Post your group Open Letters on Cultural Appropriation here before class on Monday, November 5.
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An OER site by Christine Choi
Post your group Open Letters on Cultural Appropriation here before class on Monday, November 5.
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The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.
Amy Jeenarine, Jalen Costa, William Tang
Professor Choi
English 1101 (D302)
Open Letter
Dear Voodoo Appropriators,
The word voodoo itself brings to mind images of magical dolls with pins stuck in them to inflict pain and suffering on others. Voodoo is a practice that has been a part of many African ethnic groups. According to Elizabeth McAlister, a Voodoo expert at Wesleyan University “Voodoo in a nutshell is about the idea that everything material has a spiritual dimension that is more real.” “So everything living but even rocks and the Earth is considered to have spirit and have a spiritual nature.” In other words, Voodoo is a religion passed on by African ancestors who believe that everything has a spirit, and these spirits guide them in their lives. Because many people did not understand Voodoo, Europeans made stories about Voodoo that has passed it on to the dark practice that is only used to do harm. To understand Voodoo better people need to learn the history, look at the ways in which people perceive Voodoo, and how it has appropriated.
When the earthquake in Haiti happened, it raised recognition of how important Voodoo really is for Haitian people. Originated in Africa, the religion was brought to Haiti, the West Indies, and parts of various other countries by slaves in the 17th century. Like every religion, Voodoo is also a religion where people have beliefs that anchor their culture passed on by their ancestors. On January 20, 2010,Barbara Bradley Hagerty on the National Public Radio, Inc. about how Voodoo brought solace to Haitians who lost many in the earthquake just 7 days earlier. They pray to bring their people a path to rest and to know what happened. This shows the correlation of other religions who also pray to send their ancestors on safely and to show respect for their lives. According to Max Beauvoir, the highest priest in Haiti, Haitian people believe that people reincarnate 16 times to attain wisdom until they are one with God. As for the “Voodoo dolls”, they have no roots in the Voodoo the people of Haiti know. The origins of the dolls are unknown, but they are believed to be similar to that of European folk magic and western/central African practices.
The view of voodooism has changed a lot from its original purpose. In today’s world we all believed that voodoo is cult religion or a religion that worships devils and monsters. However that’s false because the people who practice voodoo are not a cult nor do they worship devils. This sort of view happened because of the media’s twist of vision on voodoo. All movies and documentary that we see always shows that the person performing voodoo are dark and evil people and use voodoo to curse others. That is wrong and deviates from the original voodoo as the originality of this religion is that our loved who dies will be with us forever as a spirit that will watch over us. The society also have twisted what voodoo is and is not such as believing that voodoo is used to curse people and how its very violent. There is also no such thing as a voodoo doll or rather no voodoo dolls are used in the ceremony of voodoo. The reason the change of view on voodoo is this tremoundaous is because people really don’t understand or research about voodoo and also the cloud of racism on their mind. We humans tend to believe that whatever is dark or evil looking resorts to violent religion or an act of evil. This is more prominent on the view of haitian voodoo because the racist view of people see haitian or other people who practice voodoo are low intelligent people. Americans especially have used voodoo to depict a horror theme or violent society. The view of voodoo needs to change to show what voodoo is instead of showing the wrong side of voodoo. Voodoo is basically a religion to appreciate and respect the dead of their loved ones.
The voodoo culture once a respected and practiced religion has now been turned into a trope in the public eye. This has happened because of its novelty of it to the public. For intense the zombie monster came from voodoo tradition and practices. Then the first zombie movie came out called “Night of the living dead” and they had became the brain dead trope we know today. And many more things like that exist now with voodoo continued appropriation with modern society and its misrepresentation so I hope that one day we can respect the culture which it came from.
So then to conclude the appropriation of voodoo cause by white europeans who spread rumors and stories about voodoo being dark magic and used to curse people when it really wasn’t. It is a belief that has a huge variety of traditions and rituals. This is an important culture to many people in the world and must not be disrespected. So to those who would appropriate this belief system please do some research on this wonderful culture.
