One key word to take away from the OED definition is the phrase “unacknowledged.” Borrowing from a community or culture that is not your own is a kind of cultural plagiarism — always give credit where it is due, and only borrow from something you fully understand. These artefacts were seized by the British in 1897 during a punitive military expedition against the Kingdom of Benin. Whereas appropriation looks more like the outright co-opting of symbols and rituals by people not brought up in that cultural context, appreciation simply means expressing a willingness to learn and admire another culture without comparing and contrasting. Cultural appropriation, the adoption of aspects of another culture by members of a dominant culture, is not a new phenomenon. Continuing discussions and a lawsuit about the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" are noteworthy. Versions of the story can be traced back to the Far East, Near East, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe and Northern Europe. This means that incomplete discussions of appropriation may fail to account for borrowing, diffusion, collaboration and other factors that lead to cultural material being shared. My argument is that borrowing may become appropriation when it reinforces historically exploitative relationships or deprives African countries of opportunities to control or benefit from their cultural material. The reality of human experience is that borrowing and cultural mixture are widespread. Today, wearing an insensitive Halloween costume or sporting a certain hairstyle can draw accusations of cultural appropriation. The topics in this book covers a lot of ground from arts, land, and artifacts to ideas, knowledge, and symbols. The Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage (IPinCH) research project is an international collaboration of over 50 archaeologists, lawyers, anthropologists, museum specialists, ethicists and other specialists, and 25 partnering organizations (including, among others, Parks Canada, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation, and the … It is often performed by members of first-world countries, who consider the icons of third-world nations to be exotic or edgy. Cultural appropriation and assimilation are necessary steps toward creating the social capital to ensure a broad-based harmony that cuts across demographic lines. Many American sports teams steal their names from Native American tribal names or … Ready to learn more about other cultures? That’s the difference between cultural appropriation — “borrowing,” or even stealing, from another culture — and cultural exchange, a more reciprocal and fair transaction. "When you really look at it and you really study these tropes and stereotypes and what they mean and how they affect us as Native people, you know they're all rooted in a historically violent past." For example, wearing a head covering while visiting Istanbul’s Blue Mosque — even if you are not Muslim — is a way to respect, appreciate, and assimilate into that culture without (mis)appropriating it. We risk crossing over into appropriation territory when we apply our set of cultural standards and norms to another. But before then, happy new year loves. Accusations of cultural appropriation raise important and complex questions about the nature of culture. To start, not all forms of cultural borrowing are undesirable. In many ways, cultural borrowing is a dangerously euphemistic term for cultural appropriation. Today the Benin Bronzes can be found in museums and collections worldwide. For example, cultural borrowing from Africa must be considered in the context of historical power asymmetries between Africa and the rest of the world. For example, wearing a head covering while visiting Istanbul’s Blue Mosque — even if you are not Muslim — is a way to respect, appreciate, and assimilate into that culture without (mis)appropriating it. "The term cultural appropriation has been defined as 'the taking—from a culture that is not one's own—of intellectual property, cultural expressions or artifacts, history and ways of knowledge,' the editors of Borrowed Power, a collection of essays focused on indigenous cultures, wrote back in … Another form of appropriation that actually happens quite a lot is the ‘borrowing’ of a culture’s iconography and using it in a different way than it was intended. An online discussion about African-American appropriation of African cultural symbols also went viral. Many of those who are opposed to cultural appropriation say the main problem is … The idea that cultural appropriation is primarily a form of erasure – a kind of emotional violence in which people are rendered invisible – came along later. Accusations of cultural appropriation raise important and complex questions about the nature of culture. Cultural appreciation is a little trickier to define, as it’s probably something that happens naturally when sparked by curiosity or in response to a specific experience. May this year bring you all the joys your heart can hold. In order to better understand this hotly contested issue, let’s use this definition as a starting point. The fairy tale Cinderella provides a good example. Cultural appropriation, also called cultural misappropriation, occurs when a person from one culture adopts the fashion, iconography, trends, or styles from another culture. Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of a different cultural group. This ultimately spelled the end of the independent Kingdom of Benin. Relationships between African countries and the colonial powers were often extractive and included varied forms of cultural imperialism. The theft of the renowned Benin Bronzes is just one example of this cultural looting. In some instances, a line is crossed and cultural borrowing can become exploitative. Considerations for Cultural Borrowing: Questions to Ask (and Answer), prepared by the 2003 UUA Cultural (Mis) Appropriations Ad Hoc Committee, Judith Frediani, Chair. This colonial booty was taken without permission or compensation. Read the original article. Check out our article explaining who Indigenous peoples are and our web roundup of influential Native American writers. Is it cultural borrowing or cultural appropriation? When traveling, real-world situations may arise where you’ll want to engage with another community’s culture — this is when it is critical to be aware of whether you’re appreciating or appropriating. Linda's song became "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," a global pop classic that has generated substantial money for others. Crossing this line may turn acts of borrowing into cultural appropriation. The Oxford English Dictionary added “cultural appropriation” to its database in late 2017, which highlights the fact that this pressing issue has only recently been brought into public debate, despite its relevance throughout history. Our working definition of cultural appropriation is: the adoption of elements of one culture by another, especially in cases where a dominant culture exploits aspects of a minority culture outside of its original cultural context and/or at the expense of the original culture for personal gain. After all, it’s only possible to build bridges and truly celebrate culture when people come together respectfully and act sensitively. The OED defines the term as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the practices, customs, or aesthetics of one social or ethnic group by members of another (typically