I want to keep a record of images showing people engaged in the appropriation of native cultures and offensive stereotyping, as well as some notable stories of the same, in case there is anyone who thinks this no longer happens, or wants to know what it looks like. For a post dealing with cultural appropriation, please read this.
Welcome to the Hall of Shame.
Update: May 2018 I am deleting a bunch of these pictures because a) I’m sick of them and b) they are taking up a massive amount of space. I’m leaving a good cross section up, and it’s not hard to find thousands of more images in any search engine; you get the idea!
Stories of cultural appropriation
- Self-published “encyclopedia of Tlingit language” unrecognisable to native speakers.
- “Spiritual Warrior” kills three in his phony (and expensive) sweat-lodge.
Images of cultural appropriation and offensive stereotyping
I think this image is one of my favourite responses to these kinds of things:
The Native Appropriations blog and mycultureisnotatrend tumblr are also good catalogues of this sort of thing. There’s no end to the evidence, no matter how much some people deny it!
I’m working on a post that will hopefully explain this simply to people, with a tonne of references including those you’ve mentioned. So much has been written about this and I hope people will check some of it out, learn…and stop doing this sort of thing.
I totally get this. Appropriating headdresses etc. in the manner of the photos above is disgusting and inappropriate. I have tried to convince other Caucasian people, if they want to go back to an Earth based religion, to look back into their own history. There are hundreds if not thousands of organizations who are doing precisely that. And yes, we use feathers and yes, we paint our bodies, but not in the same way you do and “borrowing” is totally unnecessary.
That is nothing. On HBO there is a tv series called Real Sex. I did see this episode (not that I am a regular watcher oops) and it focused on some guy teaching about the “totems of a penis”. It was so bizarre and such a total bastardization of Native Teachings. Each totem linked to a position or something like that. http://www.hbo.com/#/schedule/series/REAL+SEX/PMRS161
How about a Hall of Fame too? The appropriate photos? The good ones? I’m a non-native, and I learn by example. So show me what’s good out there, too! 🙂
I could put up a tonne of photos of real-life natives in our regular outfits, but would it tell you what is appropriate? We dress in a lot of different ways, most of them unremarkablably ‘mainstream’. I could put up pictures of non-natives in beaded jackets and moccasins (which I’m okay with if they are made by natives), but I think it’s more effective to talk about the issues if you want to know what’s appropriate.
I guess I’m looking for positives in all of this. I think it’s ok to put up what’s wrong out there, but how about all the first nations success stories? The metis winners? The inuit inventors? Your blog is great, I’m learning a lot, and maybe this isn’t the place for it, but I always like stories of inspiration. And how great to have people sharing the news of someone who did well despite their circumstances. Or because of!
Perhaps a naive outlook. Thanks for all you do to educate and share with the rest of the world.
Jen.
I’ve put up a post dealing more explicitly with cultural appropriation that might fit what you’re looking for:)
Looks like the turkey feather industry is booming!
I clicked through a bunch of the links to try to answer a simple question: is this fad largely overseas, or is this actually happening in Canada and the U.S.?
One of the misc. scrawny girls is apparently a resident of Montreal, and the slender gentleman four rows down from the top (center column) with his shirt unbuttoned is actually a university student in Toronto (and this factoid is evident because he runs his own fashion blog… largely featuring photographs of himself in various forms of attire, http://lookbook.nu/bobbyraffin). Somehow, I’m more offended because he lives in Toronto.
This is not a comprehensive survey. I assume that the ones explicitly identified with the Glastonbury music festival are British and I assume the photograph of Drew Barrymore is… Drew Barrymore.
As always, the fundamental moral to the story is that there is no lower limit to human intelligence, and there is no lowest common denominator to bad taste; but I also found the experience of clicking through to many of the source blogs sort of disconcerting and depressing. Many of these people take photographs of themselves eating breakfast, etc., so you’re really confronted with both the triviality of their public lives, and their own sense of self-importance in posting photographs of themselves smoking cigarettes and getting drunk… but they certainly don’t do that primarily or exclusively when they’re dressing up in First Nations costumes.
Inevitable sequel: somebody has to make a documentary film finding the factory in China where they’re mass-producing these imitation headdresses… the story writes itself from there.