Sanjidah Khan, Diego J Mieles Jr, Dillon Bacchus, Jose Castillo
Prof. Choi
English 1101 – D302
Group Open Letter
Indian Headdresses Turn Into A Joke
Dear Hipster Subculture,
Imagine working really hard for something, only to have it taken from you without any credit. From a respectable headdress and a reminder to their culture of their past to being accessories sold at stores like Party City, online shopping and presented on fashion runways. Cultural appropriation is when someone or a group of people are wearing cultural clothing, hairdo, or a respectable item in that cultural like a joke or in the wrong way. The headdress being sold like an accessory is an example of cultural appropriation because in their cultural the headdress is given to the person with the most respect person in the tribe but it is being wore now like a meaningless addition to a costume. This is cultural appropriation because it is being hypersexualize, it is tarnishing their culture, and ignoring their past of how they were called savages or being made funny because of their headdress. No one’s culture should be disrespect or made into a “fashionable accessory” that makes it look like it has no meaning at all.
Hypersexualizing an Indian headdress is a form of cultural appropriation, it is making the headdress into a prop for people trying to be “sexy”. Around the springtime, musical festivals are always a big thing for millenials. As the years have gone by, festival goers started wearing Indian headdresses as part of their attire. Chiefs of Native American tribes would wear headdresses as a social status to let others know that they are honorable/respectable people for ceremonies or when riding into battles. On a Iedm article Moriyama stated that “Native American headdress… are not a fashion accessory but a stamp of pride that must be earned.” Wearing an Indian headdress to a festival isn’t honorable and shows how unaware people are about the Native American culture. Sexualizing the Native American headdress takes away from the fact that men put their lives on the line to wear that headdress. And how many have died trying to do so.
The way the headdress is being wore in this hipster subculture is tarnishing their culture because it makes it less meaningful when the most respectable person wears the headdress, and then everyone who did not earn it is wearing as a halloween costume. It tarnish the culture by making their children to believe that it is ok to wear without actually earning it or actually allow to wear it. One example of this is when a girl wore their great-great-grandfather’s headdress and took a picture with it, without knowing that she was now part of cultural appropriation because she did not know the meaning of the headdress and was sexualizing it(Shunatona). Another Example is how a couple of attendees at the Coachella festival in 2017 wore headdresses to go. Many people there saw and pointed it out as being hurtful and wrong towards the Native American culture. They felt that way especially since they had no idea what the meaning of it was or what it symbolizes to the Native Americans.(Hardy) The attendees didn’t know what they had done and apologized for it but this is something that has been going on over the years in past Coachella festivals too. Based on the Native American Culture it shouldn’t be worn by just anybody, it should only be worn by the leaders of their tribe. Just because it is an accessory to stores that sell it, does not mean that it is not tarnishing a culture by belittling the meaning of the garment.
When the hipster subculture made it into an accessory, where it is norm to wear a Indian headdress, they were ignoring the history behind the Native American headdress. One example of suffering the culture undertook was the “Trail of Tears”, “During the 19th century, the U.S government forced thousand Cherokee out of their traditional land in Georgia and Alabama, marching them along a “Trail of Tears” to Oklahoma” (“Native Americans Decry Appropriation Of Their History, Culture”. This example shows that they gone through very serious suffering because of their culture and people are choosing to ignore their past and wear their cultural headdress like it is nothing. This cultural discrimination is not even in the past, they are still being discriminate to this day. Example of this present discriminate when a Native leader was denied entry into the supreme court because he was wearing his traditional headdress. The people wearing the headdress at music festivals are wearing it because they think it is an accessory but when a Native leader of Yakama Nation is wearing his traditional headdress to discuss to the supreme about a dispute between the Yakama tribe and the Washington State about taxes, he is not allow to do that (“Twitter”). They are taking part of the culture and ignoring the the suffering and discrimination that it has gone through, that is wrong.
Wearing the headdress is cultural appropriation because the people wearing it are not wearing it for the cultural meaning but for making them “look like” Indians. They wear for a hallween costume and they hypersexualize it to be more “fashionable”, they tarnish the cultural meaning for the headdress by making it available to anyone with the right amount of money, and they ignore the past when people target them for their cultural beliefs and cultural garments. Just because they are wearing it without the knowledge that they are being part of cultural appropriation does not give them a free pass.
Bibliography
Hardy, Alyssa. “This Coachella Attendee Was Called Out for Cultural Appropriation, and Her
Response Is Going Viral.” Google, Google, 27 Apr. 2017, 12:38 P.M,
http://www.google.com/amp/s/www.teenvogue.com/story/coachella-cultural-appropriation-native-american-headdress/amp.
