|
|
Post by mrharvey928 on May 13, 2016 1:56:53 GMT
Cultural appropriation, what is it to you? What do you think about it? And general questions and comments about that.
|
|
|
|
Post by paganhick on May 13, 2016 3:02:41 GMT
To me, it's exploiting a culture for personal gain.
Years and years ago in the TN/NC region there was a husband & wife traveling around dressed in campy Native American attire, claiming to be NA and taking payment for speaking engagements. Until the truth came out that neither had enough NA blood to register with any particular Nation. That was appropriation.
What it's not is engaging in limited, personal practices to honor one's ancestry, even if not of significant blood percentage. We can all be proud of our ancestry, no matter how far back it goes, because it contributes to the whole picture of who we are.
What it's also not is learning to speak another language, as I've seen and heard other argue. Learning a Country's language has always been met positively as an honor to that culture. I made so many friends in Italy because I learned to communicate...they lived coaching me and openly expressed their appreciation.
Folks need to be less judgmental, especially when all they have to refer to is a post on social media...that's only a sliver if the complexity that makes us all up.
|
|
|
|
Post by mrharvey928 on May 13, 2016 21:00:36 GMT
To me, it's exploiting a culture for personal gain. Years and years ago in the TN/NC region there was a husband & wife traveling around dressed in campy Native American attire, claiming to be NA and taking payment for speaking engagements. Until the truth came out that neither had enough NA blood to register with any particular Nation. That was appropriation. What it's not is engaging in limited, personal practices to honor one's ancestry, even if not of significant blood percentage. We can all be proud of our ancestry, no matter how far back it goes, because it contributes to the whole picture of who we are. What it's also not is learning to speak another language, as I've seen and heard other argue. Learning a Country's language has always been met positively as an honor to that culture. I made so many friends in Italy because I learned to communicate...they lived coaching me and openly expressed their appreciation. Folks need to be less judgmental, especially when all they have to refer to is a post on social media...that's only a sliver if the complexity that makes us all up. I like that, so let's say than a person of Native American blood wants to learn study and fully devote themselves to old Irish culture, how do you feel about that? |
|
|
|
Post by paganhick on May 14, 2016 17:02:51 GMT
I think it depends on why they want to do it. If it's out of a genuine love of that culture which leads to a heartfelt desire to be included by the same, no foul in my book.
In my travels overseas I've seen many Americans "go native" in countries or regions they fell in love with, and they were fully accepted by those cultures as adoptees. There is nothing wrong with that. Same as Caucasian people who were adopted into Native American tribes - if the people support and accept the outsider as one of their own, then there's no argument to be had.
On the other hand, if a person is emulating and exploiting a culture for some kind of personal profit and not to the benefit of those which are emulated, that's appropriation and is wrong.
But you have to look at these things case by case in my view. "Stolen Valor" is analogous to cultural appropriation in many ways. A person dons a military outfit in which he didn't serve, and wears medals, badges, and ribbons hebdidnt earn; then goes to a bar so people will buy him drinks or does a paid speaking engagement telling stories he didn't experience, he has unjustly appropriated military culture. On the other hand, I've seen people with disabilities wear uniforms because they had dreams of being able to serve - it's a fantasy for them - and in my view they harm no one and shouldn't be painted with the same brush.
My great grandfather was a full blooded Creek. One day I decided to carve a Native American talking stick. I don't do anything with it - it's just there as a salutation to my bloodline which includes Creek and Cherokee. Sometimes I wear a Native American choker that was hand made for me by a friend who is Sioux. He asks me about it if I don't. None of that is appropriation - it's honorific in its intent, which is where the difference lies.
|
|
