Cultural Appropriation: The
Politics, and Ethics of
Ethnographic Inquiry
In Canada, in the 1990's, Aboriginal writers are a
growing and vibrant population. But it wasn't
always this way. In fact, in order to read about
Aboriginal people you had to use books that weren't
written by Aboriginal people. Usually written by
anthropologists, missionaries or adventurers, these
books depicted Aboriginal people with varying
levels of accuracy... (Kenneth Williams).
Cultural Appropriation
• Postcolonial critique of representation:
--critique of orientalism, feminist
anthropological critique, postmodernist
critique, etc.
• Peoples efforts towards self-determination
--Third World, Fourth World
Appropriation:
• To take possession of another's material, often
without permission, reusing it in a context which
differs from its original context, most often in
order to examine issues concerning originality or
to reveal meaning not previously seen in the
original. This is far more aggressive than allusion
or quotation; it is not the same as plagiarism
however. (Art Dictionary)
Cultural Appropriation
Cultural appropriation is the theft of
rituals, aesthetic standards and
behavior from one culture by another,
generally by a "modern" culture from
a "primitive" culture — often this
involves the conversion of religion
and spirituality into "meaningless"
pop-culture (Webster’s Dictionary).
Aholi and Hano-Mana
• Supernatural beings to
the Hopis of Arizona
• Messengers from the
spiritual world
• Gifts and food
Appropriation
• Multidirectional
• A political action: Dominant culture takes
from subordinate one
• Cultural assimilation: Globalization of
information
If a political act one should
consider:
• 1. Impact on subordinate group:---the role of
cultural representations in a culture
• “The use of objects to embody a culture simplifies
complex notions of who and what a people are”
(Kristine Norget).
• 2. Wo benefits (financially and otherwise) from
appropriation?--power relations, economic, and
other advantages
• 3. Laws are inadequate to protect subordinate
groups:--laws need to be changed to protect
subordinate groups from cultural appropriation
Questions in anthropology
• Why and how is the notion of cultural
appropriation a major concern in ethnographic
inquiry?
• Who should have the “ownership” of ethnographic
information?
• Who should have the rightful claim to
ethnographic materials?
• Can anthropological cultural representations be
considered cultural appropriation? Why or why
not?
Repatriation
--Sharing ethnographic materials with
subjects
--Sending ethnographic information
back to the community studied
Influenced by two forces
• The questioning of cultural representation
by Indigenous peoples--Whose interests are
represented?
• Growing ethical and political concerns in
anthropology--correct some eurocentric
attitudes of the past (colonialism and
cultural appropriation)
Major developments contributing
to its reversal:
• Indigenous resistance --interest groups -intellectual property, Indigenous
nationalism
• Changing attitudes in institutions and
government agencies -- New rules and
ethical guidelines, AAA changing rules,
strict rules, more sensitivity towards other
cultures
Conundrum for anthropologists:
• No longer an unquestionable source of
academic authority
• What does repatriation imply?
Factors Underpinning the
Repatriation Debate are:
• Legacy of past and present exploitation is
now acknowledged
• Indigenous peoples organization
• Efforts by governments and academic to
correct the mistakes of the past on the issue
The Act of Repatriation Should
Make Sure that:
• Information should not harm either the
community or the informants
• It should not harm the interest of academic
research
Stephen Glazier (1993)
“Responding To The Anthropologist:
When The Spiritual Baptists of
Trinidad Read What I Write About
Them”
--Ethnographic materials should be
viewed as part of a continuous
process
The Problems with Repatriation
Opens some possibilities but also closes
other avenues for research
• Promotes acceptance at the same time can
fuel misunderstandings
• Can be used by some groups against other
groups in the community
• Sometimes it does not fulfill subjects
expectations
Discussion Question
• What are the technical, ethical and political
consequences of repatriation for ethnographers
and subjects?
• Do the potential problems of repatriation (for
ethnographers and subjects) outweigh the benefits
of cultural appropriation?