This post highlights the work required of my SA 202: Introduction to
Anthropology students. Students were given the opportunity to research and identify an example of cultural appropriation and explain how the cultural elements could be appreciated instead. Several students were given the opportunity to have their
exemplary work featured on the blog, and the students who provided
permission have their work featured here in this and the following blog
posts. Please show your appreciation for their work through the
comments.
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Image Source: Lakota People's Law Project
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By: Laniya Stevens
One example of cultural appropriation is those who use the term “spirit animal” and not use it correctly. The term comes from the Native American tradition that started centuries ago that described sacred tribal practices. When a child is born “the spirit animal comes to a person in a dream, vision or spiritual experience,” (Fauna 2024). Those spirit animals are assigned at birth. Many people use spirit animals to describe how they are as a person, for example many use a lion or a tiger to show that they are brave or strong. Another form of appropriation that ties into this example is tattoos where as people get their “spirit animal” and don’t know the full meaning (same as tribal tattoos in a sense). These are examples of cultural appropriation because people are using and getting these symbols and animals without fully g understanding the concept and taking over the true meaning that was placed centuries ago. If someone is not a part of those tribes, they should research and find the proper way to display their knowledge of such. Getting a tattoo of a lion on a place where the sun doesn’t shine and showing someone of the Native American Culture, they’d find it extremely disrespectful. It’s a tricky situation when it comes to animals, but as long as someone isn’t traveling and being disrespectful then that’s the way to show they understand and appreciate the culture.
Editor's Note: There are some that suggest one uses the term "familiar" or "patronus" rather than continuing to appropriate American Indian culture and terms inappropriately.
Dechaine MOUNTPLANE, M. (2023, June 8). The importance of spirit animals in Amerindian cultures. Fauna. https://fauna-protect.com/en-us/blogs/blog/spirit-animal-importance-for-amerindians#:~:text=Some%20Native%20Americans%20believe%20that,dream%2C%20vision%20or%20spiritual%20experience.
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Chinese women wearing qipoa (circa 1600s). Image Source: May Boo Clothing
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By: Alainnah Anthony
Cultural appropriation is
adopting or taking an aspect of a culture different from your own in an
offensive, disrespectful way, often using stereotypes and is very
exploitative. One example of cultural appropriation starts in April of
2018, where a teen, Keziah Daum, made a Twitter post of her and her
friends at their prom. There were two problems in all of the photos she
posted that night: the dress and the stereotypical poses in the photos.
The dress Daum wore to prom is specifically known as the Qipao, which is
a Chinese dress originating from the 17th century during the Manchu
rule in China (Mack, 2019).
Women wore Qipaos daily during this time, however it is currently
only worn during big formal events and special occasions, such as
celebrations, weddings, etc. The majority of the people who viewed Daum's Twitter post were furious
and expressed their frustration in the comments, one of them being “My
culture is not your (censored) prom dress” (Jer, 2018).
Contrary to Daum's angry defense on Twitter mentioning she was
showing admiration, that it is just “a (censored) dress,” saying
it was beautiful, and accusing the viewers who were upset of spreading
negativity, the reason why this is cultural appropriation is because it
seems her only goal or purpose for wearing the Qipao is to look good for
prom, while not fully knowing that the Qipao itself is a huge
traditional symbol of the Chinese culture. This was made blatantly
clear in her defense as she referred to it as just “a (censored) dress”
(Daum, 2018). Daum did not understand that the reason many people were upset and
disgusted was because she treated a very meaningful symbol of the
culture as only an accessory to a high school event, when she could have
chosen an actual prom dress. In other words, she exploited the Qipao for
prom.
To express admiration and appreciate another culture and prevent
appropriation, do research and educate yourself on said culture. Make
sure you know the meaning and the beliefs. Acknowledging this will help
you have a better understanding of what is respectful, and what is not.
Do not use aspects of a different culture only for exploitation, or
benefits.
Wong, Brittany. “Here’s What You Get Wrong When You Culturally
Appropriate Asian Fashion | HuffPost Life.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 14 May
2019
Mack, Lauren. “What Is a Qipao in Chinese Fashion?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 9 Jan. 2011
10 comments:
I believe that cultural appropriation happens more than we would like to admit. I have often seen posts on social media of people claiming a certain animal as their "spirit animal" or wearing cultural clothes for other purposes than what they were made for. I would be very interested to read the other examples of cultural appropriation in the Introduction to Anthropology class.
As a Native American mixed woman the use of spirit animals has always been spoken of in my family. As we keep within closeness to our ancestral roots. What upsets, me personally, the most is the lack of eduction on the topic. While people are allowed to tattoo and claim certain aspects in their own right; it’s just as important to learn the history. Understanding the meaning and culture behind, what could be, sacred practices for certain cultures. Making sure to educate yourself, even within your own culture, is important for you and others. - Kennedi W.
You've made a really important point about cultural appropriation, especially regarding the term "spirit animal" and its misuse. It's crucial to have respect for the origins and significance of cultural practices and symbols. Doing research and understanding the context is key to appreciating rather than appropriating. Thanks for bringing up this topic—it's a good reminder to be mindful and respectful of different cultures.
Cultural appropriation is the wrong use of Native American customs and symbols, such as the phrase "spirit animal," without the necessary knowledge or context. These animals, like tigers or lions, are allocated to people at birth and are frequently used as representations of courage or strength. Similar to tribal tattoos, these symbols may also be unacceptable for certain cultures. Since acts of contempt can also be considered disrespectful, it is crucial for those who are not members of these tribes to learn about and share their knowledge of their culture.
The term, "spirit animal" is one I have heard a lot in my life, a couple of times I was even called one. It was really interesting to learn about that term's specific meaning and cultural context. I had never really thought about the term being an example of cultural appropriation, but I can now see how. The tattoo form of cultural appropriation is one that I have known about, a friend of mine always found it funny when he saw people walking around having no idea what their tattoo actually translates to.
I never knew that the term spirit animal had so much power and significance in a culture especially when it comes to certain symbolic animals.
-Ahmesha Johnson
cultural appreciation can be fixed if people would educate themselves on certain symbols or tattoos if people educate them self on certain things they are foreign too I feel like everything would be fine
Cultural appropriation is something I try to avoid. I do not partake in things that I do not have a deep understanding of or already know belong to another culture. I have heard people claim “spirit animals” in the past and after researching its origin, I knew that it was not something I should claim. I also know of a young lady who was criticized on social media for the prom dress she picked out. She bought a dress that belongs to the Indian culture, put a gem on her forehead, and drew henna on her hands and arms.
-McKenzie Williams
You made a solid case on why wearing a Qipao for prom is cultural appropriation. It’s so important to understand the significance behind cultural symbols to avoid exploiting them for fashion.wow!
Kayuuyor Okolo
This post does a good job of highlighting the thin line that separates appropriation from admiration. Both were solid cases for deference, investigation, and cooperation is essential to handling these problems in the fashion business in an ethical manner. Hearing the term “spirit animal” always rubbed me different depending on the context or situation and I have seen it negatively used on multiple occasions as one tries to emulate another culture but essentially mocks there beliefs. Cultural symbols have deeper connotations that should be acknowledged and are not only passing fads.
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