Hilleary, Cecily. “Going ‘Native’: Why Are Americans Hijacking Cherokee Identity?”. VOA,
2018,
https://www.voanews.com/a/going-native-why-are-americans-hiijacking-cherokee-identity/4495119.html..Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
–“Native Americans Decry Appropriation Of Their History, Culture”. VOA, 2018,
https://www.voanews.com/a/native-americans-decry-appropriation-of-their-hist/3837209.html. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
Moriyama, Lindsey. “Let’s Put Away The Headdresses And Stop Cultural Appropriation With
Outfits”. Iedm.Com, 20 May 2017, https://iedm.com/blogs/onblast-edm-blog/rave-
outfits-and-stopping-cultural-appropriation#. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
Shunatona, Brooke. “I Made The Mistake Of Wearing A Native American Headdress; Please
Don’t Wear One To Your Music Festival”. Cosmopolitan, 10 April 2015,
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/advice/a38218/native-american-headdress-music-festival/. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
“Twitter”. Twitter.Com, 2018, https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1058015305111232512. 1
Nov 2018
8:18 Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
Wood, Marisa. Scholarscompass.Vcu.Edu, 2017,
https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=auctus. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
Xincheng Zeng,
Jonathan Perez,
Damirjon Ulmasov
Alex
Professor. Choi
Eng 1101
Open letter
Today’s society is still being haunted by the past. Black Face, started in the 1800s, was a mockery of African American culture and people used as white entertainment. Today it is still a problem because people like Megyn Kelly, from the show “Megyn Kelly Today” believe that Black Face is okay. This is cultural appropriation because the term Black Face was created to oppress African Americans and dehumanize them by portraying them as animals. This also brings back unwanting memories of the past and reminders of slavery.
The use of blackface dehumanizes African Americans because it portrays them to be at a lower status than white people. In the article, “The Problem with Blackface” by Philip S. S. Howard, Howard states that the need to even wear blackface “reveals an attempt to establish an essential difference between black and white people”. In other words, it institutes racism and views black people as a “different kind” even though the only difference is our skin color. Howards also says blackface in minstrel shows were usually done “deliberately unrealistic”, further proving it’s a form of racism. Oftenly, people over exaggerated the black makeup and later would act in degrading performances depicting African Americans usually as goofy and childish characters to entertain the crowd. These shows categorized black people as a form of entertainment and did nothing but dehumanize them through stereotypic and racism performances. Blackface is an unnecessary item to use and it degrades the black community as entertainers and a mockery instead as human beings.
Blackface performances began in 1830, first popular in Britain and later developed in the United States. In the early days of Britain and the United States it was usually performed by the minstrel, and later black artists were also performing. Early white performers in blackface used burnt cork and later greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips, often wearing woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats, or ragged clothes to complete the transformation.By the mid-20th century, blackface art had begun to represent racism and African American culture.The most representative shows are ‘‘The Black and White Minstrel Show’’, which ended in 1978, and ‘‘ Are You Being Served? ’’in 1976 and finally in 1981.
Some people thinks there is nothing wrong with white people to color their skin to dark color and impersonate black people, especially in Halloween and shows. For example recently American famous journalist Megyn Marie Kelly in her comment she argued that what is racist about Blackface on Halloween by saying that “ It was Ok when I was a kid as long as you were dressing like a character.” However people found her comment offensive against black people and her Tv show cancelled after her comment. People should understand that how black people assaulted in the past and blackface brings memories of slavery. For example in the article of “Don’t get what’s wrong with blackface? Here’s why it’s so offensive” by author Jenee Desmond Harris it stated that “ they were mocking portrayals that reinforced the idea that African-Americans were inferior in every way.” According to this information it evidence that blackface is a offensive way to impersonate black people, which reminds memories of slavery and how they treated in the past. Therefore, blackface is not okay even though in Halloween because of it’s offensiveness against black people and history of slavery, which makes black people feel unequal from white people.
In conclusion, Black face will always be cultural appropriation and a negative part of history created to oppress African Americans. The concept of this demonstrates how many people back then and now still are affected by it and do not agree with this due to the fact the society is evolving.
