Cultural Appropriation: The Politics, and Ethics of Ethnographic Inquiry

1. 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).

2. Cultural Appropriation • Postcolonial critique of representation: --critique of orientalism, feminist anthropological critique, postmodernist critique, etc. • Peoples efforts towards self-determination --Third World, Fourth World

3. 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)

4. 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).

5. Aholi and Hano-Mana • Supernatural beings to the Hopis of Arizona • Messengers from the spiritual world • Gifts and food

6. Appropriation • Multidirectional • A political action: Dominant culture takes from subordinate one • Cultural assimilation: Globalization of information

7. 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

8. 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?

9. Repatriation --Sharing ethnographic materials with subjects --Sending ethnographic information back to the community studied

10. 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)

11. 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

12. Conundrum for anthropologists: • No longer an unquestionable source of academic authority • What does repatriation imply?

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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?