropriation – Huffington Post
By Bruce B. Mann
After researching and compiling information from this blog, I am left with the thought that the more I learn, the less I truly know. The foundational tenets and theories behind cultural appropriation are simple to understand, but as time goes on things do not seem to be getting better or at least cultural appropriation is becoming more obvious and blatant. In the media this past year we saw truckloads of white people twerking, celebrities and college students in blackface, television shows using yellowface, the celebration of white hip-hop artists over arguably more skilled black artists, continued appropriation of native cultures by fashion designers, and the continued vehement defense of racist, appropriated mascots and logos in sports.
The line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation is blurred but as many people have pointed out it comes down to respect and choice. As a privileged white male I have the choice to appropriate or use others cultures in a way that members of that culture cannot. I have never felt pressure to assimilate and drop my cultural clothing, music and artifacts to appear more professional, to fit in and in the end to survive. I don’t have to worry about that because my culture is the dominant one, which gives me the freedom (and for some the unfettered license) to pick and choose elements of other cultures to better express myself.
Defenders of appropriative activity will claim appreciation and cultural mixing but how often are we appreciated the people and history behind that culture. So often we take without thought about where these cultural artifacts came from and what they mean for that culture. It is exploitation flowing from power and privilege. It can also have the effect of distilling a peoples and culture down to a look, symbol, or sound are dehumanizing those from that culture. The issue of cultural appropriation ties directly into all of the readings and discussions this semester. It all comes down to power and control with the rules of behavior and action dictated by those in the dominant classes at the expense of the oppressed. Cultural appropriation at the end of the day is about capitalist power with the cooptation and exploitation of oppressed cultures in order to generate profit. The message being sent is that our society does not value you as people but values your culture as a means to generate income.
In looking at what needs to be done I see two tactics moving forward. First, we must continue to point out appropriation when we see it, explaining the harm and injury that can come with blind appropriation. Ignorance is not an excuse for continuing to support or engage in racist, oppressive behaviors. Second, we must be willing to connect with each other across cultures with love and respect. Cultural exchange is a powerful force but only when it comes from a place of respect and genuine search for understanding. We must listen to the voices of people from marginalized cultures and respect their opinions when they point out the subtle and overt ways their culture has been appropriated. We have the choice to listen, watch and wear what we want however we must also understand the social and historical implications of those choices. We live in a nation built through violence and colonization; we should not continue to further those power dynamics with appropriation.
While society at large, through the democratic tool of technology, is getting better at speaking up against cultural appropriation, the community at large remains unmoved. From Miley to Paul Frank to the Washington Racist-Named NFL team, exploitation and appropriation continues with no end in sight. Personally, I will work to impact this issue both personally and professionally. I am committed to continually questioning my choices around appreciation/appropriation in my personal life and professionally, I will work to address issues of appropriation with students whenever I see it. It will, however, come from a place of love and understanding rather than demonization.
The popular CBS sitcom How I Met your Mother aired an episode in mid-January that showed its white cast members as crude stereotyped Asian characters. The backlash was swift. Here is a sampling of the responses:
Time Magazine: Dear, ‘How I Met Your Mother’: “Asian is not a Costume
BuzzFeed: 32 Powerful Tweets that Takedown Yellowface on HIMYM
Angry Asian Man: What’s up With the Yellowface on How I Met Your Mother
Daily Mail(UK): HIMYM Creators Apologize for Using ‘Yellowface’
Late last week the daughter of the Oklahoma governor posted an Instagram photo of herself wearing a traditional Native American Headdress. Here are some choice responses:
Native Appropriations: Dear Christina Fallin
Tulsa World: Gov. Fallin’s Daughter Defends Headdress Photo
From the National Congress of American Indians comes this image putting the culturally appropriated Cleveland Indians logo into a different context. Read the full break down from the Good Men Project.
Fantastic personal reflection regarding the appropriation of their culture and where the real problems lie.
She begins laying out the problem:
When a white girl puts on a bindi, a part of me dies. I remember being 6 years old, being MORTIFIED as a little white girl laughed at the dot on my head. It took me 15 years to wear another bindi proudly.
But offers a different approach than just confrontation:
You’re targeting the wrong person. The girl in SF who lives on 30K per year and shops at Forever 21 because she enjoys looking great on a cheap budget is not a stupid girl. She is not a mean girl. (Well, she might be. But she probably isn’t). She is not responsible for creating the broken system. She is not responsible for the vast misinformation, the propaganda that allows her to make these choices without feeling morally reprehensible.
You can read the rest of this illuminating piece here.
An informative primer on cultural appropriation as well as tips for positive cultural exchange:
We have a responsibility to listen to people of marginalized cultures, understand as much as possible the blatant and subtle ways in which their cultures have been appropriated and exploited, and educate ourselves enough to make informed choices when it comes to engaging with people of other cultures.
Read the full article here.
Cult Frictions 