13 examples of cultural appropriation (2022) (2023)

Cultural appropriation is the appropriation by another culture of elements, customs, or practices of one culture without recognition or consent. The appropriating culture is usually in a dominance relationship with the appropriated culture.

Cultural appropriation is important to understand because, quite casually, under its guise it hides dark histories of ethnic, racial, or religious conflict and colonization.

Cultural appropriation differs from cultural exchange, in which two cultures participate equally in each other's rituals and customs.

The earliest known use of the term cultural appropriation is attributed to Arthur E. Christy (1899–1946), professor of literature at the University of Illinois (Martin, 2018). Born in China to missionaries, Professor Christy was sensitive to how elements of one culture can be abused by members of another, dominant culture, when they are taken out of their original environment, without the context in which they are embedded, to fully understand.

Examples of cultural appropriation

1. Native American war bonnet

Native American war bonnets are among the most easily recognizableArtifacts of Native American culture, and for this reason often the most appropriate items of Native American culture.

A war bonnet is a headgear made of eagle feathers and beads, worn by a select few members of the community either during combat or on special ceremonial occasions. The wearer of the war bonnet earned the right to adorn the headgear through exceptional bravery and bravery.

However, until widespread awareness of cultural appropriation spread, war bonnets were used as fashion accessories by non-natives. They were particularly popular as headgear for music festivals. Several Native American tribes found this casual display of an object sacred to their culture objectionable and called for its use by non-natives to be banned (Rota, 2014).

Related article: Is The Evil Eye cultural appropriation?

2. Native American iconography in sports

Likewise, the use of Native American iconography as part of American sports culture has long been disputed and criticized. A prominent example is the Washington Redskins American football team.

The word "redskin" is a derogatory term used for Native Americans in the United States and Canada, rooted in the language of settler-colonialism. (McWhorter, 2015) In the 19th century, several American states offered settlers rewards for exterminating Native Americans and bringing in "redskin scalps."

The Washington Redskins mascot and logo featured a Native American head adorned with eagle feathers. In summary, the use of the word Redskin and the appropriation of Native American imagery on its logo have been viewed by Native Americans as instances of cultural appropriation.

In 2022, the team changed its name to the Washington Commanders, bowing to protesters' longstanding demands. Other teams that changed names after similar protests included the Cleveland Indians, Edmonton Eskimos, and Golden State Warriors.

Teams currently under pressure to change their names and Native American iconography include the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Blackhawks and Kansas City Chiefs. The Atlanta Braves, in particular, have come under repeated criticism for using foam tomahawks as the team's mascot. Native Americans have called the use of foam tomahawks a degradation of their culture and have called for a ban. (Anderson, 2017)

3. The swastika and the swastika

Svastika is a Sanskrit word and literally means "that which brings health and prosperity". The symbol has been used as a sacred symbol by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent for millennia (Room, 2017).

With the spread of Buddhism from India to East and Central Asia, the symbol has been used in the religious iconography of several other countries such as Japan and Mongolia.

Other variants of the symbol have also been used by indigenous cultures in Africa and the Americas for centuries.

However, in the 1930s the German government appropriated a version of the symbol as a party badge, which has now become one of the most easily identifiable symbols of imperialism. The German word Hakenkreuz, meaning a crooked cross, was used along with the Sanskrit symbol for the new dictatorship.

To distinguish the svastika from the Nazi symbol, several Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist organizations have called for a clear distinction between the svastika, which is a religious symbol of peace and harmony, and the swastika, which is a more accurate description of the co-tweaked Symbol.

4. The Arabic Keffiyeh

The keffiyeh is a headscarf worn by Arab men as part of their traditional attire. The keffiyeh is either a white or a red and white checkered scarf held in place by a cord known as theagal.

Traditionally worn to protect the head from the intense heat of the Arabian desert, the keffiyeh has become a symbol of Arab identity. More recently, it has gained status as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinian nationalism. As a result, its use by non-Arabs wanting to show their support for the Palestinian cause has greatly increased.

