It’s actually a pretty nuanced topic, that has been attacked and thus muddled intentionally, but the simplified version is similar to fraud.
Basically, if it’s not your culture, but you act like it is and get paid (or equivalent) for representing it in some way, then it is appropriation. Whether that matters or not depends on power relations, so people at the wrong end of the genocide stick, for instance the Cree, don’t want people to make and sell something like headdresses that are supposed to be reserved for very specific purposes. It’s a ripoff and wrong on multiple levels.
Think ‘stolen valour’ responses for people wearing military medals without the right, but add on lost income and a history of shit and abuse as salt in the wound.
Yeah, that’s inaccurate, sorry.
It’s actually a pretty nuanced topic, that has been attacked and thus muddled intentionally, but the simplified version is similar to fraud.
Basically, if it’s not your culture, but you act like it is and get paid (or equivalent) for representing it in some way, then it is appropriation. Whether that matters or not depends on power relations, so people at the wrong end of the genocide stick, for instance the Cree, don’t want people to make and sell something like headdresses that are supposed to be reserved for very specific purposes. It’s a ripoff and wrong on multiple levels.
Think ‘stolen valour’ responses for people wearing military medals without the right, but add on lost income and a history of shit and abuse as salt in the wound.