Cultural (Mis)Appropriation

cultural appropriation

[ kuhl-cher-uhluh-proh-pree-ey-shuhn ]

noun

the adoption or co-opting, usually without acknowledgment, of cultural identity markers associated with or originating in minority communities by people or communities with a relatively privileged status.

In short cultural appropriation is when a person uses elements of a culture that isn’t their own. Cultural misappropriation happens when someone from a dominant culture uses forms of a cultural minority for their own benefit, without any acknowledgement to the power dynamics in play. Cultural appropriation is not the same as cultural exchange which is when people share reciprocally with each other. It’s also not the same as cultural assimilation, which is when people from marginalised communities take up elements from a dominant culture so that they can function peacefully in places where those dominant cultures make it harder to survive without said elements.

If this sounds foreign or unimaginable to you, I can assure you that it isn’t. You’ve probably even seen some examples of cultural misappropriation and never realised it.

I get it, the idea that one should stay in their own “cultural lane” doesn’t seem fair and is very limiting. However, as we are citizens of such a diverse society, we have the responsibility to be careful when dressing up with clothing, art, artifacts or ideas from other cultures, so that people from that culture aren’t offended. Whether you’re from a dominant culture or not, if you want to use elements of another culture in your everyday life then it’s imperative that you engage with people from that culture. You should talk to them about that element, and speak up for that culture when it's being attacked. Furthermore, you should take the time to study the history of the element or its importance to that culture.

“In the 21st century, cultural appropriation—like globalisation—isn’t just inevitable; it’s potentially positive.”

- Jenni Avins, 2015

It’s time we accept that cultures don’t have to be guarded for them to be preserved. They should be used to connect with others and understand more about the hardships and advantages that every culture has. Appropriating elements of other cultures isn’t a bad thing when it's done respectfully and considerately. Because without the ‘borrowing’ in the past, we wouldn’t have New York pizza or denim, and the West surely wouldn’t have mathematics or the calendar.

A lot of people reading this may be thinking something like “I’ve never seen any cultural misappropriation so how do I know it even exists?” Just to show you all how normalised cultural misappropriation is, I’ve put together a list of seven instances where cultures were misappropriated and few people noticed.

Al Jolson

Jolson became famous for wearing blackface in his comedy shows. The issue with blackface began in the 19th century when it was used in minstrel shows to exaggerate Black features and lampoon them. White people turned racism into a form of entertainment by making Black people seem stupid or childish through their cartoonish portrayals on stage. In cinema, theatre and on Halloween, wearing blackface reminds the world of how White America has disregarded and enslaved Black people.

Bo Derek (in the movie 10)

In 1979 Derek brought the hairstyle of cornrows - a braided hairstyle that is deeply rooted in Black culture - to mainstream White audiences. The media nicknamed this hairstyle “Bo Derek braids” despite the fact that Black women had been wearing cornrows for years. The new trend set a double standard across the world because Black women everywhere were being denied respect and even jobs. However, the second non-Black people wore the cornrows, they were seen as cool and trendy. To this day, White America embraces elements of Black culture but not Black people.

Cher’s song, Half-Breed

The song describes the life of a young woman who is half White and half Cherokee. Despite the fact that the story isn’t exactly hers, but rather her predominantly European and partially Cherokee mother’s tale, the lyrics weren’t as problematic as the music video. In the video, she uses Native American artifacts, awarded only to members of the tribe who have committed acts of bravery, as props and costumes to take advantage of the aesthetically pleasing elements of Cherokee culture. She contributes to the oversexualisation of Native American culture by riding a horse (something Natives do) while wearing a jeweled bikini (something Natives don’t do).

I Dream Of Jeannie

For a long time the west has misappropriated Arabic culture to spread certain ideas about the Arab and Muslim community. This misappropriation can be seen especially in this 1960s sitcom. What makes this show offensive is that the producers decided to cast a White American actress for the role of Jeannie. It doesn't sound too bad because Jeannie sounds like a western name and so the obvious logic is that the character should be played by a western actress. However, the issue is that they felt they had to ‘westernise’ the name ‘genie’ (originally jinn in Arabic mythology) to make it easier for western audiences to consume. In doing so they White-washed stories and mythological characters of Arabic culture. In addition to the appropriation of the stories, the show is packed with stereotypes about Arabs and Muslimsas well as negative opinions and mindsets the show is subtly (and not so subtly in some places) pushing on the viewers. They portrayed Arab and Muslim men as uncivilised and barbaric and the women as meek and submissive as well as sexualising them a lot. All of these stereotypes may have been the only interaction with Arabic culture that many people may have had and they often led to racist ideas about these people.

