Cultural Appropriation
A DEFINITION:
cultural appropriation: An action by an individual or group where an aspect of another culture or identity, eg. language, dress, architecture, etc., is used outside of its context, with particular regards to historical and present day power dynamics between who is taking this action and from whom they are taking.
CONTEXT & HISTORY:
Cultural appropriation allows people to be rewarded for the heritage and labor of oppressed and marginalized communities, disregards the origins and significance of what is being taken, and embraces the products of a culture while reinforcing or ignoring the prejudice experienced by the people who originated it. When we dismiss the history and impact of cultural appropriation, we are continuing to prioritize the feelings and desires of privileged communities over the rights of minorities. (the viewing guide for What I Hear When You Say from PBS)
MEDIA LINKS:
Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage Project, 2015. Think Before You Appropriate. Things to know and questions to ask in order to avoid misappropriating Indigenous cultural heritage. Simon Fraser University: Vancouver., a guide with a focus on Indigenous art (12-minute read)
All My Relations “Native Appropriations” (1-hour listen) and Transcript (35-minute read)
What is Cultural Appropriation (10-minute video)
What I Hear When You Say “Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation” (6-minute video)
Understanding Cultural Appropriation, a guide from Studio ATAO (43-minute read)
Edmonds Neighborhood Action Coalition 