Edit: the image and blog described below was completely wiped clean of all the comments I’m referring to, and the image was removed.
If people are wondering why this trend is so prevalent and unfortunately enduring (because as you can see, some of these pictures are quite old), try reading the comments on this blog, where the artist has chosen to represent her work with a non-native woman in a Plains culture headdress. It’s a very telling conversation. Those of us who even notice these things and dare comment, are hysterical, while those who put in the considerable effort to produce these images…are innocent and should not be made to think of what they are doing.
http://www.irocksowhat.com/2012/02/free-native-girl-print.html
It’s easy to say a lot about this, but I’ll try to be brief.
First, it’s interesting that your link above (to “irocksowhat”) is now a dead end; I don’t know if they deleted that blog post (in shame?) or if they just re-organized the website.
Secondly, while the older images (from 50 years ago, or more) provide an interesting contrast, they’re not part of the same phenomenon of fashion magazines and teenagers with digital cameras attempting to emulate fashion magazines putting on head-dresses. Based on the survey above (and even based on your linked-to sources) you would think that there weren’t any obese people participating in this fad. However, the fad is obviously linked to booze, house parties, outdoor rock concerts, and a certain stratum of lowbrow teenage-through-twentysomething recreation. I’m not making excuses for this, I’m just describing the thing: the evidence before us is largely the product of participants photographing themselves and posting it on the internet, so it is fair to judge them as a demographic accordingly…
…but, as I say, I wonder at the extent to which this is a British phenomenon, as opposed to an American one… clearly, these images are not pouring in from Brazil, nor Japan (although I could have just jinxed it, and, for all I know, the same fad could catch on there next). It also deserves to be said that this is one fad that hasn’t originated in urban black culture: I don’t think I’ve seen a single image of an American black wearing a feathered headdress, nor have any of the images linked this phenomenon to hip-hop or rap culture in any way (i.e., neither Glastonbury nor Drew Barrymore represent/reflect urban black cultural trends… nor does Peta Todd for that matter… nor does Bobby Raffin).
Although these are only broad generalizations, they are based on hundreds of images from hundreds of contributors, and they are interesting in their broad outlines: this isn’t a fad that started with urban blacks, nor have I even seen an hispanic person standing in the background of any of the photographs taken at house parties. Nor does it on the runways of Milan, and, from what I can see, it didn’t start in Paris or Berlin, either. It is actually pretty rare to find a fad that is (seemingly) quite so white as Carr’s Table Water biscuits.
The blog that was represented by a non-native woman in a headdress was indeed changed to an equally well-drawn, but less offensive picture. The blog owner has however stated that she felt she did nothing wrong and that she was bullied into this decision.
I’ve included the older pictures for a few reasons. I don’t want to lose track of them, and I think it’s important that people see this is not just a new trend, although as you’ve noted, the way in which it plays out is changed somewhat. Many people like to bring up Cher or the Village People and ask, “well jeez, are you yelling at them about it too?” It’s an attempt to use a “they did it first” argument and I wanted to make it clear that it wasn’t okay when they did it either.
The photos one comes across are pretty evenly split between ‘fashion shoots’ and ‘self-portraits’ with a heady dose of tattoos and clothing for variety. The self-portraits definitely out-number the fashion shoots, and I have very sparingly included advertisement ‘costume’ pictures because otherwise, those would outnumber everything else.
I am concerned with fashion shoots and self-portraits both, but for different reasons. I think that the two are indeed linked and that in some cases, people wear these things because they are emulating apparently acceptable fashions. ‘Hamming it up’ seems to be the more prevalent motivator when it comes to the self-portraits however. There is a major ‘costume’ factor to those pictures. While these people will likely vehemently disagree one can be offended by a ‘costume’, at least they aren’t pretending they are honouring native culture and its (appropriated and falsified) beauty. The fashion shots are very much about that so called appreciation, and that bothers me much more.
There is a truly awful South Korean video by MC Mong called “Indian Boy” to give you an example of costuming outside of the anglosphere. Beyond Buckskin recently followed up on the headdress issue and ended with a video by Dallas Goldtooth (one of the 1491s) on a recent experience he had with a latino salesperson wearing a headdress. Link here (yours truly gets a mention in the article, which is undeniably exciting!).