The Kung Fu TV Series

In the early 70s, movies about martial arts from the East were becoming increasingly popular and so producers hopped on the trend and decided to create a TV series about martial arts. The show and role that was inspired by an art from Asia was then given to a White actor who also had a tendency to “[spout] weird fortune-cookie- style aphorisms like ‘Become who you are.’” (Complex, 2013) So rather than casting Bruce Lee or another Asian actor/martial arts expert to play the part, they cast David Carradine - a White man with Irish roots. This was an example of Yellowface which can be seen frequently in Hollywood. Another example of this can be seen in the instance when Luise Rainer (a German actress) won an Oscar for playing a Chinese woman, after the producers cast her instead of Anna May Wong (an Asian American actress). Yellowface is an example of misappropriation and racism that is also extremely harmful to these minority communities. Just like blackface, yellowface allows someone to use another race’s skin as a costume that can be put on and taken off as the wearer pleases. This allowed Carradine and Rainer to use Asian culture for their own benefit and profit, without having to face any of the hardships and discrimination that Asian people face.

Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ Mr Yunioshi

The character played by Mickey Rooney is depicted as a cartoonish bozo and most of his screen time is spent with him crashing around in the background like some sort of exotic creepy stranger. Just like the previous example, Rooney uses yellowface as well as prosthetics to make his teeth look abnormal and alien. His abnormal looks were supposed to show the audience that he was Japanese and anyone who knows a Japanese person knows that that's an extreme stereotype. His cartoonish demeanor is also supposed to show the audience that he’s uneducated and creepy which adds to the list of hurtful stereotypes about Japanese and Asian people.

Many examples of cultural misappropriation have been listed above and this is to show the negative impact these instances have had as well as how normalised they were. However, the purpose of writing this is to explain how we can coexist with others in our evolving world as well as act in ways that are creatively open and culturally sensitive. All we need to do is pay attention to seven basic rules (credit to Jenni Avins for creating these rules).

1. Blackface or variations of it are wrong and mustn’t be tolerated

Never dress up as a form of an ethnic stereotype. Someone’s culture or race is not a costume for you to put on and take off as and when you please. Nor should stereotypes or offensive ideas about other cultures and races be used as the butt of jokes anywhere. Ethnic stereotypes - especially exaggerated and cartoonish ones - aren’t funny and never will be. This is a violation that can be seen in many places with indigenous populations that were previously colonised, but most commonly in frat parties in the US. People often dress up in stereotypes of Native American people as well as mock their heritage and artifacts by using them as props or jokes. Similarly, sports teams like the “Washington Football Team” have previously insisted on preserving biased and bigoted names as well as offensive images for mascots. This further reinforces negative stereotypes against minorities like the Native Americans.

2. It is extremely important to appreciate artistry and respect ideas from other cultures as well as the history attached to them and their roots

A brilliant example of this was on the red carpet of the “China: Through the Looking Glass” exhibit gala in 2015 where Rihanna wore a fur trimmed robe. This outfit was designed by Guo Pei, a Chinese couturier based in Beijing. She chose a design and designer that would showcase the beauty of the culture while also making sure that members of it would profit. It’s important for all of us to act this way because it can really increase awareness of other cultures. By engaging responsibly with other cultures we can also establish a positive connection with that culture which is important to have in a world that is so interconnected.

3. Using sacred artifacts as (casual) accessories is unacceptable

Many people called out Victoria’s Secret when they sent a model down the runway wearing a suede bikini combined with turquoise jewelry and a feathered headdress. The performance was insensitive to Native Americans because it was meant to be a “sexy Indian” costume that romanticised and hypersexualised their culture. To make matters worse, the bonnet worn by the model was a war bonnet with spiritual and ceremonial importance that had to be earned through acts of bravery and honour. The performance dishonoured the indigenous culture of the headdress and it further emphasised harmful stereotypes about that community. This was harmful because the stereotypes perpetuated could have led to even more discrimination against this commmunity. It could have even led to an increase in hate crimes or rape against indigenous women.