To meet this increased demand, stores in America and elsewhere have begun stocking Chinese-made keffiyah headscarves. This curious outcome of globalization, in which an item of Arab heritage is mass-produced by Chinese factories to be worn by white Americans, has been cited by several Arab commentators as an example of cultural appropriation. (Sweden, 2021)

5. The Sikh turban

Carefully tying unshorn hair into a turban is a central tenet of the Sikh faith, which arose in the Indian subcontinent in the late 15th century. As a result, the turban is an item steeped in sacredness and spiritual significance in the Sikh religion.

While turbans are worn by almost all communities in the Indian subcontinent, the Sikh turban has a distinctive look and is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with Indian culture.

As a result, the wearing of a Sikh turban by a non-Sikh for appearances only can be considered a case of cultural appropriation by Sikhs. In 2018, Italian fashion house Gucci was accused of cultural appropriation when several of its white models wearing Sikh turbans walked the ramp at Milan Fashion Week. (Peter, 2018)

6. Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks is a hairstyle that has been used by many cultures throughout history. The style is believed to have originated around 1600 BC. Worn by the Minoans.

However, in recent history, the hairstyle is believed to have emerged from African culture. Maasai warriors in Kenya had dreadlocks and the hairstyle became very popular with Rastafarians.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the popularity of dreadlocks in subcultures of white Europeans was met with criticism that they were appropriating African culture. Similarly, white people wear cornrows (althoughno French braids), another African hairstylecriticized.

The difficulty of cultural appropriation in the United States is that African-American culture greatly influences mainstream American culture. You can see it in music like jazz and blues for example.

7. Plastic Shaman

A plastic shaman is someone who attempts to spread traditional indigenous spiritual and healing techniques without having a biological and cultural connection to that indigenous tradition.

Shaman is a term used for spiritual masters and traditional healers of indigenous cultures. Plastic shamans appropriate the cultural traditions of indigenous cultures in order to market them to new audiences (Aldred, 2000).

In doing so, they detach these practices from the cultural context in which they are embedded and present them as remedies for the ailments of modern society. In this case, the indigenous culture is appropriated for purely commercial reasons.

8. Tattoos

Tattoos are one of the most common means of cultural appropriation of subcultures. Celebrities often get tattoos of sacred or divine figures from third world cultures without acquiring any knowledge of the meaning of the figure.

Another common tattooing practice is to have texts in supposedly exotic languages ​​tattooed on the body without understanding the meaning or context of the text. This too can be seen as a form of cultural appropriation. For example, David Beckham famously got his wife Victoria's name tattooed on his forearm in the Devnagri script used to write the Hindi language.

Maori from New Zealand also have their own style of tattooing that dates back to their warrior traditions. Non-Maori people who get these tattoos can also be accused of appropriation.

9. Whitewashing in movies

Whitewashing refers to the phenomenon of white actors playing non-white characters in cinema. The phenomenon was widespread in Hollywood up until the '90s and occasionally continues to this day.

Prominent examples of whitewashing are actor Mickey Rooney, who plays a Japanese character in itBreakfast at Tiffany's(1961) and Johnny Depp, who plays a Native American in the 1997 filmThe brave.

Whitewashing contributes to ethnic stereotypes about minority communities. It also raises questions about the inadequate or inappropriate representation of a particular community in cinema.

For example, when Al Pacino, an Italian-American, played Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant, in Brian de Palma's cult classicscarface,(1983) it has been seen as stereotyping not only by Cuban Americans, but also by Italian Americans, who lump both communities together to cater to a popular, white American stereotype of themGangstergang members. Pacino's accent and manners were also not well received by the Cuban-American community, who viewed Pacino's performance as a caricature of Cuban Americans.

10. Plastikreis

Plastic Paddy is a term for someone trying to assimilate elements of Irish culture.

The term is also used for members of the Irish diaspora in America and England who over-display their iricity, particularly on culturally significant occasions such as St. Patrick's Day. It is particularly used to mock the sentimental commercialization of paraphernalia associated with Irish identity, such as the green colour.

It can also be used to refer to Americans of Irish descent who claim to be Irish despite the fact that they and even their parents have never set foot in Ireland.