Vincent Romualdo,Joseph Martinez,Ibnu
Professor Choi
Eng 1101 (D302)
Open Letter Essay How Yoga is Cultural Appropriation
With today’s generation there seems to be constant debate over what’s right or wrong in
certain situations and who gets to pass judgement on these situations. This often leads to moral
clashes amongst those who want to voice their opinion on this topic either being ridiculed by
those who don’t agree or praised by those who do. One of these moral debates are what is and
what isn’t cultural appropriation, more specifically whether Yoga is or isn’t a form of cultural
appropriation. In order to decide effectively one must look at the definition of cultural
appropriation. According to The Cambridge Dictionary the definition of cultural appropriation is
“The act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without
showing that you understand or respect this culture.” With the modernized westernized version
we have of Yoga today it is safe and certain to say that Yoga is a form of cultural appropriation
due to its lack of credit to its home origin and its mass commercialization in the western world.
With yoga pants being advertised by sports brands as athletic wear to “Namaste” being used as
branding instead of its original purpose of being part of a customary Hindu greeting it is a blatant
display of cultural appropriation.
One reason why Yoga is a form of cultural appropriation is because it does not give credit
to its home of origin: India. Based on a blog by
Arundhati Baitmangalkar
, an ex South India
resident and yoga instructor, traditionally yoga is meant to connect someone spiritually and
should be treated with high respect however America has dramatically different ideas on that.
Baitmangalkar states “ When I looked at class schedules here, I was often surprised and shocked
at the variety that was offered. I knew of different styles and lineages, but the idea of chocolate
yoga, yoga to live music, rock-and-roll yoga, naked yoga, love yoga, etc. would shock the
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daylights out of me”. If yoga is supposed to be a way to connect spiritually and is supposed to be
highly respected why is there a rock-and-roll yoga and love yoga. She also states that after being
in America for some time she has “ learned to ignore the eccentric ideas that have borrowed the
name of yoga”. The use of the words eccentric and borrowed shows that Baitmangalkar does not
believe that yoga in America can be anything but the real thing. The fact that there are so many
versions that are not directed towards putting someone into a spiritual and meditative state
presents the ignorance of Americans on what yoga is supposed to be. Being that people are not
respecting what yoga is intended to be and is not given credit to India blatantly expresses how
India’s invention has been appropriated.
Another reason why westernized yoga is a form of cultural appropriation is because
Americans have commercialized it. According to David Gordon White in his piece, “Yoga, Brief
History of an Idea”, Yoga is practiced among 16 million Americans and “ For most people, this
means going to a yoga center with yoga mats, yoga clothes, and yoga accessories, and practicing
in groups under the guidance of a yoga teacher or trainer”. With all that has been declared as
“necessary” in the yoga realm there is no way that American corporations are not capitalizing on
this . In fact, a study conducted on yogajournal.com states that in the year 2016 students all
together have spent about $16B on “yoga classes, clothing, equipment, and accessories”
annually. This being in the U.S alone shows how large this country is capitalising on someone
else’s idea; connecting this to the previous paragraph this is also without giving credit to the
nation that created this practice. While this makes yoga cultural appropriation, there is a way to
practice and still knowledgeable.
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Yoga is an exercise that anyone can get into, however it takes empathy to comprehend
the art of it . A Vice article written by Sarah Ratchford, “Is Western Yoga Cultural
Appropriation? Yes, but That Doesn’t Mean White People Can’t Practice It” featured an
interview with Julia Gibran, another yoga tutor sharing her thoughts on the issue. Quoting “She
says it’s a matter of people taking the time to recognize the roots of the practice, and that it
comes from a spiritual place. Sometimes white teachers will mispronounce Sanskrit words—at
that point, she says, it’s clear they’re just confused about what it is they’re supposed to be talking
about.” Gibran who is familiar with the background of yoga, within her culture, believe outsiders
should invest more time into educating themselves on the history of yoga. It’s still cultural
appropriation to take one culture and not know what it actually means; rather than shame, this is
more of a cautionary tale for newcomers to yoga.
Ergo, the issue that people struggle with is whether, if it is the right to judge people’s
actions on seemingly average activities. To most people, yoga is a petty subject to complain
about but to others, it represents part of a global issue that happens among Americans without
them realizing it. Yoga performed by foreigners is classified under cultural appropriation
because it doesn’t acknowledge its roots of origin, creates misinformation within the yoga
community, and heavily capitalizing it with tons of merchandise. It matters for how the world
will perceive yoga; just a silly thing practiced by Americans, not a hindu greeting from centuries
ago. As a way to fight back the cultural appropriation of yoga, for starters, Americans must learn
the way of how the actual people who created yoga performed; it must respected as it was
intended to be.