So while the photographic evidence suggests this is a predominately settler phenomenon, as well as being a strange fascination in Europe and Scandinavia, native appropriation is not confined so easily. However, there is a strong ‘individual freedom’ component involved which comes up again and again in the conversations that is very based in ‘western liberalism’ and I think that explains a lot.
While I agree with some of what you’ve said, you might want to Google “Outkast” and headress. It may be rarer but such things do happen among African Americans. That being said, the majority of the time I have seen it from African American peoples it is usually rationalized as “Well, I’m part Indian and even though I don’t know how or from where it is okay.”
So glad I found this blog !!!!!!!
Hi! I’ve been a huge fan of your blog. I work at an elementary school that lays a strong emphasis on cultural enrichment. For example, on Chinese New Year, the children performed a traditional ‘Dragon Dance’. We also teach the children folk dances from Mexico and have them dress in traditional costumes. As a Mexican, I am proud to share my culture with these kids and I believe that it teaches them to appreciate cultures. How would you feel if you were to see a school teaching a traditional Native American dance? Would you consider that appropriation? I would love to hear your perspective on this!
I would have many questions first.
Who is teaching the dance? From which indigenous nation does the dance originate? If not from the nation on whose territory the school is, then whose, and why that choice? Is the dance a restricted dance or an unrestricted dance? What is the purpose of having students do this dance, etc?
Context really matters.
I have seen a lot of images, videos, self-mockumentaries, professional photo shoots (Am. Next Top model) to reckless blatant disregard for self and other cultures. Rap artist in green has been left out, but the point of the site, ́́I am thinking is to point out inconsistencies between appropriate and inappropriate behavior of people around the globe, because some Natives have done this also.
Hey, I found a few gems for your hall of shame. The first is some weird boy scouts ceremony:
http://oppresse.tumblr.com/post/25909356220/observe-cultural-appropriation-in-its-natural
The second is all of the same girl:
http://oppresse.tumblr.com/post/25379863405/its-time-to-stop-this-is-all-the-same-girl
It might be Mr. Bean in the last one though.
Thanks! Think I got these ones already though 😀 We’re at just about 1000 images. I’ve seen a steady increase in the numbers of headdresses ‘models’ in recent weeks. Pretty sad.
Those are ones I’ve come across on facebook but you probably noticed them on tumblr. People who do this get a massive side-eye whenever I encounter them.
the problem i have the tumblr user oppresse is that they consider white people wearing dreadlocks to be racist. how is that racist?
Plenty of people on tumblr explain this in great detail, I’m sure you could find out if you really wanted to know.
While I do find most of these images offensive (sports teams, advertising) and incredibly tacky (arts and crafts frat parties and weird nudity), a small handful of the images are rather pretty. Do you propose that all cultural references and religious iconography should be forbidden for any artist to use, or just Native American? I find censorship offensive. I’m feeling conflicted over this. While I respect and never want to offend others beliefs, I’m also an artist and find the Native American culture fascinating and beautiful. Am I not allowed to feel this way? Help me understand. Sincerely, Jamie
I’ve got a shortish piece on where I think the lines are here: https://apihtawikosisan.com/hall-of-shame/an-open-letter-to-non-natives-in-headdresses/
A longer exploration can be found here: https://apihtawikosisan.com/hall-of-shame/an-open-letter-to-non-natives-in-headdresses/
If the image is here in the Hall of Shame, it’s because:
a) it features a culturally restricted image
b) it is perpetuating racist stereotypes (i.e. “red face”)
If after you read what I’ve written and you’re still unsure, please feel free to specify which images you’re wondering about (if you hover over them you can get the file name so I can find exactly which one you’re referring to). Sound fair?
I would suggest you also check out Steampunk in the world of appropriation. One person who blogs on a “Multiculturalisim for Steampunk” site talks about how her costue was “approved” after she showed it to three Odawa in Michigan. One of them told her that they see it as art and not regalia so it looked ok. I have to disagree, as part of her outfit is of her with a war club and a roach in her hair with her face painted.
How do we decide what art is and what appropriation is when even tribal members “ok” things like this?
excellent blog!
Exposing this kind of “mold/fungus” to light is healthy and really maybe the only way to educate people. I could see a whole film being made using these images and really hitting hard…people might really see how stupid this all is.
