Cultural Appropriation of Native Americans
Elizabeth M. Delacruz, in her article “Art Education’s Role in the Indian Mascot Issue”, writes “Ignorance is our biggest enemy and this enemy seeks to silence and deny the truth. 1” While it may seem that cultural appropriation does not exist, it does. Many people do it unconsciously, because it is intertwined into our society by the dominant white race.
To fully understand this issue, it is important to define cultural appropriation: “taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission.” Gelernter states that “This can include unauthorized use of another culture’s dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc.” Cultural appropriation effects many minorities in this world, due to the dominant races that are powerful in society. Some people who initiate this issue seem not to realize the negative effects that occur when these activities happen, such as parades for Cinco de Mayo, fashion industries using different cultural aspects for designs, Halloween costumes, Cowboys and Indians, etc.. Many of the negative effects-- offensiveness towards Native people and often even psychological damage—are often not considered because it only effects the minority groups that are targeted.
This type of appropriation is demeaning to Native Americans, since this is one of the cultures that experience it the most. Their history, traditions, and experiences are being misinterpreted, which leads people to believe that it is fine to use their culture in many ways, such as making a fashion and media profit.
Appropriation of Native American culture should be brought to attention because it is stealing the different Native American traditions, encouraging racism, and stereotyping Natives. It is an issue that Native Americans have endured throughout history-- However, to fully understand the term cultural appropriation it is essential to get comfortable with a few terms: racism and stereotyping.
“We condemn antisemitism, racism, homophobia, bigotry and negative stereotyping of all kinds. We must help all Americans understand the diversity of our cultural heritage. 2”
To fully understand this issue, it is important to define cultural appropriation: “taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission.” Gelernter states that “This can include unauthorized use of another culture’s dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc.” Cultural appropriation effects many minorities in this world, due to the dominant races that are powerful in society. Some people who initiate this issue seem not to realize the negative effects that occur when these activities happen, such as parades for Cinco de Mayo, fashion industries using different cultural aspects for designs, Halloween costumes, Cowboys and Indians, etc.. Many of the negative effects-- offensiveness towards Native people and often even psychological damage—are often not considered because it only effects the minority groups that are targeted.
This type of appropriation is demeaning to Native Americans, since this is one of the cultures that experience it the most. Their history, traditions, and experiences are being misinterpreted, which leads people to believe that it is fine to use their culture in many ways, such as making a fashion and media profit.
Appropriation of Native American culture should be brought to attention because it is stealing the different Native American traditions, encouraging racism, and stereotyping Natives. It is an issue that Native Americans have endured throughout history-- However, to fully understand the term cultural appropriation it is essential to get comfortable with a few terms: racism and stereotyping.
“We condemn antisemitism, racism, homophobia, bigotry and negative stereotyping of all kinds. We must help all Americans understand the diversity of our cultural heritage. 2”
Racism is “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” Racism can occur without a person knowing that they are committing it. Robertson asserts that “color-blind racism enables whites to justify the current gaps in educational attainment, wages, chronic health disorders, and wealth, between them and everyone else, through the ideologies of individualism and culture without thought to historical context. 3” She has a reasonable assertion, which captures the reader’s attention to focus on the idea of “color-blind racism.” Robertson brings up the idea that racism comes from “whites,” or mainly started with “whites” to explain the way society and politics is currently. However, other races inflict racism as well. Many people do not understand that racism can occur without it being intended, this is not good. There are many reasons why this can have a negative effect, including disrespect and emotional damage to the victims.
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A stereotype is “an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic.” Stereotypes are considered to be negative because they judge a person or group of people based on who they are. Most of them are sexist or racist, which causes a lot of controversy. This is a main component of cultural appropriation. Most people believe it is fine to represent minorities’ culture based on stereotypes that society place on these cultures, such as African Americans, Asians, and Native Americans. The stereotypes affiliated with Native Americans makes the appropriation of their culture worse. Many people do not understand that Native people have different cultural elements, which comes from the tribes they are born to. Meaning, not all Native people are the same. Stereotyping places a bad image on Native Americans.
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1. Delacruz, E. M. (2003, May). Racism American Style and Resistance to Change: Art Education's Role in the Indian Mascot Issue. Art Education, 56(3), 13.
2. Bataille, G. M. (2001). Native American representations: First encounters, distorted images, and literary appropriations. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 52.
3. Robertson, D. L. (2015, Spring). Invisibility in the Color-Blind Era: Examining Legitimized Racism against Indigenous Peoples. American Indian Quarterly, 39(2), 113.
2. Bataille, G. M. (2001). Native American representations: First encounters, distorted images, and literary appropriations. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 52.
3. Robertson, D. L. (2015, Spring). Invisibility in the Color-Blind Era: Examining Legitimized Racism against Indigenous Peoples. American Indian Quarterly, 39(2), 113.