Cultural Appropriation | Grace Yong | TEDxYouth@AEL

what is wrong with this picture what do

what is wrong with this picture what do you notice about this person don’t worry

you notice about this person don’t worry

you notice about this person don’t worry you guys don’t have to answer this

you guys don’t have to answer this

you guys don’t have to answer this question because this is what my talk

question because this is what my talk

question because this is what my talk will be about today

will be about today

will be about today this picture shows model Alessandra

this picture shows model Alessandra

this picture shows model Alessandra Ambrosio wearing a Native American

Ambrosio wearing a Native American

Ambrosio wearing a Native American headdress also known as a war bonnet but

headdress also known as a war bonnet but

headdress also known as a war bonnet but why is this wrong the Native American

why is this wrong the Native American

why is this wrong the Native American headdress were items traditionally worn

headdress were items traditionally worn

headdress were items traditionally worn by males on very special ceremonies the

by males on very special ceremonies the

by males on very special ceremonies the wearing of feathers and more bonnets in

wearing of feathers and more bonnets in

wearing of feathers and more bonnets in Native communities is not a fashion

Native communities is not a fashion

Native communities is not a fashion choice eagle feathers are presented as

choice eagle feathers are presented as

choice eagle feathers are presented as symbols of honor and respect and have to

symbols of honor and respect and have to

symbols of honor and respect and have to be earned further there’s a history of

be earned further there’s a history of

be earned further there’s a history of genocide of Native people and wearing

genocide of Native people and wearing

genocide of Native people and wearing something like this is an act of

something like this is an act of

something like this is an act of disrespect from its origins especially

disrespect from its origins especially

disrespect from its origins especially if your ancestors took part in the

if your ancestors took part in the

if your ancestors took part in the wiping out of their ancestors

wiping out of their ancestors

wiping out of their ancestors the problem with cultural appropriation

the problem with cultural appropriation

the problem with cultural appropriation is the fact that art and music forms

is the fact that art and music forms

is the fact that art and music forms originated from minorities are sometimes

originated from minorities are sometimes

originated from minorities are sometimes frowned upon on but when a more dominant