Ok…I’m going to poke a little deeper because there are layers to this stuff….(some of that mold might grow back.)
Speaking as a traditionalist and an enrolled tribal member, i’m ALSO offended when i see real eagle feathers used in competition “traditional” or fancy dance bustles to win awards at ca$h-prize pow-wows. (Now i’m digging deep i know and some won’t like it) Eagle feathers are sacred, and should be used ceremonially…period.
The whole NDN country has gone ape on pow-wow and as great as it can be for those who have lost their culture or are of many blends…it also has become a public ndn show.
I’ve had Lakota’s ask me, “why don’t you guys dance your own dances,why do you take ours?” The general public is confused about all this. So they conclude “its just ndn costume!” Every little girl watching a pow-wow says “I wanna a jingle dress” and often the parents have no idea that jingle dancing was once a sacred healing dance. So I’m not sure we aren’t sometimes giving out mixed messages. It offends us when we see whitey wearing a Lakota headdress but what about a Yaqui or a Mohawk wearing one? If we are gonna educate we have to educate our own kids too, who admire and want to learn the dances of another First Nations culture “hey, start learning about your own cultural heritage…show us your OWN nations moves!”
Edit: this person didn’t bother to read the Open Letter to Non-Natives in Headdresses, and chose to offer the most pitiful of arguments in favour of letting people wear anything they like without comment. Since this person isn’t even making the barest attempt to address the actual arguments made, I shall not make the barest attempt to allow their ignorance a platform on this blog.
To the author: if you come back after having read the linked article, and you actually address the points raised, then we can talk. Until then, it is clear you are making no attempt to understand the situation and merely wish to seem ‘edgy’.
You are right. I did not read the letter and I apologize for my impulsive actions. My intentions were not to seem ‘edgy’ as you stated but I understand why you saw it that way. I understand restricted items and I understand that it is offensive to you for those who don’t understand the significance of those things and who has not earned the right to wear them to be doing so. The native culture has been using headdresses as sacred ceremonial symbols for as long as anyone knows, just as any army uses medals to show what they have accomplished and what they have done for their country. When people make a mockery out of those medals it is very inappropriate just as it is when someone puts on a headdress with no intent of honoring the importance it has to your culture. I apologize again for not seeking to fully understand your point. At this point I would like to ask you if it is even possible for a non-native to earn the right to wear a headdress, or is it only if you are born with a native heritage? Since this is one of the examples in the letter and one I have already used I want to point out that most anyone who has earned citizenship in a country can serve in the military and earn the right to wear those medals. So would this be the same sort of idea?
It is possible for non-natives to earn a headdress. Stephen Harper was given a headdress by the Blood tribe for example: (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1023254–harper-dons-war-paint-named-chief-speaker-of-blood-tribe), and as the article mentions, that honour has been bestowed on other dignitaries by the Blood. Think of it in the same vein as receiving an honorary degree, only in most Plains traditions (where that style of headdress comes from) it also comes with certain obligations on the part of the person wearing it which are unfortunately not well understood by these honorary recipients.
Nonetheless, even having earned the headdress, the expectation is that you would wear it always with dignity and honour and not as a costume. I would never, ever, ever wear regalia or traditional clothing on Halloween for example. Those items are not a costume, they are an important part of my traditional and modern culture.
Thank you for reading that article and considering the points raised. A lot of people who come and post the sentiments you expressed earlier, never come back or revisit the topic.
What about the Mardi Gras indians in New Orleans? Do you consider that appropriate?
I honestly don’t know enough about the situation to comment. I’ve heard conflicting stories about this, and so I’m going to leave that up to other folks.
Why do you see these images as insulting rather than an ill constructed attempt to compliment your culture? It is 2012, white kids will dress up as ninjas, black kids will dress up as German princesses, and asian kids may dress up as Winnetou. it is so disappointing to see how sensitive you are when for most of these photographs it is obvious that these people are only attempting to eulogize (in their own superficial way, because most of us are the product of a superficial consumerist society) the cultural values of your ancestors. In my opinion these type of attitudes will only turn off and alienate the moderate Canadians to the point that they would rather not have anything to do with native people rather than risk being labelled as racist and culturally insensitive.
