Where to Draw the Line Between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation?
What Is Cultural Appropriation?
Oxford Dictionary defines cultural appropriation as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one person or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” So, in simple words, cultural appropriation is when one adopts aspects of a culture that’s not one’s own, like a hairstyle of a piece of clothing. But that’s not the whole story.
A deeper understanding reveals cultural appropriation refers to a particular power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed in history. Appropriation means the illegal, unfair, or unjust taking of something that belongs to someone else. So, cultural appropriation typically involves members of a dominant group exploiting the culture of minority groups. Quite often, this is done along racial and ethnic lines with little understanding and knowledge of the latter’s history, experience, and traditions.
Cultural appropriation is different than cultural exchange, where there is a mutual exchange. When different cultures come together on an equal footing to share ideas, commodities, etc, exchange happens. But when a dominant culture forcefully adopts and takes from an oppressed culture, that’s when we call it cultural appropriation.
Also, cultural appropriation is not the same as assimilation. ‘Assimilation’ describes what happens when minority cultures are forced to adopt from dominant cultures in order to fit in and avoid discrimination. For example, it is considered unprofessional and bars black women from various jobs and interviews if they wear their hair naturally, like cornrows, dreadlocks, or an afro, and it is advised for them to spend extra time and money, just so they can wear hairstyles that’ll make their hair look ‘more whiter’.
Why Cultural Appropriation Is a Problem?
Now back to the very first example of Kim Kardashian. Why was she accused of cultural appropriation? The answer lies in context. The white millionaire, belonging to a privileged section of society, wore something culturally important to a less privileged group, just for its aesthetic or ‘for fun’, out of a place of ignorance rather than knowledge of that culture.
A deeper understanding reveals cultural appropriation refers to a particular power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed in history. Appropriation means the illegal, unfair, or unjust taking of something that belongs to someone else. So, cultural appropriation typically involves members of a dominant group exploiting the culture of minority groups. Quite often, this is done along racial and ethnic lines with little understanding and knowledge of the latter’s history, experience, and traditions.
Cultural appropriation is different than cultural exchange, where there is a mutual exchange. When different cultures come together on an equal footing to share ideas, commodities, etc, exchange happens. But when a dominant culture forcefully adopts and takes from an oppressed culture, that’s when we call it cultural appropriation.
Also, cultural appropriation is not the same as assimilation. ‘Assimilation’ describes what happens when minority cultures are forced to adopt from dominant cultures in order to fit in and avoid discrimination. For example, it is considered unprofessional and bars black women from various jobs and interviews if they wear their hair naturally, like cornrows, dreadlocks, or an afro, and it is advised for them to spend extra time and money, just so they can wear hairstyles that’ll make their hair look ‘more whiter’.
Why Cultural Appropriation Is a Problem?
Now back to the very first example of Kim Kardashian. Why was she accused of cultural appropriation? The answer lies in context. The white millionaire, belonging to a privileged section of society, wore something culturally important to a less privileged group, just for its aesthetic or ‘for fun’, out of a place of ignorance rather than knowledge of that culture.
It again comes to the power imbalance and how a person of the dominant culture feels entitled to take from another culture, but still remain prejudiced against its people. Kim Kardashian has in the past, openly mocked Indian food and proclaimed it is ‘disgusting’, so her wearing an Indian piece of jewellery doesn’t come because of appreciation or respect for the ornament or the culture. Cultural appropriation propagates the idea that there is no need to like a person or even respect their identity to feel entitled to use their belongings.
Not only cultural appropriation trivializes historical oppression, but it also serves to perpetuate stereotypes and prejudice against the culture that has things taken and stolen from it. When popular pop figure, Katy Perry performed as a ‘geisha’ at the American Music Awards 2013, she described it as paying homage to the Asian culture. But as many Asian Americans disagreed, her idea of a tribute was nothing more than being disrespectful.
Not only cultural appropriation trivializes historical oppression, but it also serves to perpetuate stereotypes and prejudice against the culture that has things taken and stolen from it. When popular pop figure, Katy Perry performed as a ‘geisha’ at the American Music Awards 2013, she described it as paying homage to the Asian culture. But as many Asian Americans disagreed, her idea of a tribute was nothing more than being disrespectful.
This is because she completely misinterpreted what she thought as honouring and used her platform to further spread stereotypes that Asian women have to face. With her single, “Unconditionally” playing in the background and dressed up as an “exotic geisha girl”, she reinforced the idea of Asian women are passive and submissive in a relationship and no more than docile sexual objects.
Also, cultural appropriation doesn’t give people credit for their own culture. It often profits off and capitalizes on the minority culture, reinforcing the power imbalance and discrimination between the two groups.
Also, cultural appropriation doesn’t give people credit for their own culture. It often profits off and capitalizes on the minority culture, reinforcing the power imbalance and discrimination between the two groups.
For example, if a white woman adorns hairstyles that have roots from the black culture like Kylie Jenner has worn cornrows multiple times in the past, it is labelled as ‘edgy’ and starting a new trend.
Whereas, a black woman, like the actress Zendaya, is frowned upon on wearing her hair the exact same way. So, people from the marginalised sections have to fight for acceptance with the same styles a person from the dominant culture is admired for. To understand more deeply why cultural appropriation is problematic, refer Everyday Feminism.
What Is the Difference Between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation?
The world is mixed with different races and cultures and full of diversity. So, it’s inherently impossible not to have some rub off on each other. No culture is completely its own, there are always borrowed elements down the road because that’s just how history and time progress.
What Is the Difference Between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation?
The world is mixed with different races and cultures and full of diversity. So, it’s inherently impossible not to have some rub off on each other. No culture is completely its own, there are always borrowed elements down the road because that’s just how history and time progress.
