Cultural Appropriation

What's cultural appropriation?

• Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission.

• It’s most likely to be harmful when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive

• This can include not crediting another culture.

• Adopting another culture into our lives.

What's Colonization?

• The action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area

• the act or process of sending people to live in and govern another country

• colonizers may impose their religion, language, economics, and other cultural practices onto another culture

• using force, and sending people from your own country to live in an area

What's the definition?

"the act of getting rid of colonization, or freeing a country from being dependent on another country.”

How can we make decolonization happen?

• allowing ourselves to listen deeply to those around us and their unique experiences we will learn about the world we live in

• disagree with everything and everyone

• view everything you intake with a critical lens, as our society and world is based in colonialism

• reacting to the oppression we have faced

What bias is present in the story: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

• heroine is naïve (she is tricked by her stepmother twice)

• gender equality: Snow White is better than the dwarfs

• Prince Charming, sweeping in at the last minute to save his future wife, is only attracted to her physical appearance.

• the evil stepmother is obsessed with beauty

What bias is present in the story: Cinderella?

• men are superficial: the prince fell for Cinderella in a beautiful ballgown

• woman that are 'not beautiful' are suspicious and evil

• Marriage was viewed as a sense of security and escape from one’s family.

• women were expected to stay at home and perform household chores

Is this cultural appropriation?

• Yes. She is wearing another culture's traditional attire

• No. It's just a style.

• Yes. Colouring her natural face colour can be considered insensitive.

• No. There's no harm done to the culture.

Is this cultural appropriation?

• Yes. Raptors are spiritual animals of some cultures.

• No. A dinosaur has no connection to cultural ideals.

Can someone wear this for a party?

• Yes. It's just a short time for a party.

• No. These styles often have significance in other cultures and are worn for specific occasions

Which of the following can be considered to be examples of cultural appropriation?

• Addidas described "uluntu" on the shoes as "human race" rather than "community"

• Garden Creamery in San Francisco is owned by Erin Lang, who is white. ice cream shop, The shop sells Asian-inspired flavors like Thai tea and coconut pandan.

• Trends like cornrows and wearing chopsticks as hair accessories “borrow” from black and Asian cultures

• Learning to speak in another language other than your own.