What defines cultural appropriation?

Question

A good few years ago I learnt what it is ( take something from another culture for fashion or fun for example)  so I know it's wrong to go wear braids that on a black woman is 'ghetto' or wear a kimono for fashion.

But we're having a celebration of Indian culture in school in a few weeks and I'm not sure if that's cultural appropriation. Basically we're experiencing traditional Indian things, for example We're doing henna tattoos, Bollyhood dancing, Listening to Indian Music, having Indian food for lunch etc...

I'm not sure if it is cultural appropriation because we're not passing it off as something fashionable but I don't want to be involved if it's wrong. So I thought I'd come to you ladies to help clarify if it's okay to do these things or not.

Accepted Answer

Are their Indian people there showing, explaining, and sharing their culture? If so, that's cultural exchange! Have fun!

If it's just a bunch of folks playing Indian then yeah that's probs appropriation sorry boo :/

Answer

Well you guys aren't doing that for fashion/fun reasons, it sounds like you're doing it for educational reasons.

Answer

Peoples arguments on the whole cultural appropriation thing i find extremely annoying it takes away actual legitment issues that face minority communities and puts attention to something that is relatively stupid and is often times a double standard. There of course is something wrong when people are mocking or making fun of a cultural but that's completely different then enjoying and celebrating the art of different cultures and that includes fashion. We can not truly be as one world if we have to constantly separate who we are by the color of our skin or by our ethnicity, culture, nationality, ect. Our differences are what make us beautiful and we should be able to share and exchange and enjoy one others culturals because we are one world and we all share being a human being so there is no reason to deprive other people from learning and understanding each other's different of backgrounds.

Answer

Ppl educating others on their culture and having outsiders to their culture experience these things specifically to learn isn't cultural appropriation and is okay

Answer

I don't think it's wrong as your just learning about it for a day, not taking it or trivializing it. People comeplain that Americans are ignorant of other cultures and in my experience it's true so I'm glad your school is trying something so immersive

Answer

That's not cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is like plagiarism of culture. Not exchange of culture. So imagine you had an idea and everybody put that idea as bad out as a bad idea then all of a sudden when somebody else suggests the same exact idea, it's so innovative, creative and everybody goes along and says how this other person had such a great idea. Totally ignoring the fact that it was yours in the first place. But it kept happening over and over again. That gets frustrating. So all throughout history that has been what has happened with African American culture with art, music, fashion, dance, and hair. Society considers it "bad" while it's the African American culture doing what's a part of their culture,  but then when white people do it, they adapt it as their own and make it seem like something they created. Aside from that, there was the whole issue of not only taking from African American culture but only liking AA's enough to try to be cool and steal from the culture while leaving AA's high and dry to fend for themselves which shows a lack of appreciation. Imagine that same person that stole your ideas and passed it off as your own pretending to think you're creative enough to steal ideas from but then when your job is on the line, he/she acts as if you are undeserving to be in the work place. It's the same parallel concept. Hope that explains things to you a lot better than just thinking "wearing braids is "ghetto" when black women wear braids."

Answer

Yeah that is fine. Indian here. 
Henna and food is not culture but it is fun to do it. Also Indian is the most wrong word for it. In our country each state has its own culture, language, food, traditions etc so I would look them up.

As long as no one shoots us, we find it as a victory in recent times.

Answer

I don't think cultural appropriation is something people should be worrying about. The world has so many bigger fish to fry than braids or clothes.

Answer

If they were doing all those activities without giving credit where credit is due that's when you have a problem. You're school is celebrating it, which is beautiful. If everyone did this more often for more cultures we wouldn't have so many issues right now.

Answer

If it's Indian people explaining their culture and is a learning experience, then it's perfectly fine. If it's just to have some fun and play a role, then it's best to stay out of it

What defines cultural appropriation?

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