frowned upon on but when a more dominant

frowned upon on but when a more dominant group becomes associated with this form

group becomes associated with this form

group becomes associated with this form is deemed as exotic edgy or fashionable

is deemed as exotic edgy or fashionable

is deemed as exotic edgy or fashionable for example Jessica R Metcalf creator of

for example Jessica R Metcalf creator of

for example Jessica R Metcalf creator of Native American blog beyond buckskin

Native American blog beyond buckskin

Native American blog beyond buckskin previously its hold online magazine that

previously its hold online magazine that

previously its hold online magazine that the headdress is a sacred important

the headdress is a sacred important

the headdress is a sacred important symbol to us and it’s still a tradition

symbol to us and it’s still a tradition

symbol to us and it’s still a tradition that is practiced in our communities

that is practiced in our communities

that is practiced in our communities whenever you have celebrities or major

whenever you have celebrities or major

whenever you have celebrities or major companies misusing the sacred headdress

companies misusing the sacred headdress

companies misusing the sacred headdress that is a direct way of destroying our

that is a direct way of destroying our

that is a direct way of destroying our culture people argue that they aren’t

culture people argue that they aren’t

culture people argue that they aren’t trying to appropriate a specific culture

trying to appropriate a specific culture

trying to appropriate a specific culture but only trying to appreciate it by

but only trying to appreciate it by

but only trying to appreciate it by adopting the element and exposing it to

adopting the element and exposing it to

adopting the element and exposing it to those around them but you see there’s a

those around them but you see there’s a

those around them but you see there’s a difference between appropriating culture

difference between appropriating culture

difference between appropriating culture and appreciating a culture if people

and appreciating a culture if people

and appreciating a culture if people truly care for those who are

truly care for those who are

truly care for those who are marginalized the best thing to do is

marginalized the best thing to do is

marginalized the best thing to do is just to educate themselves in their

just to educate themselves in their

just to educate themselves in their culture and respect them

culture and respect them

culture and respect them instead of just taking things from their

instead of just taking things from their

instead of just taking things from their practices and using them as a fashion

practices and using them as a fashion

practices and using them as a fashion statement another example of very common

statement another example of very common

statement another example of very common culture appropriations is the

culture appropriations is the

culture appropriations is the appropriation of Hindu culture and the

appropriation of Hindu culture and the

appropriation of Hindu culture and the use of Islamic clothing the niqab is a

use of Islamic clothing the niqab is a

use of Islamic clothing the niqab is a veil that covers the head and face while

veil that covers the head and face while

veil that covers the head and face while leaving the eyes exposed and the hijab

leaving the eyes exposed and the hijab

leaving the eyes exposed and the hijab is a veil that covers the head also

is a veil that covers the head also

is a veil that covers the head also known as a headscarf these items are

known as a headscarf these items are

known as a headscarf these items are symbols of faith and modesty in Islam

symbols of faith and modesty in Islam

symbols of faith and modesty in Islam however people around the world

however people around the world

however people around the world including celebrities that have a huge

including celebrities that have a huge

including celebrities that have a huge influence over their fans have taken

influence over their fans have taken

influence over their fans have taken these pieces and turned them into exotic

these pieces and turned them into exotic

these pieces and turned them into exotic costumes and hyper sexualized

costumes and hyper sexualized

costumes and hyper sexualized accessories people need to know that

accessories people need to know that

accessories people need to know that this isn’t okay the sexualization

this isn’t okay the sexualization

this isn’t okay the sexualization contradicts the items true intent and it

contradicts the items true intent and it

contradicts the items true intent and it belittles the social religious and

belittles the social religious and

belittles the social religious and cultural significance of its meaning now

cultural significance of its meaning now

cultural significance of its meaning now when it comes to the appropriation of

when it comes to the appropriation of

when it comes to the appropriation of Hindu culture the bindi is a very common

Hindu culture the bindi is a very common

Hindu culture the bindi is a very common decorative piece that countless people

decorative piece that countless people

decorative piece that countless people wear including those that do not follow

wear including those that do not follow

wear including those that do not follow Hinduism wear this to music festivals

Hinduism wear this to music festivals

Hinduism wear this to music festivals there are many different meanings for

there are many different meanings for

there are many different meanings for the significance of the bindi and

the significance of the bindi and

the significance of the bindi and different colors can have different

different colors can have different

different colors can have different meanings but in a spiritual view the

meanings but in a spiritual view the

meanings but in a spiritual view the bindi plays an important role in

bindi plays an important role in

bindi plays an important role in Hinduism famous Salieri’s took this and

Hinduism famous Salieri’s took this and

Hinduism famous Salieri’s took this and used it in a fashion sense meanwhile

used it in a fashion sense meanwhile

used it in a fashion sense meanwhile spreading the trend all over social

spreading the trend all over social

spreading the trend all over social media

media

media a few Hindu and Southeast Asian girls

a few Hindu and Southeast Asian girls

a few Hindu and Southeast Asian girls even felt the need to spread the hashtag

even felt the need to spread the hashtag

even felt the need to spread the hashtag reclaim the bindi most of these actions

reclaim the bindi most of these actions

reclaim the bindi most of these actions are most common in the u.s. which makes

are most common in the u.s. which makes

are most common in the u.s. which makes a situation worse according to a

a situation worse according to a

a situation worse according to a Huffington Post on illusion of choice

Huffington Post on illusion of choice

Huffington Post on illusion of choice calm America has a long history of

calm America has a long history of

calm America has a long history of oppression and exploitation of other

oppression and exploitation of other

oppression and exploitation of other human populations this includes the

human populations this includes the

human populations this includes the genocide of Native Americans than

genocide of Native Americans than

genocide of Native Americans than following with the enslavement of

following with the enslavement of

following with the enslavement of African Americans the internment of

African Americans the internment of

African Americans the internment of japanese-americans during World War two

japanese-americans during World War two

japanese-americans during World War two and the discrimination against Jews that

and the discrimination against Jews that

and the discrimination against Jews that have immigrated to the US over the

have immigrated to the US over the

have immigrated to the US over the years imagine this and a less complex

years imagine this and a less complex

years imagine this and a less complex and more simple way you and your friends

and more simple way you and your friends

and more simple way you and your friends from a title group and you call yourself