11. Black Face

Blackface was the practice of non-Black performers applying makeup to their faces to mimic the appearance of an African American person, most often in caricature. The practice was widespread until the early 20th century, when it was considered insensitive and highly offensive.

However, the practice continues sporadically, particularly as a Halloween tradition in the United States.

The history of blackface is rooted in racial stereotypes of black people as subhuman. In theatrical performances, it was usually used as a means of inducing humor and sometimes disgust from the audience. The character appearing blackfaced would be intended as either the object of derisive laughter or villainous contempt, or both (Desmond-Harris, 2014).

12. Mandalas

A mandala is a Buddhist symbol used in meditation and other religious practices. They arenot always considered cultural appropriation, although in some cases this may be the case.

It's sometimes considered cultural appropriation to use a mandala if you want it to be trendy and fashionable while not having a direct understanding of (or connection to) Buddhist culture.

For example, wearing it on a t-shirt to "look like a hippie" is far less respectful than using it because you are a practitioner of Buddhism. Similarly, mandala tattoos worn by non-practitioners can get some sideways looks.

However, the use of mandalas is not the exclusive domain of any particular ethnic group. People from all over the world use mandalas in meditation practice and in other ways that show a contextual understanding of the mandala and its cultural and social value.

13. Dream Catcher

Using a dream catcheris not necessarilycultural appropriation. Many Native Americans sell authentic dream catchers to make a living.

However, using a dream catcher for decoration or jewelry without acknowledgment of its purpose may be considered cultural appropriation.

To use a dream catcher respectfully, remember that it's not just a gimmick or decoration. It has history and purpose for a minority culture. Therefore, it should be bought and used for its own purpose - as defined by Native Americans - and not just as a gimmick.

What is not cultural appropriation?

While the concept of cultural appropriation is fuzzy (and changing over time!), the following items are not currently considered cultural appropriation in general.

Hawaiihemden –Hawaiians are generally very hospitable to non-Hawaiians who wear Hawaiian shirts. With somethinglimited exceptions, these shirts can be edited by anyone.

The Evil Eye -Worn as a tattoo or jewellery, the evil eye is said to drive away evil spirits. It isnot generally considered cultural appropriation, although it is used in traditional spiritual rituals. This may be because it is not associated with any organized religion.

Conclusion

Cultural appropriation is a controversial issue. Sometimes we have clear examples of the appropriation of symbols, language and traditions in offensive and imperialistic ways. In other cases, such as that of jazz and blues music, there is debate as to whether culture has appropriated or whether cultures have simply mixed and grown together in multicultural societies.

references

Aldred, L (2000). Plastic Shamans and Artificial Turf Sun Dances: New Age Commercialization of Native American Spirituality.American Indian Quarterly, 24(3), 329–352. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1185908

Anderson, D. (1991, October 13). Sports of The Times – The Braves Tomahawk Phenomenon.New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/13/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-braves-tomahawk-phenomenon.html

Connor Martin, K. (2018, March 29)."New Words Notes March 2018".Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

Desmond-Harris, J. (2014 October 29) Don't Understand What's Wrong With Blackface? Here's why it's so offensiveVoxhttps://www.vox.com/2014/10/29/7089591/why-is-blackface-offensive-halloween-costume

Kitwana, B. (2006, 30. May).Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wankstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the New Reality of Race in America. Essential Books.

McWhorter, J. (2015 October 12) Why "Redskins" is a bad wordtimehttps://time.com/4070537/redskins-linguistics/

Petter, O. (2018 February 23) Gucci has been criticized for putting turbans on white modelsThe Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/gucci-white-models-turbans-avan-jogia-fashion-canada-actor-a8224716.html

Rota, Z. (2014) Why native headgear no longer belongs at music festivalsVisahttps://www.vice.com/en/article/jpnzz7/why-native-headdresses-no-longer-belong-at-music-festivals

Swedenborg, Ted (2021). To install Die Kufiya. In Bayat, A. (Hrsg.).Global Middle East: Into the Twenty-First Century. (S. 162–173) University of California Press.ISBN 978-0-520-96812-7.

Zimmer, H. (2017)Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. Princeton University Press.