dominant) community or society.” On paper, this definition seems relatively straight-forward, but in practice, cultural appropriation has infinite complexities and gray areas. Cultural systems may be significantly transformed by different forces and influences. You are absolutely right in that a portion of culture changes as a result of borrowing. Accusations of cultural appropriation raise important and complex questions about the nature of culture. So, before you don a dashiki, cornrow your hair, or decorate your hands with henna, ask yourself some guiding questions: Unfortunately, we can’t give you the answer to every situation you may find yourself in, so you’ll have to make the final call and decide for yourself. The mask was due to be sold by descendants of a participant in the punitive expedition. However, cultural appropriation is often portrayed as controversial or harmful, framed as cultural misappropriation and sometimes claimed to be a violation of the intellectual property rights of the originating culture. Olufunmilayo Arewa, University of California, Irvine. This book was a really informative and insightful collection of essays over cultural appropriation in our society today, mostly focusing on America's appropriation and use of Native American culture specifically more or less. Cultural Appropriation, A Perennial Issue On Halloween "It goes deeper than what you're dressed like," she said. Cultural appropriation involves taking on a cultural item or practice of another group, typically from an oppressed or relatively powerless social group. Consider language, one of … Cultural “appreciation” or Cultural “appropriation” In this specific era, there has been sparked up conversations on where to draw the line when it comes to “borrowing” cultures. Drawing the line is tough. Benin's cultural heritage was then sold in the private European art market to offset the cost of the expedition. Part of HuffPost News. This is evident in language, religion, agriculture, folklore, food and other cultural elements. The reality of human experience is that borrowing and cultural mixture are widespread. Remember That Culture Is Fluid. For years prominent White people have been accused of borrowing the fashions, music, and art forms of various cultural groups and popularizing them as their own.The music industry has been particularly hard hit by this practice. The fairy tale Cinderella provides a good example. The punitive force looted an estimated 3,000 bronzes, ivory-works, carved tusks and oak chests. Discussions of appropriation may also take insufficient account of the importance and benefits of borrowing. Recently, the New York Times published an essay defending cultural appropriation as necessary engagement. In multicultural societies, it is important to safeguard the principle of freedom of expression and not to hinder innocuous cultural exchanges and interactions. Assimilation is good. The reality of human experience is that borrowing and cultural mixture are widespread. Within a month, a YouTube video of the encounter had been watched more than 3.7 million times. This notion of creativity fosters cultural borrowing and syncretism as a means to enrich society and facilitate human progress. This is particularly the case when cultural flows reflect, reinforce or magnify inequalities. Now let’s get into it. Olufunmilayo Arewa, Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine. And, in 1990, one single Benin head was sold for US$2.3 million by a London-based auction house. Some think so, charging its Western enthusiasts with “cultural appropriation” – that is, the borrowing by a dominant group of the cultural ideas or practices of a weaker group. sacred objects.” Scafidi’s explanation offers more insight into when borrowing from another culture is particularly offensive, stating that it’s crucial to take historical and systematic oppression into account and to be conscious of your own privilege at all times. But wearing that head covering as a costume is an inappropriate adoption of Islam, and the same goes for wearing any other costume that makes light of an important historical figure or traditional aspect of a culture that is not your own. Lately, the term, “cultural appropriation” has generated debate around what respectful “borrowing” actually looks like. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures. Though we may not attach much meaning to how we wear hats or tattoos in America, for example, that does not mean we can wear another culture’s symbols on our bodies just because we admire the look — no matter how much we admire the look. Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of the elements of one culture by members of another culture. When does cultural borrowing turn into cultural appropriation? Debates about appropriation aren't always limited to cross-racial borrowing. When patterns of borrowing fail to acknowledge their sources and compensate them, they can be categorized as cultural appropriation. Despite the adage that “imitation is the best form of flattery,” taking from another culture without recognizing it is not a way of appreciating that culture, but appropriating it. An understanding of both borrowing and appropriation should be incorporated into legal, business and other institutional frameworks. This can be an important starting point for blocking future exploitative cultural flows. The OED specifies members of a “typically dominant” group, but perhaps the better way to view the issue is from the perspective of those whose culture is being appropriated. In March 2016, an African-American woman at San Francisco State University confronted a white student. Cultural appropriation is good. The Linda family did eventually receive compensation after filing suit. They then deposed, shackled and exiled the Oba (king). “It’s not fair to ask any culture to freeze itself in time and live as … Specifically, the use by cultural outsiders of a minority, oppressed culture’s symbols or other cultural elements. In the past few years there has been an increasing awareness among religious educators of cultural appropriation especially as it relates to spiritual rituals, symbols, and artifacts, so that Unitarian Universalists (UUs) begin to ask themselves whether they are involved in reckless borrowing or appropriate cultural sharing. This discussion draws attention to the Zulu musician Solomon Linda, who received little compensation for his song Mbube, recorded in 1939. Even still, simply acknowledging the cultures from whom you’ve borrowed can still leave you in regrettable territory, especially if the acknowledgment is given after you’ve ended up in hot water — as we’ve seen in the fashion industry time and time again. Cultural appropriation is the adoption of certain elements from another culture without the consent of people who belong to that culture. And it can help prevent extraction of more cultural booty. Some think so, charging its Western enthusiasts with “cultural appropriation”—that is, the borrowing by a dominant group of the cultural ideas or practices of a weaker group. The Difference Between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation, wearing Navajo headdresses at music festivals, respect, appreciate, and assimilate into that culture, Aperol and Mountain Air: A 3-Week Italy Road Trip with Amelia le Brun, Reviving the Lost Georgian Tradition of Cultivating Tea, 6 Of Kenya’s Coolest Parks You Probably Didn’t Know About, Follow These Black Photographers & Influencers Who Inspire Us.