from a title group and you call yourself

from a title group and you call yourself the Ted’s you guys create your own

the Ted’s you guys create your own

the Ted’s you guys create your own little song have your own little

little song have your own little

little song have your own little handshake and even had a shirt that says

handshake and even had a shirt that says

handshake and even had a shirt that says the Ted’s on it that used to put you had

the Ted’s on it that used to put you had

the Ted’s on it that used to put you had custom made however over the course of

custom made however over the course of

custom made however over the course of the next few days you notice that

the next few days you notice that

the next few days you notice that everyone is wearing the same exact shirt

everyone is wearing the same exact shirt

everyone is wearing the same exact shirt that you supposedly had custom-made

that you supposedly had custom-made

that you supposedly had custom-made seeing the same song and doing the same

seeing the same song and doing the same

seeing the same song and doing the same handshake now how would you feel

handshake now how would you feel

handshake now how would you feel obviously you would feel somewhat

obviously you would feel somewhat

obviously you would feel somewhat violated because that is what you had

violated because that is what you had

violated because that is what you had made everything created by you and your

made everything created by you and your

made everything created by you and your group are being normalized and destroyed

group are being normalized and destroyed

group are being normalized and destroyed it has come to a point where no one even

it has come to a point where no one even

it has come to a point where no one even knows who created this because everyone

knows who created this because everyone

knows who created this because everyone is doing the same exact thing you aren’t

is doing the same exact thing you aren’t

is doing the same exact thing you aren’t even a group anymore the annoyance that

even a group anymore the annoyance that

even a group anymore the annoyance that you and your friends are feeling is

you and your friends are feeling is

you and your friends are feeling is probably the same exact feeling that the

probably the same exact feeling that the

probably the same exact feeling that the Native Americans Muslims and Hindus

Native Americans Muslims and Hindus

Native Americans Muslims and Hindus people are feeling however cultural

people are feeling however cultural

people are feeling however cultural diffusion is also a different thing and

diffusion is also a different thing and

diffusion is also a different thing and people can find the line between

people can find the line between

people can find the line between cultural appropriation and cultural

cultural appropriation and cultural

cultural appropriation and cultural diffusion difficult to comprehend the

diffusion difficult to comprehend the

diffusion difficult to comprehend the definition of cultural diffusion is the

definition of cultural diffusion is the

definition of cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural ideas from the place

spread of cultural ideas from the place

spread of cultural ideas from the place of origin to other regions groups or

of origin to other regions groups or

of origin to other regions groups or nation this includes food language art

nation this includes food language art

nation this includes food language art etc which are all spread through

etc which are all spread through

etc which are all spread through interactions with others for example you

interactions with others for example you

interactions with others for example you could be introduced to the religion of

could be introduced to the religion of

could be introduced to the religion of Islam and then the common Muslim and

Islam and then the common Muslim and

Islam and then the common Muslim and then wear a niqab for a right and

then wear a niqab for a right and

then wear a niqab for a right and religious reason but just taking the

religious reason but just taking the

religious reason but just taking the niqab and wearing it for fashion

niqab and wearing it for fashion

niqab and wearing it for fashion purposes isn’t OK the same goes for the

purposes isn’t OK the same goes for the

purposes isn’t OK the same goes for the Native American headdress and the Hindu

Native American headdress and the Hindu

Native American headdress and the Hindu bindi we should realize our mistakes and

bindi we should realize our mistakes and

bindi we should realize our mistakes and what’s right and what’s wrong and from

what’s right and what’s wrong and from

what’s right and what’s wrong and from now on you all should be able to call

now on you all should be able to call

now on you all should be able to call someone out on their ridiculous

someone out on their ridiculous

someone out on their ridiculous Halloween costume or their festival look

Halloween costume or their festival look

Halloween costume or their festival look thank you

thank you

thank you you