I see that you are focusing on indigenous peoples, but I also see a rash of native people selling their culture to foreigners. Colonialism is far more about destroying a culture and forcing the new culture upon those colonized. As a northern tradition follower, I can look back at how my ancestors were colonized by Christians, and I can tell you the damage that was done by that colonialism, however the cultural appropriation that occurred was likely not for “fun” or anything constructive, but more likely to make things easier to control.

For this day and age, the incidence pointed out by Lupa, is more likely about ignorance and that hipster ideal of “irony” than anything else, yes its about profit, but it is just another gimmic for our under taught and hardly raised youth. I may not agree with it, but i know that such things will come and go, and next month there will be something else to complain about.

When it comes down to faiths and practices, there does need to be more caution and time taken to think things out, but at the same time, this specific type of sharing and appropriation has always happened, and freely. our Hunter Gatherer ancestors shared such things readily and widely, i mean just look at the spread of Celtic art styles that cover almost all of Europe.

So in the end, what I’m trying to say, is that cultural appropriation is a part of cultural interaction and evolution.”

With respect Coyote Kane, I completely disagree – these are not at all the same things. Logically it seems like they would be, but I think the core of this matter is being left out, which makes it not at all an equally two-way equation. Namely, colonialism: the fact that one of the two cultures is dominating and genociding the other, not just historically but RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK. I can think of a dozen situations at this moment of white corporate/government interests trying to destroy indigenous land – and that is only one facet of their ongoing struggle for survival. As long as colonialism remains the underlying dynamic between white culture and indigenous cultures (ongoing), the equation of cultural appropriation will never go both ways equally.

This is a great article, Lupa! It’s interesting that you mention being “part-native” doesn’t give someone the right to culturally appropriate. That brings to mind something an indigenous writer wrote, that I read on the blog “unsettling america” (http://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com): in their view, there is no such thing as being part Indian. Either someone is (they self identify as Indian, no “partly” about it), or they aren’t. In other words, if someone self-identifies as part Indian, then they aren’t.

I don’t think that precludes a connection to one’s ancestral lineage, if part of it is indigenous. Not only do our blood ancestors return to guide us as helping spirits, regardless of the culture we currently identify with, but I also believe that we are all connected, and if we go back far enough we are all descended from the same ancestors (so we are connected to ancestors not of our own bloodline, as well). But I think that native perspective on what it means to truly “be” Indian as we live today is quite interesting.

I do use terms like “pagan”, “shaman”, and “totem”, but those are not strictly native terms- african, old european, and asian tribes used similar terminology to describe things. Pagan connotes a connection to nature, shaman, someone who attempts that through trance, (there are australian shamans as well, celts, etc) and “totem” has come to mean the representation of an animal spirit-

however I dislike even seeing “native inspired” on things.

In my own work I try to go back to before any of that, I am more interested in animism in general, the notion, which goes back well before the tribes scattered through the continents, that everything is alive. I am aiming for more primitive feelings, more neanderthal roots- and so most native imagery and motif is actually too modern for my taste.

I used some buffalo teeth in a piece recently, and one of my friends (who is native northwest tribe) now owns it. She said that while it looks nothing like the art of her culture it has a feeling to it which reminds her of her family’s history and culture- I find that much more flattering than any imitation I could have made.

Native artists need more recognition. If this trend is to continue, I hope it brings fortune to the people who deserve it, and who can properly represent it.

Lupa: thanks for posting this great article, but I appreciate you more for your dedication to being a person, as Paleo pointed out, that “actually gives a ton of thought and internal debate about your choices and actions.” To me, that’s the main problem with humanity in general. They want the easy options, and they don’t want to have to think or do the work being a truly moral or honorable person requires.

As for myself, I have tried to skirt the worst of appropriation, though it often is a tough choice to decide. As someone who is the exact example Lupa mentioned (ie. a white person with 1/16 Cherokee blood, but no real tribal background), I do my best to give all the Native tribes the respect they deserve. This includes avoiding any appropriation. I have one dream-catcher- it was given to me as a birthday gift by a Native. However, it was not handmade by a Native, but rather manufactured, though very high quality. Should I hide it away and not use it simply because of its questionable origin, at the cost of offending the giver? Or should I hang it proudly above my bed, after heavily smudging it with sage in ritual circle? This is the fine line I have to walk. (I think you can guess which choice I made here.)

For me, appropriation is defined by intention. If you make your own Native items naturally, for your own use, or for those of your friends, without expecting financial compensation, that’s generally okay. It falls under the category of “inspired by” or better, “expressing respect for.” It’s hard to believe that wearing items like a deerskin tunic could be considered “playing Indian.” But as Kane said, I believe that specific items such as the feathered warbonnets of the Plains tribes, which are badges of honor which must be EARNED by the members of the tribe, go well beyond that fine line.

I did go through something similar when I was vending my pocket animal buddies (made from beads). In the beginning, I chose the name “Animal Teachers” since animals do teach people. I felt that ‘totem’, ‘familiar’, and ‘power’ animals were reserved terms. Since I am not a shaman nor attempt to be, I wanted something more generic but understandable. I wanted to place a boundary between what I was doing which was connecting people and animals and shamanism and Native American ideas which I was not doing. Basically I was trying have people understand what the local squirrels were trying to tell them, not have them find some exotic animal to be their “power” buddy.

So setting boundaries is necessary. I think that sometimes we overthink and get all twisted up though. My animal buddies were simply little beadworks for folks to put in their pockets. What I ran into were people who pretended to be Native (White folks who believe that they are really Native beyond Native). They accused me of ripping off stuff and all of that. I was like ‘huh?’, and just shrugged it off. I am still trying to figure out how a manatee ceramic bead or a duck glass bead is Native American.

As long as we know where the boundaries are, we are o.k. However, the folks reading your posting aren’t the ones who I guess you are trying to reach. We get it.

But your post reminds me of the ones that Raven Kaldera plaster on each and every page of his Northern Tradition pages, and still some people think that Kaldera is promoting deviant Asatru — which of course by careful reading of his disclaimer, proves otherwise.

I knew the feathers were a trend right now-go to target to the jewellery section and it’s RIGHT THERE-but I never once mistook it as native. Are there other elements of it that people are using right now that’s in? If so, I had no idea. Now THAT broaches on appropriation to me, of X is saying their stuff is NA when it’s really not and no proceeds go to the tribes at all.

As a painter, and not a craftsperson, I am split down the middle of this. While I do see where you’re coming from, as it’s been mentioned, if we don’t get creative enough to make our own way, or if we stuck ourselves in a box and never branched out, no one would ever grow and nothing would ever change. I can also understand that a lot of white middle class Americans (et al) feel genuinely out of touch with ‘rea’l culture and are looking for something they feel has more substance outside of Paris Hiltons latest jail bent. Even though it’s not right to steal from other cultures, I can see why it happens. The thing is, if we don’t address the root problem, the ones that spawn off it will never go away. What a lot of people are told to believe in clearly is not fulfilling, and people feel they’ve lost something. How do you even begin to address that?