Many music festival organisers have also limited dress guidelines so that attendees cannot wear feather headdresses that are made to mimic the traditional headdresses worn in different cultures. This is because the headdresses can often hold spiritual and religious significance and aren’t simply costumes that anyone can wear.

4. Keep in mind that culture is fluid and constantly evolving

Author and accomplished lawyer, Susan Scafidi once said that “‘It’s not fair to ask any culture to freeze itself in time and live as though they were a museum diorama,’”(Avins and Quartz). This is particularly true when you take into account that a lot of things that were deemed ‘okay’ in the past may not be ‘okay’ now, as a lot of people are more sensitive to the harm caused by these appropriations. On the flipside, a lot of elements from certain cultures were also saved by appropriation. Things like current fashion are only here today because people from the past saw an idea and wanted to add to it or bring it to a bigger market. Cultural Misappropriation is what's wrong, not cultural appropriation.

5. Appropriation should never take the place of diversity

Appropriation is the use of another culture while diversity (in this instance) means a variety of cultures being displayed by a variety of people. An example of appropriation taking the place of diversity was in the 2015 Paris Fashion Week when Valentino designers put out a selection that was largely influenced by Africa and misappropriated certain aspects of the culture. The issue was that White models were wearing cornrows which are commonly found in African culture. The issue that was more pressing though, was the evident absence of models of color on the catwalk. While diversity is still an issue in this industry, the message Valentino claimed to be trying to spread was one of ‘multicultural acceptance’ and yet they still appropriated African hairstyles without hiring African models. Appropriation can’t replace diversity because it doesn’t solve the issue of cultures being used for benefits that come from power dynamics, also known as cultural misappropriation.

6. Interact with other cultures for more than just their aesthetics

“What would America be like if we loved Black people as much as we love Black culture?”

- Amandla Stenberg

“If you want to enjoy our culture and our lifestyle, bond with us, dance with us, have fun with us, twerk with us, rap with us, then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us. You shouldn’t not want to know that.’’

- Nicki Minaj

You should never cherry-pick parts of other cultures (solely) for your own benefit. Try to engage with the root of the culture or its people to avoid misappropriation. This allows you to understand more about other cultures and their struggles so that if you choose to adopt their ‘better’ elements, you are able to apply them with context.

7. Give credit to the culture and its creators when using elements of it

Even as an individual, it’s still important for you to credit the creators of a cultural element and make sure that the culture is being benefited in some way. Whether it’s raising awareness or aiding them financially, it's your responsibility to support the cultures you are appropriating.

It’s also important for big companies to credit responsibly, one example being Oskar Metsavaht. Metsavaht (founder and creative director of a clothing brand called Osklen) gave royalties from his pieces to the Asháninka tribe in exchange for their consent in using their motifs. This made sure that the tribe was profiting directly and awareness of their culture was also being raised.

Overall, cultural misappropriation is something that is very harmful to many minority groups. It’s something that is so normalised in today's society that people engage in it without even realising that they are creating a negative impact on these minority groups. Although it’s so common, it can easily be avoided by just taking the time to learn more about the cultures you take elements from. By crediting responsibly and standing up for people who are discriminated against due to elements of their culture, you can help break negative stereotypes that are commonly seen in our societies.

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Avins, Jenni, and Quartz. “The Dos and Don’ts of Cultural Appropriation.” The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/the-dos-and-donts-of-cultural-appropriation/411292/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2021.

“Dictionary.” Www.Dictionary.com, 2021, www.dictionary.com/browse/cultural-appropriation. Accessed 13 Jan. 2021.

Dockterman, Eliana. “Before We Embrace Gwen Stefani’s Comeback, She Owes Us An Apology.” Time, Time, 20 Oct. 2014, time.com/3524847/gwen-stefani-racist-harajuku-girls/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2021.

Helligar, Jeremy. “10 Examples of Cultural Appropriation You Never Thought About.” Reader’s Digest, Reader's Digest, 26 Aug. 2020, www.rd.com/list/examples-of-cultural-appropriation/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2021.

“What’s Wrong with Cultural Appropriation? These 9 Answers Reveal Its Harm.” Everyday Feminism, 14 June 2015, everydayfeminism.com/2015/06/cultural-appropriation-wrong/. Accessed 20 Feb. 2021.