I am sure there is a MISUNDERSTANDING regarding my one of my most despised term.. Cultural Appropriation so he is one of the many definitions of it...
QUICK REFERENCE
A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another. It is in general used to describe Western appropriations of non‐Western or non‐white forms, and carries connotations of exploitation and dominance. The concept has come into literary and visual art criticism by analogy with the acquisition of artefacts (the Elgin marbles, Benin bronzes, Lakota war shirts, etc.) by Western museums.
The problem is ..the utter ignorance of my culture existing at all and I'll say this right up front
The racism aspects of parody or outright insulting use of elements associated with any particular culture should be a whole different issue.. than the idea of someone literally taking over or using an art form or music or even religious practice that developed in a culture that has been defined..and here is where it gets so tricky and so frustrating for me as undefined human ..I know I am not the only one..so let's put a label on me.
I am the Daughter of a Mexican father and a Creek/ German mother .
I grew up around Mexican's that were born in the united states and therefore did not always live as Mexicans from Mexico and many did not speak Spanish. My father's family did however and I ask is that my culture..the things of mexico a place I have never been a language I have never spoken ? and then there is my Mother's side.
I have never known enough about the Creek Tribe to somehow claim ownership of it's customs
There are probably People of all races who have grown up in a culture that has nothing to do with Race...
But let's suppose you did grow up in a culture that matched your race? Have you not as a human taken on to yourself practices that are not directly from your place of origin? have you changed them and in some cases stripped the meaning from them to add your own interpretation? . Do you practice a different religion? Do you wear clothes that are not based on your country of origin and patterns that might have cultural meaning such as Tartan ? Think about it do you dare wear the tartan of a clan that is not yours?
You might and you 100 % have in some way grown into the Amalgam of what we are as Humans.
So..yes the whole thing irks me ..as to all things that seek to confine us into small areas .
Another way to divide us. I know I'll hear how insulting it is when I white person dresses as a a native american.
While reservations freely sell traditional clothes . I Think my point is that the term is nothing more than a smoke screen
we know what Racism is ..We know what privilege is..we know ..because we all suffer it in some form. We humans are not suddenly going to evolve into a single non offensive race our feeling numbed by the pacification of outrage for all or any that take or use what we deem to be ours exclusively. ..For all the don't totally get us..we can rage against there ignorance or fix our own..
I am sorry but..I am not defined and I would not know what Culture to choose ..
So if you believe that your culture identity is being taken.. Hold on..
..because so many who complain are just like me ..they know nothing of it they do not practice the traditions that they are afraid of losing.
The traditions that someone else finds so beautiful that the honor it..and after all is the sacred exclusive.
if they fail to honor it as you too may well do.
if it is by my mistake..forgive it..if it is to ridicule you or your culture it simply does that ..people are jerks sometimes..if it takes away your ability to honor ypur tradition..then fight it.
End of Diatribe.
