Day 11: Traditional Knowledge & Cultural Appropriation
Choose one thing to read, watch, listen to, do, or engage with today. Try to mix it up each day between the categories!
READ
100 Ways to Support, Not Appropriate From, Native People If you like a list of culture-meets-activism do’s and don’ts, this one’s for you. by Simon Moya-Smith (Oglala Lakota) VICE (2018)
Cultural Appropriations and the Plains’ Indians Headdress Non-Indian Americans belonging to the hipster subculture generally appropriate in an effort to appear worldly. Many Natives have reacted to headdress sightings with outrage. by Marisa Wood [Monacan] Virginia Commonwealth University (2017)
New York Fashion Week Designer steals from Northern Cheyenne/Crow artist Bethany Yellowtail Native people need to be the ones designing from Native cultures as this knowledge and understanding comes out of community ties and respect, and is hard, if not impossible, to achieve without that deep connection to culture. by Adrienne K. Native Appropriations (2015)
Crimes of Fashion: Intellectual Property and Indigenous Dress A look at the case of Navajo Nation v. Urban Outfitters in which the Navajo Nation argued Urban Outfitters misused the Navajo name for their “Navajo” themed underwear. University of Illinois International and Area Studies Library (2016)
How Can the Design Industry Avoid Appropriation? When it comes to deciding whether designers are taking inspiration from a culture or flat-out appropriating it, the answer is often not so clear. by Michael Slenske Architectural Digest (2018)
Understanding... Cultural Appropriation As the American mainstream increasingly desires to consume culture in “approachable” ways, capitalism will continue to fuel the commercialization of cultural traditions and objects while stripping them of cultural context.by Emily Chen, Edric Huang, Jenny Dorsey Center for Studio ATAO - Food and Social Justice (2023)
WATCH
Culture is not a costume, As Halloween approaches, Denver Indian Center shared a reminder that cultural clothing is not mean to be a fun costume. Next 9NEWS (2021) 2 minutes T CC
In-Depth: Halloween costumes and cultural appropriation Meredith Lam, project and program manager with American Indian Services talks about Halloween costumes and cultural appropriation on In-Depth. Fox 13 News Utah (2022) 7 minutes T CC
Cultural Appropriation Panel Online panel discussion that defines cultural appropriation, gives examples, and features three Cultural Educators, including this challenge’s co-creator Claudia A Fox Tree (Arawak)] Guard Up and Guardian Adventures & STEM Summer Camps (2020) 70 minutes
Mr. Wend Wendland on Traditional Knowledge A global perspective on the definition of traditional knowledge (TK) and the processes and challenges of applying intellectual property protection. (2011) 11 minutes T CC
LISTEN
Native Appropriations The term has become a buzzword - but what does it really mean? All My Relations podcast (2109) 60 minutes
Cultural Appropriation Learn about some of the debates that have occurred in Maine, how some have been resolved, and an exploration of what can be done to raise consciousness about the negative repercussions cultural appropriation can have. Maine Calling (2024) 51 minutes
Indigenous Data Sovereignty Canadian Rosanna Deerchild [O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree) speaks with Indigenous people who are reclaiming data to better understand the past and build towards the future. From traditional knowledge passed down through oral storytelling to the records kept by governments and institutions, data is power. Keeping that power in Indigenous hands is data sovereignty. Unreserved Podcast (2024) 54 minutes
BRING IT HOME
Native American Cultures and Clothing: Native American Is Not a Costume Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
21-Day Questions
What would you do if someone you know was culturally appropriating through dress, costume, or artifact?
Would you say something? To whom? When?
Who would you want with you?
Drum Circle closing, 2023 (photo by Claudia A. Fox Tree)
DO
Google “Native American costume” and view the images. Now Google “Native American regalia” and view the images.
21-Day Questions
What do you notice about the images?
How are the images the same (within the search and between the two searches)?
How would you describe the costume search results in three words? How would you describe the regalia search results in three words?
What does the regalia search tell you about the diversity among tribal nations?
What does this tell you about the word “costume” (and why we need to stop using it)?
EXPLORE & REFLECT
Be aware of cultural appropriation.
Consider where you see images of Indigenous Peoples.
What is the worst thing that could/ would happen if an Indigenous “mascot” was changed?
What is the positive outcome of changing a mascot?
What happens when celebrities wear a headdress? How has the public reacted?
Do you think religious practices should be done outside of the religious institution? Consider ceremonies in your practice [If Catholic, maybe the Eucharist. If Jewish, opening the Torah.] How does this apply to Vision Quests, Naming Ceremonies, Sage Smudging, and Sweat Lodges?
T Transcript Available
CC Closed Captions Available