Before moving to Canada from an eastern european country I suffered from what you may describe as a revers stereotypical view of the native culture. As a child my image of native americans was that of a fiercely proud, strong willed courageous , ingenious people whose culture I deeply admired and desired to emulate. As children living in europe when playing cowboys and indians (politically incorrect you will argue, but we were ten years old). We all wanted to be the indian warrior and not the drunk cowboy as he was often depicted in the old italian western movies that we all watched.
When I moved to canada as a teenager, I had no negative images of the native culture. True,I also did not know anything about the social issues plaguing the native communities
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for my highly positive (preconceived yes) image of aboriginal people to be shattered by constant disappointment.
The “coup de grace” came when I was jumped in North End and punched by a group of aboriginal kids in full view of their very amused older relatives who watched the whole incident from their porch without intervening. In retrospect i found out that the attack was triggered because I did not know it is culturally inappropriate to look aboriginal people in the eyes and smile at them as you pass them by. What was in my opinion a show of respect, was interpreted as an aggressive stance from a white colonial man . I guess it was my fault…
Many years later, and after having lived in Yukon and Inuvik for a while I have now a much more balanced image. While I may still carry some of the romatic views of my youth, I am now much more realistic and saddened about the direction native canada is heading. The way things are nowadays the status quo wil never change, and in my humble opinion it is the native community who shoulders a significant portion of responsibility for this.
Your blog, written by what it is obviously, an educated, highly articulate and intelligent woman is a perfect example of the disappointing on sided view of that aboriginal issues are being approched these days As most of us will eventually discover at some point their life, truth is always in the middle and stereotypes either positive or negative do carry a sliver of truth. As such, it would be much more constructive on the part of the native intellectuals and their leaders to also focus on some introspective analysis of their own.
Personally, I would take example from the African American community. One hundred and fifty years ago they were enslaved, and now they have the presidency of the United States. They learned something that aboriginal people in canada stil have to accept; No one give you anything in life! you have to take it! No amount of treaties, reparation, land reform, sit ins, highway blockades and hunger strikes will solve the core socioeconomic problems that native canadians are facing today. While such strategies may offer some short term concession from the rest of Canada, in the greater schema of things these victories will only be minor handouts designated to preserve the sensitivity of the Canadian people’s self image as benevolent humanist. In the end, the aboriginal people will only find themselves further and further isolated from the rest of canada.
When it comes to drama, the Canadian history pales when compared with that of my country of birth. In the last two thousand years the cultural identity has changed more times that I care to remember. We’ve been invaded, culturally assimilated, de-assimilated, colonized and de-colonized, lost and reinvented. We were oppressed and we oppressed others.
As native americans you are not the first, and I’m willing to bet my children’s lives you won’t be the last. Life is not fair and history does not reward second places.
Leave the past behind and focus onto the future.
I address the ‘why’ most thoroughly here: https://apihtawikosisan.com/2012/01/30/the-dos-donts-maybes-i-dont-knows-of-cultural-appropriation/
I also linked to a shorter Open Letter on the page you are commenting on. Before you decide I ‘lack introspection’, perhaps you could spend some time familiarising yourself with what I’ve actually said on the subject.
Yes I did read your open letter but I don’t buy your argument. Especially when you use the “medal”/”university degree analogy”. Wearing the Medal of Honor in USA without merit will get u in jail. Wearing a fake obvious copy will not. Military symbols have been used in fashion and no one cried foul… As it when it comes to PhDs….. Give me a break! You could buy them online for 5 dollars.
The distinction should be made between real and fake. Wearing a real native headdress is and should be deeply insulting! Wearing a fake, may be in bad taste but I think it is excessive histrionic to consider it offensive.
Anyways thank you for your reply. The tone of your message preatty much augments and solidifies my points.
Best regards,
Andrei
I really appreciate your passive aggression, thanks so much for sharing!
I think that’s actually Princess Mononoke in the illustration with the wolf and the red triangles on her face. Haven’t seen the film so I can’t weigh in on whether or not the movie counts as racist or appropriating anything, but that’s not a picture of some random girl in a feather headdress.
Honestly don’t care.
Eidt: I wonder, does it hurt not to get to spew vile racist bullshit? I hope so.