Anderson Salcedo, Mohamed Hawater, Brianna Guillen, and Giuseppe Bioudi
Prof. Choi
English 1101 (D302)
Open Letter
Viva Mexico
Dear Cinco de Mayo celebrants,
“Viva Mexico, Viva” I hear the crowd yell as beer is being handed around like candy. The smell of food is mind blowing, the nacho cheese is gold glowing in your eyes, and the picó de Gallo colored the room with it’s fresh red tomato. However, as I pointed my eyes in another direction I saw a statue of General Ignacio Zaragoza laying in a corner dusted up as if it had been in the attic for a century. I was astonished to see that the statue of the man who lead the Mexican army to be successful in their fight of Puebla was is such bad conditions in its day of celebration. To see that such important icon was laying around like that in “Cinco De Mayo” in a country which celebrates the holiday more heavily than the Mexican Culture was intriguing. Well the reason why that statue was in such poor conditions is because the United States has appropriated of this holiday and uses it somelenly for profits. The Essenes of “Cinco De Mayo” has been lost in a country in which those who celebrate it don’t know its history, create stereotypes, and economically benefit from it.
Every year, since 1862, in May 5th Mexicans around the world celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It all started in the Mexican army’s victory in 1862 over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. In 1861, Benito Juarez, was elected president of Mexico. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on debt payments to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces in Mexico, demanding repayment. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and did not remain there do the finished payment, but France, however decided to use the opportunity to take the Mexican territory. Late in 1861 a large force of troops landed in the Mexican territory, Mexicans were forced to retreat. This battle later was named Battle of Puebla, because the battle started at Puebla de Los Ángeles. On May 5, 1862, French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers, while Mexican only lost 100. Mexicans success at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government.
Secondly, Mexicans are being portrayed as a specific stereotype by many Americans. Every year on Cinco de Mayo many Americans dress up as what mexicans are supposedly looked like, a big pancho, mustache and sombrero. They would often wear these costumes out to parties and to the bar. Bill Esparaza states how he’s not ok with Americans dressing up like this on Cinco de Mayo and wished people would stop. “So, am I going to be cool about the minstrel show of gringos in big hats, serapes and fake mustaches at Cabo Cantina? No, I’d say that this would be the year not to do that.” (Esparaza 2) This quotes explains how Americans would dress up as how Mexicans are being portrayed as, big hats, mustaches and serapes. Many Mexicans are offended on how Americans would portrayed them like this. Especially on Cinco de Mayo. Also since now Trump is the president of the United States he would often make remarks on Mexicans. Many Mexicans were not happy about this and wanted this to stop. This shows how many Mexicans want Americans to stop mocking their culture on Cinco de Mayo.
Furthermore, Americans hurt the Mexican culture by taking advantage of Cinco de Mayo to sell beer and American tacos. No other country, including Mexico, celebrates the holiday as extensively as the US. Many Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo by drinking and having parties everywhere without asking themselves what is the real Cinco de Mayo? “Today, Americans drink more beer on Cinco de Mayo than Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick’s Day. In 2015, they spent $735 million on beer during the week of Cinco de Mayo.” (Young 2). This shows that how the American companies of beer make a lot of money out of the Mexican culture. However, in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated differently. Schools get the day off and the government facilities are open. The only big parades and festivals are taking place in the city of Puebla, where there’s a military parade to memorize the significance of this particular battle. In the article Why Is Cinco de Mayo Celebrated More in the U.S. Than in Mexico? Suzanne Barbezat states that Cinco de Mayo in US began to be commercialized on a wide scale. It’s the day to celebrate Mexican food, culture, traditions, and booze. “For some it may just be an excuse to get drunk” (Barbezat 2). This evidence demonstrates that Americans take advantage economically of the Mexican culture.
As you can see, the United States has selfishly appropriated from Cinco de Mayo. The essence of this holiday has been lost in this country. Firstly, many don’t even know the history behind Cinco de Mayo which is the day in which Mexico won one of its key battles towards their independence. Second, Stereotypes have lead this holiday to generalized Mexicans such as by the big pancho costume. Thirdly, the United States has dedicated to make this holiday somelenly be about selling beer and other alcoholic beverages. Culturally appropriating from a culture is a detrimental factor to that culture because it can damage the truthfulness of their culture and set the wrong interpretation to the world.