Appropriation also tends to involve some misuse of cultural elements. In other words, people who appropriate generally pick and choose only the elements they consider appealing and ignore the rest, along with any important cultural context behind those elements. Take henna art, or Mehndi, for example. Henna was originally used to help cool the hands and feet in hot climates. Mehndi ceremonies also make up an important part of wedding traditions in the Middle East and South Asia.
Traditional designs are used to symbolize prosperity, love, and health in Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim wedding ceremonies. Getting henna body art might seem like a harmless way to appreciate something beautiful.
Appreciation , on the other hand, means you have an interest in all elements of the culture, not just specific aspects that look pretty, prove financially lucrative, or offer other benefits. If you do use any elements from that culture, you ask permission and give credit to the creator or source. You also seek to understand people of that culture, as well as the culture itself, more completely instead of contributing to stereotypes. For white people, this involves doing some potentially uncomfortable work.
Acknowledging all elements of a culture extends to recognizing how white supremacy and racism have played a part in dismantling and oppressing other cultures. All cultures have complexities and nuances that contribute to, but go far beyond, their art, clothing, and jewelry. Appropriating these items for your own use without taking time to recognize and explore their significance diminishes, demeans, and disrespects that culture and its people.
Navigating the niceties of appropriation versus appreciation can, admittedly, prove a little challenging. They encourage you to dress in a yukata — traditional Japanese summer clothing — and help you put it on properly. Since that misrepresents Japanese culture, it would become appropriation. In short, appreciation involves learning and sharing with permission. Appropriation generally exploits other cultures and reinforces stereotypes. The chart below offers some examples to help illustrate the difference.
Consider these examples:. Sure, white people can appreciate, love, and create jazz music. But they should also take time to acknowledge its cultural roots.
Her portrayal clumps together Native American beliefs and traditions from several different Indigenous groups, reducing these cultural traditions to stereotypes and fantasy instead of acknowledging them as actual cultural practices that are still part of Native American culture today.
And when cultures have been oppressed, stereotypes often add to their negative experiences. Being invited to an Indian wedding where the hosts are cool with you wearing traditional clothing is not cultural appropriation. It's not always easy to find the right place to start. Our 'What's on your mind? What cultural appropriation is The name is a bit of a mouthful, but cultural appropriation happens when a dominant culture takes things from another culture that is experiencing oppression.
Racism, homophobia and sexism are all forms of oppression. It creates stereotypes Cultural appropriation often adds to stereotypes faced by non-dominant cultures. But when someone from that culture wears the same thing, they might receive more negative attention than positive.
You may not realize, for example, that certain mantras have spiritual meaning, and mala beads are tools to help you focus your attention during meditation — not jewelry or decorations. This is perfectly fine. Your participation helps you learn more about their culture, a key reason behind your desire to study abroad.
But what if your school asked you to give a speech about your homestay at an upcoming culture night? Could you wear them then? You want to share your experiences in another country, but not at the expense of someone who belongs to that culture. Perhaps you decide to wear the clothes but include in your presentation some photographs of your host family at the celebration to help illustrate when traditional dress is typically worn.
Since appropriation tends to romanticize or sexualize certain cultural elements, it can perpetuate stereotypes and racism. If someone calls you out, the only good response is to apologize and adjust your behavior immediately. You might disagree, but do some research of your own before making excuses or insisting on your right to use the item, wear the clothing, or say the word. Though the person calling you out might have an explanation about why something is appropriative, you should always be ready to learn on your own instead of looking to others to educate you.
Say you find a fancy candle holder at a thrift shop. You bring it home and fill it with candles, but one day a friend notices it and seems very confused. If you see others doing these things, you might have an urge to call them out — but first consider your own biases.
Your friend sees it as a trend, but a Black person might receive criticism for having natural hair instead of conforming to white ideals. Also essential is a willingness to acknowledge your errors. Personally, I could happily live without ever seeing Cyrus twerk again, but I still find many of these accusations alarming. I step out of the shower in the morning and pull on a vintage cotton kimono.
After moisturizing my face, I smear Lucas Papaw ointment—a tip from an Australian makeup artist—onto my lips before I make coffee with a Bialetti stovetop espresso maker a girlfriend brought back from Italy. As I dress in the morning, I deeply appreciate the craftsmanship and design behind these items, as well as the adventures and people they recall. There are legitimate reasons to step carefully when dressing ourselves with the clothing, arts, artifacts, or ideas of other cultures.
Such borrowing is how we got treasures such as New York pizza and Japanese denim —not to mention how the West got democratic discourse , mathematics, and the calendar.
Yet as wave upon wave of shrill accusations of cultural appropriation make their way through the internet outrage cycle, the rhetoric ranges from earnest indignation to patronizing disrespect.
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