Princess Mononoke isn’t a representation of North American Native people. I don’t think it’s fair to call it cultural appropriation. It was made by Japanese people, for Japanese people, featuring Japanese characters. It’s a historical fantasy taking place in the Muromachi era Japan. It features japanese mythology and religious ideas. The movie is largely based on the Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan. The girl in the image isn’t wearing a headdress, but a mask of a Kodama, which are tree spirits in Japanese Mythology. Wolfs are native to Japan, which since gone extinct and have a place in their mythology as well.
Thank you for your comment…it’s one of the very few that manages to incorporate an argument. I admit my total ignorance on this particular portrayal and the cultural background. Though I will point out that the Ainu have experienced the brutality of colonialism at the hands of the Japanese. I don’t think it’s my place to decide whether this is cultural appropriation, given the context (ie. this is not a Plains headdress from my culture) but I would definitely defer to an Ainu voice on the matter over any other.
I was wondering, would some of these pictures be less offensive if titled something other then native or tribal or indian? Some of the fashions shoots look fine until you read the title.
Yeah, some of the shots are included because they were identified as somehow being native, when looking at them you really wonder, ‘how is this native again’?
Edit: This racist is posting from a different IP address, but with the same disgusting message. Nope1
Over the years I have dressed my children as Spanish Dancers, Vikings, Cowboys, Turkish Dancers, Cleopatra etc. The most beautiful costume I ever made was for my daughter as a Native American girl, I sacrificed a much loved suede coat and spent weeks lovingly hand-making the costume and sewing on the beads. On top of the dress she wore a fringed waistcoat I bought from a Native American when I was on holiday in Spain.
She won second prize.
The costume was lovingly made as I have always had a great appreciation of other cultures including Native American. Contrary to your belief most people from my culture (Irish/celtic) would have a deep admiration for the Native American people and see them as a courageous, spiritually,ecologically aware and much abused and disenfranchised people. (I have also dressed as a pregnant nun myself)
Native Americans must also understand the cultures of other people’s and for western Europeans 99% of the time “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”.
I can understand you do not want your culture associated with sexually offensive costumes and neither would I. Some of the depictions you showed were abusive and exploitative, others were tacky and tasteless – many were beautiful.
I think it was ridiculous to for you to post the pic of the cat outside a tepee, how in God’s name could that possibly be deemed as damaging or offensive?????
Should I be offended if you put your dog in a house shaped kennel or a wee Irish cottage?
If someone is passing themselves off as a genuine spiritual leader, healer, teacher then you have every right to object, unless the depiction sets out to insult or degrade you should try to develop a thicker skin and show a bit of human understanding. If you do not show tolerance should I then get p****d off every time you talk in words and make points which are rooted in the Roman Law and Greek Philosophy / Democracy of MY Western European culture.
And I’m sorry but you do not OWN two simple lines drawn on the face. Celts and other cultures painted their face too, to add insult to injury you used the photo of an innocent and cute African American girl – do you honestly think her ancestors did not decorate their faces. Should I be horrified when I see a Celtic tattoo? No! but I am when I see modern neo-nazis use my Celtic Cross instead of their Swastika to promote racial hatred – but that is quite different. Besides, although I am appalled by that I value freedom of speech and expression – because those are what MY culture is based on.
If you think I disrespected you when I bought my seven year old daughter a dream catcher when she was in hospital to comfort her and help her sleep at night then I am sorry for you – I own a Rosary and a Crucifix and am not a Catholic, I have a Hand of Fatima charm I bought in Tunisia on my keyring. To you that is cultural misappropriation. I hope you’ll tell all the native Americans you know to stop drinking MY Whiskey then I will stop smoking YOUR Tobacco – It would do us both good.!
Slainte
It’s not up to you, from outside the culture, to decide what is and what isn’t offensive or disrespectful. If you wish to ignore those within the culture, and decide you have the right to do as you please, then do so. Don’t bother with the long-winder justifications, just say, “I don’t actually care what you think about it, I’m doing it anyway.”
That would be much more honest.
The last line was a joke, bad taste black humour is unfortunately a big part of my culture 🙂 alcoholism is of course a big problem in Ireland as it is on Reservations and Irish people like Native Americans are often stereo-typed as drinking, fighting mad people. So please take the comment as it was intended – if you don’t like the humour please feel free to edit it out. I sincerely do not want to cause offence.
