Artifact 1: Ability to Develop and Sustain an Argument

My partners, Chandler Pope and Camryn Turner, wrote an essay and created a PowerPoint presentation featuring cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. I selected this essay as an artifact since I had found the majority of the examples for each topic and helped us distinguish between what is cultural appreciation and what is not. The PowerPoint and essay are both below.

Photo made in Canva, Iggy Azalea Bounce MV an Bruno Mars 24K Magic MV

The difference between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation is often overlooked. According to the Oxford dictionary, cultural appropriation is defined as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” To put it more simply, cultural appropriation describes the action of stealing cultural customs, language, attire, and practices. The term was first used in 1980s academia to refer to issues regarding colonialism and the theft of cultural customs by white people from ethnic people. However, the term eventually made its way into popular culture and is still a conversational topic today.

It is no secret that Black culture is often copied and profited upon by non-Black people, whether it be clothing, dance moves, hairstyles, language, or music. Black people consistently set the tone for what is considered cool and popular, and in today’s technological age, everything popular is easily accessible online. This has allowed the world to connect as part of a global community and have an inside look at the way others live; private citizens and celebrities alike. This overexposure produces a plethora of mainstream examples of cultural appropriation.

One of the most commonly cited perpetrators of cultural appropriation is media personality Kim Kardashian, a white woman who has worn Black hairstyles in the past and continues to use trends from people of color to become a part of her own brand. She has publicly called them “Bo Derek braids,” a reference to the famous actresses’ hairstyle that popularized cornrows for white women (Seventeen, 2019). This was understandably faced with a lot of backlash from the Black community since cornrows and Fulani braids are old practices that descendants of Africa are very familiar with. To credit the style’s popularity to Bo Derek is disrespectful to the thousands of years of history that they have in the African diaspora. For this reason, Kim’s actions were labeled cultural appropriation. She engaged in the tradition without the proper knowledge of its history and without public acknowledgment of the privilege she has to wear these hairstyles without it affecting her livelihood. Black people wearing braids are deemed ghetto and uncivilized, unlike Kim Kardashian who was praised for her new hip hairdo. Black people have had to assimilate and stray away from their traditional hairstyles to comfortably exist in the workforce and society. Thus, Kim Kardashian being praised for what Black people created and demonized for is tasteless and ignores the trauma of generations of disregarded Black people. It is important to keep in mind that Kim, due to her white privilege, most likely did not understand why it was so important to give credit to the originators of the style. However, this is precisely the reason she should not have participated at all. It is often true that white people can get away with acting in ignorance of every culture but their own, while Black people are required to know the ins and outs of white culture to socially survive.

Another example of appropriation is Karlie Kloss’s native-inspired outfit in Victoria's Secret fashion show. She walked the runway wearing a native headdress and fringed lingerie, a supposed nod to native attire. The problem is that Victoria's Secret did not do their research on the significance of native headdresses, as these pieces are not supposed to be donned for fashion purposes. Headdresses are symbolic of leadership and are worn by those who have earned the right within their nation (NativeLanguages.org). They are not worn by those who simply bought the piece as an accessory, especially if that person themselves is not Native American. Furthermore, Victoria’s Secret, being a lingerie fashion show, sexualized Native American attire, leading it to exist as a costume. Native American women, unfortunately, make up forty percent of all American sex-trafficking victims due to their eroticization by American society and the use of their traditional attire to sell lingerie contributes to the idea of Native women being sex objects (Freedom United, 2019). The fact that this outfit had to be approved by multiple committees within the company to even make it onto the runway piles more evidence into the fact that Karlie and Victoria's Secret did not care to respectfully engage with Native American culture.

In addition to Kim and Karlie, another commonly cited offender is Katy Perry, who has been criticized for engaging in racist stereotypes during her music videos. The most popular example is her video for “Dark Horse,” featuring ancient Egyptian imagery fused with modern hip-hop culture. To many, this was seen as sacrilegious and the theme of the video was very offensive. The storyline follows Perry as an Egyptian Pharaoh who rejects many gifts from suitors. In one instance, she uses her magic to turn a Muslim man wearing an “Allah” necklace into red sand. This was seen by many as very distasteful and an example of white artists using ethnic cultures for aesthetics without considering the harm it may cause.

Although cultural appropriation runs rampant throughout pop culture, there are also many counterexamples that can be described as “cultural appreciation.” In these instances, a person may participate in some aspect of a culture that does not belong to them, but unlike the cultural appropriator, the appreciator does not disrespect that custom by mislabeling it or failing to pay homage to its origins.

Some celebrities have made this effort to show appreciation for other cultures around the world. According to the University of British Columbia, Cultural appreciation is admiring another culture in order to broaden their horizons and make cross-cultural connections (VPFO). Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's wedding, for example, is an example of how cultural appreciation can bridge different people and cultures together. Jonas, a Christian, and Chopra, a Hindu, married in two different ceremonies to commemorate their love. Chopra wore a traditional white wedding gown for the first ceremony, then a red lehenga gown to commemorate Hinduism for the second. They also had a variety of ceremonies. Chopra and Jonas sat for a puja, or prayer ritual, held before the wedding. They also had a Mehendi ceremony, which is a henna-painting procedure for the bride's hands (TIME). Since Jonas and Chopra honored both of their religions together, this is a prime example of cultural appreciation.

The difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation is a fine line, yet still very reasonable. If celebrities would do the research that is very easily accessible to them, they may have a chance of escaping backlash from the general public. When people with a large reach and influence act in ways that are harmful to specific communities, it is important and responsible on their part to learn all that they can about the cultures they are engaging with. When people in power spread misinformation, such as Kim Kardashian’s reference to her hair as “Bo Derek braids”, they contribute to the disappearance of cultural staples and the assimilation of them into mainstream/white culture. It is important that celebrities continue to use accurate names and practices for the traditions that they are borrowing to maintain and uplift the integrity of those cultural pillars for years to come. Making this effort is what separates the appropriators from the appreciators.

Works Cited

“Cultural Appropriation.” Oxford Reference, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095652789.

​​Gajanan, Mahita. “Priyanka Chopra Marries Nick Jonas in Hindu Wedding Ceremony.” Time, Time, 4 Dec. 2018, https://time.com/5470319/priyanka-chopra-nick-jonas-hindu-wedding-ceremony/.

“Native American Headdresses: Facts for Kids.” Native American Headdresses: Feather and Horned Warbonnets, Porcupine Roaches, Beaded Headbands, Basket Hats, and Other American Indian Headdress, http://www.native-languages.org/headdresses.htm.

Twersky, Carolyn. “11 Celebrities Who Have Been Accused of Cultural Appropriation.” Seventeen, Seventeen, 4 Feb. 2019, https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/g22363821/cultural-appropriation-examples-celebrities/.

“What Is Cultural Appropriation?” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-cultural-appropriation.

“What Does It Mean to Appreciate vs. Appropriate Culture?” Vice-President Finance & Operations Portfolio (VPFO), https://vpfo.ubc.ca/2021/10/what-does-it-mean-to-appreciate-vs-appropriate-culture/.

“Why Traffickers Go after Native American Women.” FreedomUnited.org, 26 Mar. 2021, https://www.freedomunited.org/news/why-traffickers-go-after-native-american-women/.