On the very
first day of one of my high school art classes, my Theory of Aesthetics teacher
sat us down and asked us a question: “What is art?” Surely this was a
rhetorical question - this was an art class after all, and he, the teacher, was
supposed to answer that question for us. But it
wasn’t a rhetorical question.
Here’s the thing about art: it needs inspiration. The Greeks
knew this better than anybody; they worshipped nine muses dedicated to the preservation
of the creative spirit. But where we get our inspiration and how we use it can
have a big impact on whether art is art, or say, plagiarism.
We all know
that plagiarism is a major no-no because it’s a lie. It’s fine to draw
inspiration from artists who’ve already done really cool stuff, but downright
copying, especially without giving credit where credit is due is not okay.
But what about cultural plagiarism?
Does that even exist? Can you steal someone’s culture? Is it even stealing when
you do? I mean, we live in America, the melting pot, isn’t that kind of the
point? We take everything and make it better?
Well, no.
It is stealing when you take someone’s cultural traditions and symbols and make
them your own, in whatever sense that may be. In fact, it’s called “cultural
appropriation.”
So why do
you have to worry about it? Well, let’s look at one form of art I can guarantee
you’ve been exposed to on an everyday basis since you were old enough to know
what cool is: fashion. Fashion is everywhere and trends come and go about as
quickly as boy-bands. Somewhere in that
drive to hop on to the next big thing in fashion, we’ve forgotten to stop and
check whether or not that absolutely adorable Aztec print top is buying into the
latest and greatest cultural appropriation trend.
What’s the
difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation you ask? Let’s
take a look. The clothing and accessories worn by different cultures are
important because they symbolize certain elements of their heritage or their
religious practices. A pattern and the colors in it could have a very specific
meaning for a group of people. For instance, in many regions of Africa and the
Middle East textile patterns were and are used to identify tribes, heritage and
political loyalties. When those patterns start popping up on shelves in the
U.S. there are a couple of issues. The first and foremost is that no one really
understands where the pattern comes from or what it could mean, only that it
gets you “that look.” There’s no
understanding about who the original creator of that pattern is, or what
cultural implications it has beyond how well it matches your new pants.
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| Photo courtesy http://sunshinejoy.com/page/Keffiyeh_Scarves.html. |
Ever heard
of a Keffiyeh? How about those cute hipster scarves with those cool
patterns? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. BAM. Cultural
appropriation. The scarf trend draws its inspiration from the Keffiyeh. The
Keffiyeh is worn throughout the Middle East, and it carries a lot of
significance in countries like Jordan and Palestine. So that cute hipster look
isn’t just a fashion forward way to keep your neck warm; it’s a symbol of
patriotism and heritage to people clear on the other side of the globe.
Wearing
these trends like it’s nothing is a problem because they come from a place of
history. There’s meaning and importance associated with a lot of symbols that
we have no clue about. It’s one thing to travel somewhere, learn about a
culture and bring back a piece of clothing or an accessory as a memory of that
trip. In doing so, you are demonstrating cultural appreciation and you actually
have some clue what you’re wearing and why it means something.
Going into
American Outfitters and picking up the latest in tribal prints is one of the
most blatant forms of disrespect out there. When we buy clothes without
understanding what we’re wearing, we’re basically telling a lot of people
around the world that their cultures and traditions aren’t important to us;
that they’re just part of a trend that we can cast off whenever something
better comes along.
It’s not
easy to avoid cultural appropriation when you’re out shopping. But you can do
it. Helpful hint: those feather headdresses you’re about to drop a couple
hundred bucks on are definitely not okay. Take a second and research the
history and significance of headdresses to Native Americans and you might find
yourself thinking twice about wearing one to your next rave. Understanding where
these trends are coming from not only increases your knowledge, but helps you
to avoid the pitfalls of spending your money on something that disrespects
someone else.
In fact, the more you know, the
more you can direct your spending choices toward something that can actually
help other people. Take the project 3Strands, which
employs victims of sex trafficking and produces bracelets that you can buy in
stores like Whole Foods and Apricot Lane. Money from sales helps free women
from trafficking and employs women who would otherwise be shunned.
Money
speaks pretty gosh darn loudly, and you say a lot with what you buy. Art is
beautiful and wonderful. It’s great to push the boundaries with what counts as
art and what’s acceptable, but when it comes to your closet, make sure you understand
the fashion statements you’re making, or else you could end up saying more
about yourself than you realize.
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