Cultural appropriation: Encyclopedia II - Cultural appropriation - Examples

Cultural appropriation - Examples

A common sort of cultural appropriation is the adoption of the iconography of another culture. Obvious examples include tattoos of Hindu gods, Polynesian tribal iconography, Chinese characters, or Celtic bands worn by people who have no interest in, or understanding of, their cultural significance. When these artifacts are regarded as objects that merely "look cool," or when they are mass produced cheaply as consumer kitsch, people who venerate and wish to preserve their indigenous cultural traditions may be offended.

Looking back in history, some of the most hotly debated cases of cultural appropriation occur in places where cultural exchange is the highest, such as along the trade routes in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe. For instance, some scholars of the Ottoman empire and ancient Egypt argue that Ottoman and Egyptian architectural traditions have long been falsely claimed and praised as Persian or Arab, [1] and Greco-Roman, innovations, respectively.

In Serbia, many foods and drinks had been appropriated from the Ottomans. For example, some consider Moussaka to be a Serbian national food, while in fact it was brought by a foreign influence.

A more subtle example is brass band music (trubaci). While this kind of music is almost exclusively performed by Romani people, who may not consider themselves Serbs, many people of Serbian origin will consider this to be their own style.

In Europe, techno music is often perceived as an original European music expression; Europeans are often unaware that it was initially developed by African Americans in Detroit, in what was then a racially segregated music scene. On the other hand, when the middle-class Slovenian band Pankrti adopted the style of London punk music rooted in unemployment and other issues specific to the UK, it was seen in Yugoslavia as the spread of British culture and its adaptation to the local setting.

In some cases, groups may agree that a particular tradition has been culturally appropriated, but disagree as to which group is the authentic heir to the tradition, and which is the appropriator. For example, in the ongoing dispute between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia, each side has accused the other of falsely appropriating the cultural legacy of Macedon and Alexander the Great.[2]

African American culture historically has been the subject of aggressive cultural appropriation, especially elements of its music, dance, slang, dress, and demeanor. (See blackface.) For example, artists such as Eminem, a white American who adopted a traditionally African American music and style, may be perceived this way.

Another prominent example of cultural appropriation is the use of real or imaginary elements of Native American culture by North American summer camps or by organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America. Many summer camps, and many age-segregated groups of campers within summer camps, are named after real Native American tribes (Mohawk, Seminole, etc.); tipis are common at summer camps (even at an enormous distance from the Great Plains); and rituals often evoke Native American culture, using phrases like "the Great Spirit," for example. The Boy Scout honor society is called the Order of the Arrow.

In some cases, a culture usually viewed as the target of cultural appropriation can become the agent of appropriation. For example, the government of Ghana has been accused of cultural appropriation in adopting the Caribbean holiday of Emancipation Day and marketing it to African American tourists as an "African festival." [3].

A bindi dot when worn as a decorative item by a non-Hindu woman could be considered cultural appropriation, along with the use of henna in mehndi as a decoration outside traditional ceremonies.

Non-Arabs or non-Palestinians wearing a keffiyeh might be seen as appropriating a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, although in practice, the people "appropriating" the symbol are generally showing their support of the Palestinian causes.

The metrosexual fashion is often seen as a form of cultural appropriation of gay culture by straight men. This view is parodied in the South Park episode "South Park is Gay!" On the other hand, gay skinheads are sometimes seen as appropriating the ultramasculine skinhead subculture.

The use of the leprechaun mascot by the Boston Celtics basketball club could be considered by some Irish or Celtic people to be an example of cultural appropriation. Leprechauns appear in many Celtic fairy tales, and the reduction of this character to a small set of stereotypes and clichés could be seen as very offensive.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Examples", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki