Cultural Appropriation has different meanings in parallel worlds. To people of color, the term is a ‘dig.’ To whites, it’s their bread and butter, and one of the many tools used to maintain supremacy.
Exploring the word was a journey that took me back to the days of slavery.
Cultural appropriation occurs when a more dominant culture “adopts” or takes credit or profits from the customs, ideas, creations of another culture with less power. The more powerful one usually oppresses the less dominant culture, and so the adoption is without respect or dignity for the less dominant culture. Does that sound like the power and prejudice of racism?
The dig for many POC lies in the power imbalance.
- The lack of recognition or the disparity in profit. The dominant culture profits with little to no trickle down to the less dominant culture.
- The dilution or reduction of a cultural tradition. Often the dominant culture uses a sacred custom for entertainment or fashion.
- In the past, the adopted idea or feature was demeaned with disrespectful labels by the dominant culture who now stand in line to acquire.
- It’s an age-old process where white people used the labor of black people to create wealth for themselves while subverting and oppressing black culture.
The old cowboy and Indian movies were early examples of cultural appropriation. These movies reduced Native American traditions to entertainment and ridicule while profiting from telling a biased narrative about them being savages.
The Kardashians make a fortune being “black.” Kim made a fortune sporting a big butt. A big butt acquired naturally by black women who were humiliated and mocked for their butt size. Now white women stand n line to get butt implants or transplant fat to their butts. Last year, Kim after sporting cornrows called them “Bo Derek Braids.” She gave credit for cornrows to Bo Derek. It is true, not many if any black women profited like Bo Derek for merely wearing the style. However, cornrows came from the styles and customs of African women, not Bo Derek. To Kim and Bo, cornrows are merely a fashion statement.
A somewhat fictional example based on a true story drives the dig home. For black people, cultural appropriation is reading and listening to stories about the history of Hip-Hop that credit Blondie or other white artists with little mention of the Sugar Hill Gang or other black musicians. I was around when Rap first started. Civilized white people could not stand the music. It was politically correct to make a belittling comment about Hip-Hop. Whites scornfully referred to it as ghetto or jungle music. Many in the music industry did not consider it music. Now it surpassed Rock n Roll in popularity; it was created by Blondie. (smh)
Cultural appropriation is a one-way process, usually, involving the white culture appropriating non-white ideas, inventions or customs, especially those of black people and Native Americans. When cultural appropriation flows in the opposite direction, it is called forced cultural assimilation. Examples include black girls forced to straighten their hair to attend school or get a job. Black children told to comb their hair and sent home when they wore natural hairstyles.
The word cultural appropriation, like racism, has several parts.
- Property as in ideas, creations, inventions, customs or tradition
- Power
- Disrespect
- Oppression
- Discrimination
Many people get fixated with one part, and that becomes their perception of cultural appropriation. I believe that was the case when a fellow writer Eric LeRoy wrote a Medium article on the topic. CAN I WEAR YOUR CULTURE ON MY FACE PLEASE? He implied Black people are petty in their objections to cultural appropriation. For him and most white people who benefit or profit from cultural appropriation, the term has a distinctly different meaning from that understood by most POC and as defined.
These whites confuse cultural appropriation with cultural integration as the above article did. Cultural integration does not involve a power imbalance. It is a natural byproduct of cultures coexisting beside each other. An example of cultural integration or exchange is food where the involved cultures remain intact. I loved Chinese food and used to cook Chinese fried rice. My Chinese fried rice was different than authentic Chinese fried rice; I added to the basic recipe. Do you see the difference? The process organically underpinned by pleasure and recognition of the exchanged culture. Cultural integration is the outcome of a melting pot of cultures.
It was the idea of cultural appropriation that I found offensive when I returned to school. I was proud of a workshop I created after a few short months at Harvard. When I noticed the credit for my hard work redistributed, it triggered profound resentment. At the time, I didn’t understand why I felt such a strong emotion. In asserting my value, I became the angry black woman.
Cultural appropriation is yet another example of racism. It’s another instance where white culture oppresses and subvert the achievements and customs of POC. It’s virtuous to give credit where it is due. There is no need to appropriate any one’s culture when it’s healthier to exchange or engage in cultural sharing.
The time I was a kid I always played “the Indian” and never “the Cowboy”. A bit older, you could find me in refugee camps for people from Indonesia, copying their fighting techniques. How would you call this?
Good question! Knowing you, I’d call it cultural sharing. However, if the fighting technique was unique to their culture and you claimed it as your own then went on profit or use the technique in a manner that disrespected or mocked them that would be cultural appropriation. The power imbalance of them being in refugee camps would easily allow you to appropriate their fighting techniques.
I fought with them in the streets, to beat up mainstream kids who were taught they could beat us.
Oh, and talking about “unique”, as an adult I copied Imi Lichtenfeld’s Krav Maga. As, btw, do all the people of the Tzahal 😈
Cultural appropriation is a tool used by a dominant culture to maintain its dominance. You coping a fighting technique created by your culture doesn’t count. That’s my point! Many white people conveniently confuse cultural appropriation with cultural sharing or integration.
Re: “… a fighting technique created by your culture.” Huh? MY culture?
Ah, you do what many in Your culture do, play ignorant when it comes to culture. White people have a culture. It’s important to understand how cultural appropriation is used by anglo culture to maintain the perception of supremacy.
Luckily then, many see 👀 me as belonging to the inferior ones on this planet 👅
Btw, plagiarism is like cultural appropriation except the original author from a less dominant culture is not recognized for the work so the theft is not perceived as plagiarism.
That’s a good way to put it. I can certainly name a few examples of certain films and art qualifying with that quote.
I recently saw Michael Jackson One by Cirque du Soleil’s. That was another example of cultural appropriation. Sad that younger people who may not have grown up with MJ might learn about his music this way.
I see. It’s one thing covering songs, but using them as appropriation can be quite troublesome.
Curtis, the show was disturbing on many levels. It was a live example of cultural appropriation, using MJ’s name and reinterpreting his music to a white audience. It was not about MJ or even a tribute to him. It was about redefining his music and achievements to a particular audience. The show portrayed an MJ with mediocre dancing skills and performers. I didn’t enjoy or like the show!
Gotcha. What a shame that it happened so poorly.
Leaving Neverland is coming out soon and is sure to make MJ a villain. It’s disturbing the docu-story was produced after his death. I gather because he was a mega cash cow alive. Now that he is dead and can no longer be the mega cash cow as well as not able to defend himself the people who made money off him alive now capitalize on destroying him in the grave.
What happened to him, why did he hate his color? I don’t believe his three children are even his biological children. Such self-hate from a talented person is sad. I’d like to know why many black celebrities/politicians struggle with their identity and self-hate?
I definitely hear about that doc. The fact it was released so close to Surviving R. Kelly couldn’t be a coincidence. I thought they would give Chris Brown the same treatment until he was found innocent of that rape charge. I’m not a fan of Breezy’s music or what he’s done in the past, but no one should ever be falsely accused of a crime. Yeah, it’s like kicking people when they’re down, but this time it’s the grave with MJ’s situation.
It is sad that he suffered from self-loathing. I remember hearing something (please correct me if I’m wrong) about Michael being told that his nose was too big or too ugly and that was one thing that lead to his nose jobs for the longest time. It’s something I’ve wondered as well as to how self-loathing can be so prevalent with those in the spotlight.
Hi Curtis, as fans we think a life of luxury is happiness. The problem of drug addiction including alcoholism as well as suicides among celebrities tell us money doesn’t buy happiness.
Yes, and I have to keep telling myself that wealth isn’t equivalent to happiness. It’s saddening how people who supposedly have everything they want or need could succumb to drugs and/or suicide.
Many important aspects well touched!
Cordial regards
Thank you, Andreas. Hope all is well. How is your project going?
No. it’s just another thing to complain about
Hi Jackson, I appreciate your comment. Do you think black people love to complain?
Very informative post. There were aspects of cultural appropriation I didn’t think about before. Good for bring up the concept of assimilation like with the whole Black hair issue. Cultural issues are treated as public domain when it comes to minorities, but restricted when it’s the other way around in society.