Please explain to me why the cat and tepee pic and the African American girl with two lines on her face could possibly be offensive to anyone? I think it offensive for you to display the child’s picture in the way you did, making it out this child is somehow doing something wrong. Aren’t there very real social issues facing Native American communities? Poverty, alcoholism. child abuse, domestic violence people having their birthright stolen because greedy leaders want to keep tribal casino money for themselves? But a cat outside a tiny tepee and a little black girl with two lines drawn on her face are important. ???????
http://nativeappropriations.com/2010/04/cultural-appropriation-bingo-proving-your-comments-are-unoriginal-and-ignorant.html
I think you’ve almost got enough to call BINGO…
I’d take the time to break it down for you…if you weren’t so obviously intent on playing cultural appropriation BINGO. Because the clear fact is, even if I did explain this in detail, you are very likely to dismiss what I’ve said, just as you’ve already done so.
You may take your aggressive attitude and sense of entitlement elsewhere, thanks.
Is there a spot on the Bingo card for people who wear the headdress & then claim heritage only as a defense but never express interest or real ties to that heritage up until they’re called out?
I’m not here to say who is and who isn’t Cherokee, for example, because they are White passing, but just as it was said of Lana Del Rey, should this person know better than to pose with headdress? This is beyond my personal experience & I’m pretty uncertain.
http://web.stagram.com/p/394518588093593389_25016756
I’m hearing a lot about how context and understanding matters a lot in what ‘inspires’ someone to use a symbol of another culture. I have a friend, an online acquaintance who recently posted a picture of her new and rather large chest tattoo of a First Nations woman wearing a warbonnet. This woman is deeply spiritual. She is intuitive and real and not a slave to fashion. She has a lot of struggles and her intent is to honor the warrior woman inside of herself. But, she’s still a white woman with tattoo of a really important symbol. I’m wondering how this adds up, and I’m wondering if there’s any context that would make it OK to have a tattoo like this. Also looking for ideas to start a dialog about it or if I should just let it go since it’s not like it’s easily undone. Thoughts?
I also was wondering similar things along the lines of serendipitymama…what about a person who has a small amount, if not no native heritage back ground, but feel a strong connection- if not even past life connection to it, and practice, honor and revere the culture and its practices? Are people not allowed to “convert” over? I think i may answer my own question here, that no, that’s not the case, if you are seriously practicing and honoring the culture, and belief systems of a said tribe. But that this is more of a, “do not use your vanity to exploit our culture as a fashion statement to get attention.”
I am just curious about your thoughts on that..?
Your site makes a valid observation about honoring the sacred nature of Native American culture. I certainly empathize with your viewpoint. At the same time, I also see the issue from a broader perspective because the issue is not whether a topless model wears a Native American headdress. The issue is that the Native American culture was raided and all but destroyed by invaders. The girl in the headdress is just a byproduct of the real travesty. I have mixed blood – Caucasian and Native American – so I cannot claim a solid tie with either culture. At the end of the day, my realization is that we are not going to reverse the past any more than we can be assured of anything in the future. It is best to focus on the now and BE what we feel is appropriate. That will resonate with others to help heal what was done and work toward a better tomorrow.
The girl in the headdress is not a byproduct of the ongoing colonisation of our still-existing peoples. It is a PART of it.
This is not even remotely about reversing the past. It is about not accepting the status quo, wherein our sacred items continue to be appropriated and disrespected by ignorant settlers.
Asserting our cultures is HOW indigenous peoples are building a better day. Not by shrugging and letting it continue on without comment.
But if you keep trying, I’m sure you could yell, “BINGO!” soon.
It’s too bad there are so many offensive photos. :/
I really want to be a Native…
My great grandmother was Native from the Drink Like Fish tribe, but she married a liquor salesman who happened to be white. so if my math is correct that makes me… I don’t know, like 12.5% native give or take a few chromosomes? So how many feathers is appropriate for me to wear? How about my nike headband? can I steal use it? Or how much paint I can use on my face for halloween? please help me clarify all these questions that I have as I do not want to offend anyone.
As my grandma used to say… “Wish you all a healthy liver!”
