Over the years, debates have emerged on using cultures as costumes. The term cultural appropriation is often used in this debate, however, not everyone is aware of the term’s actual meaning. So, what is cultural appropriation? According to CambridgeDictionary, it 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.” This definition is good; however, the term has more depth than that. Whenever an individual deliberately takes an aspect of a culture and tries to portray it as their own, he, or she, has appropriated the culture. This can often be unintentional. The best way to fully understand is with an example.
In 2016, the infamous Kim Kardashian posted the photo above of her “boxer braids.” The internet went into a frenzy. Earlier that week, Sasha Obama was shred to pieces for wearing these same braids during the first state dinner. Sasha was told that she was even imitating UFC fighters. However, it is evident that this is not the case. Black people have been wearing the braids, formally known as cornrows, for centuries now. In fact, many black people have reported being stereotyped for their cornrows with words like “thug” and “threatening.” By Kim Kardashian giving a new name for the braids and denying their history, she was appropriating black culture. She never even made it apparent to address the inequality that came with the hairstyle. It seemed that to her it was just a hairstyle, although, to others, the cornrows are a representation of the years of prejudice black people have faced.
Another huge layer is using cultures for profit. In the fashion industry, we see this quite often. Different companies and designers have debuted “original” collections that weren’t original at all. During New York Fashion Week, Nick Minaj proceeded to call out the industry on its use of culture. Minaj stated, “[d]esigners get really big and really rich off of our culture, and then you don’t see a m———– that look anything like us in the front row half the time.” Using a culture for profit and not even representing the culture properly is disrespectful and, once again, cultural appropriation. On the contrary, this doesn’t just take place in the fashion industry. Have you ever got an email about a sweat lodge retreat? It probably claimed the retreat would have some healing powers on the mind and soul. The email was probably a scam, but the idea of a sweat lodge came from the culture of indigenous people. This is another form of cultural appropriation for profit. Although many may not fall for the scam, some people will. In order to avoid these same mistakes, here are some rules to keep in mind, especially when choosing your costume this Halloween.
1. There is no need to change your skin tone.
People get wrapped up in trying to be identical to the character they are portraying. This includes wanting to match skin tones. If you can’t establish a good representation of a character without black face, red skin, etc, then give it up. Nowadays every character is known for something, so it shouldn’t be hard. In addition, it’s important to give your own flair to the costume. Below you can get some inspiration from @kieraplease on Instagram.
2. Ceremonial wear is pushing it.
In various cultures, different celebrations cause for different clothing. For example, every year someone tends to mock warbonnets. Warbonnets have numerous meanings depending on which tribe is being displayed. Nonetheless, these along with other sacred pieces should not be used as props in your costume. Plus, why would you want to wear something without knowing the meaning behind it?
3. Do your research
There are many aspects to culture that can be ignored. Be sure to learn which each piece of your outfit means to determine if it’s okay to wear. Take the time to do some research and even consult with a friend if you can! It’s better to ask if something is okay then to ignore the possibility. Remember cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation are completely different. The two can be misconstrued, especially with Halloween coming up. Always appreciate and never appropriate!