Now in a multicultural and diverse world, does one have absolutely no freedom to partake in and engage with other cultures and have to remain permanently boxed inside the confines of one’s own culture? Well, NO. The exchange of ideas, styles, and traditions is the basic foundation of today’s multicultural and multiracial world. As Quartz writer Jenni Avins argues,
“There are legitimate reasons to step carefully when dressing ourselves with clothing, arts, or ideas of other cultures. But please, let’s banish the idea that appropriating elements from one another cultures is in itself problematic.”
We need to understand when it is completely counterproductive to brand everything as cultural appropriation and when cultural appropriation is really problematic and inexcusable. Let’s examine why Miley Cyrus faced extreme backlash and was accused of cultural appropriation for – among other things, twerking. At the surface level, there appears to be not much alarming about a young white Artist with a big platform and audience, doing a dance move that originated in black culture. But as pointed before context and intentions matter.
“There are legitimate reasons to step carefully when dressing ourselves with clothing, arts, or ideas of other cultures. But please, let’s banish the idea that appropriating elements from one another cultures is in itself problematic.”
We need to understand when it is completely counterproductive to brand everything as cultural appropriation and when cultural appropriation is really problematic and inexcusable. Let’s examine why Miley Cyrus faced extreme backlash and was accused of cultural appropriation for – among other things, twerking. At the surface level, there appears to be not much alarming about a young white Artist with a big platform and audience, doing a dance move that originated in black culture. But as pointed before context and intentions matter.
Miley Cyrus indulged with black culture on merely an aesthetic level, after she grew out from her experimenting, she distanced herself from it and said “It was too much ‘Lamborghini, got my Rolex…’ I am so not that.” So, after enjoying and profiting off of hip-hop culture, she stereotypes it now. She even criticized Black rapper and artist, Nicki Minaj’s claim about being overlooked for the Video Music Awards because of her race. Minaj in response to it said,
“Come on, you can’t want the good without the bad. If you want to enjoy our culture and our lifestyle, dance with us, twerk with us, rap with us, then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us. You shouldn’t want to know that.”
So, the key to expressing appreciation rather than appropriation lies in the understanding of the culture you’re borrowing from, including its history of oppression and marginalization. So “cherry-picking” certain aspects of a culture and ignoring their significance to belittle it as a trend is cultural appropriation. Appreciation on the other hand is honouring and respecting another culture and it’s practices, out of a place of respect and desire to gain knowledge and understanding of it. To know more about cultural appropriation vs culture appreciation, Cultural Appropriation.
But cultural appreciation can easily and very quickly become cultural appropriation, if not proceeded with caution. Which brings us to our next question,
How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation?
Now you must be asking yourself, so how do I avoid a cultural faux pas and not be insensitive and disrespectful? There is a rather thin line between appreciation and appropriation and one should teeter along with it carefully. The first step in order to avoid socially plagiarising another culture is to first understand and gain an insight into What is cultural sensitivity?
“Come on, you can’t want the good without the bad. If you want to enjoy our culture and our lifestyle, dance with us, twerk with us, rap with us, then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us. You shouldn’t want to know that.”
So, the key to expressing appreciation rather than appropriation lies in the understanding of the culture you’re borrowing from, including its history of oppression and marginalization. So “cherry-picking” certain aspects of a culture and ignoring their significance to belittle it as a trend is cultural appropriation. Appreciation on the other hand is honouring and respecting another culture and it’s practices, out of a place of respect and desire to gain knowledge and understanding of it. To know more about cultural appropriation vs culture appreciation, Cultural Appropriation.
But cultural appreciation can easily and very quickly become cultural appropriation, if not proceeded with caution. Which brings us to our next question,
How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation?
Now you must be asking yourself, so how do I avoid a cultural faux pas and not be insensitive and disrespectful? There is a rather thin line between appreciation and appropriation and one should teeter along with it carefully. The first step in order to avoid socially plagiarising another culture is to first understand and gain an insight into What is cultural sensitivity?
The next step is to introspect and recognize why you’re buying a certain thing or doing something that is associated with a culture that’s not your own. Are you doing it because it’s ‘fun’ or ‘looks good’ or, out of genuine curiosity and respect for the other culture?
To act responsibly and sensitively towards other groups, it’s important to ensure that you are not being disrespectful or stereotyping the community that you’re borrowing from. And so, research about it, good intentions aren’t always enough. Some important questions to ask are: Is what I’m engaging in a result of a stereotype?
Is this trivializing the oppression this community went through? Am I only using or wearing something that has deep cultural significance just because it looks aesthetic and appealing? Am I forgetting to credit or completely disregarding the source of my inspiration? If you can safely answer no to all the aforementioned questions, you will probably avoid appropriating another culture.
With globalization and fast-paced technology, the world has become one global village. And living in such a mixed environment comprising of different cultures, races, and ethnicities, it’s essential to respect and be sensitive about every culture, even if it is not your own. Cultural appropriation is not a black and white issue and the grey areas need to be looked at carefully. Engaging with other cultures is not inherently wrong, but cultural appropriation is an alarming issue and raises questions that should not be ignored.
Written By - Radhika
With globalization and fast-paced technology, the world has become one global village. And living in such a mixed environment comprising of different cultures, races, and ethnicities, it’s essential to respect and be sensitive about every culture, even if it is not your own. Cultural appropriation is not a black and white issue and the grey areas need to be looked at carefully. Engaging with other cultures is not inherently wrong, but cultural appropriation is an alarming issue and raises questions that should not be ignored.
Written By - Radhika
Edited by - Vaibhav Sharma
0 Comments