Alupigus
Have dealt with many european tourists and german “hobbyists” who are arrogant enough to think since they “feel” Indian therefore they are and they have every right to wear head dresses, feathers, ribbon shirts and other regalia. You’ll see them at some of the well advertised off the Rez powwows.They are obsessed with us and blend us all together in a weird homogenized way with no interest in learning anything real like our languages or what is going down in Indian Country. It’s all a little dress up Pocahontas fantasy for them. Strange folks indeed! Got the photo ta prove it, lo!.
I think this hall of Shame is a twofer – not just racism but also sexism too. What’s wrong with humans?!?!?
http://lastrealindians.com/the-top-10-lastrealindians-com-news-stories-of-2012/karlie-kloss-wears-controversial-native-american-headdress-at-victorias-secret-fashion-show-_h/
I don’t know about this… If she’s a real Native, I don’t think show is..
*she is
I’m seriously late to this conversation, but I was trying to find something for a woman I know who was considering getting a Salish hummingbird tattoo. She’s convinced not to (thank goodness!) but she’s baffled about how to tell her boyfriend, who is Salish and talked her into it in the first place, that she doesn’t think it’s appropriate. I feel a bit odd telling her that it’s not okay, since I’m white and he’s not. We more or less decided to say, “It’s awesome that you’re cool with this, but apparently a lot of people are going to look at it and decide I’ve tattooed ‘I’m an asshole’ on myself”
I am an artist. I draw a lot of feathers and birds because they always have been my personal symbol for being/feeling free. I sometimes wear little feathers in my hair or as earrings to stay grounded aswell as remind myself that at least my mind can always be free. Mostly they are chicken feathers, we have lots of chicken here in Germany.
I draw a lot of nature items like flowers and leaves because I feel deeply connected to nature. I draw a lot of mandala like patterns because they help me relax and focus. I am autistic so patterns and their order help me survive in this chaotic world.
I draw and make dreamcatchers because they help me deal with certain issues in my life. I have had one hanging over my bed since I was very little.
I once made myself a pair of moccasins because I deeply value native culture and have trouble with regular shoes so tried something that was both beautiful as well as would allow me to feel the earth under my feet while walking. They were my own design and the beadwork was entirely made up patterns as well.
I would never name or tag any of my work as native or similar terms. I don’t see the contents of my works as appropriating. Am I right or wrong?
I am an Australian fashion photographer and I did a shoot with a recreated head dress a couple of years back. I firstly want to apologise for this to all first nations people. I was not culturally aware back then and I made a mistake. I have since deleted all the photos and do not allow any appropriated cultural or sacred designs or objects (from ANY culture) to be used in my shoots. This was again reinforced when I recently met and photographed the amazing Buffy Sainte Marie. After hearing her speak on cultural appropriation no one can ignore the facts! Thanks for your time. Mike
I think you need to take off your jeans, shirts and sneakers. I think that you will look good in a headdress made of feathers and clothes made from animal skin. Also you need to change cars for horses. And do not forget about your mobile phones and the Internet!
Cool cool cool, I see you want to lay claim to everything you have without acknowledging who invented the various technologies you seem to be saying are “yours” (hint, it wasn’t you, and in many cases it wasn’t whatever people you come from). But I’ll accept your arbitrary challenge the second you get your folks to hand back the land and leave. Deal? Awesome.
Hi,
just wanted to ask id feather hair extensions are cultural appropriation or not? I don’t want to be a brick, I just honestly don’t know so I wanted to ask. I dont want to take them if they are offensive 🙂
I tried to google that, but didn’t find anything about them. I mean stuff like these:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TKhjFR9arVE/Vjc587SXijI/AAAAAAAAg_E/5bCFDtCo13c/s1600/12186492_10206614909144574_3686453022656295253_o.jpg
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0697/9845/products/Your_a_Natural_2_grande.jpg?v=1526154241
Hi there, I would be incredibly grateful if you replied. I recently purchased a hoodie from an indigenous owned store where the embroidered design was of a man wearing a headdress. I could not find anything else that fit and didn’t want to walk out without having bought something. After purchasing, I realized it might or is disrespectful to wear such a design being a non native individual. I do not want to let the hoodie sit in my closet forever but I also don’t know if it’s right to remove the embroidery and add my own. If you could give me some insight into whether wearing it is okay, and if not, what I should do with the hoodie, I would be very very thankful.