For my second post this week I really want to focus on what we talked about towards the beginning of the week.
We talked about buying artifacts that look Native American from nonnative vendors. This never really crossed my mind before we talked about this in class. The way it was explained made a lot of sense. Why are we buying things that only benefit big corporations?
After this class when I got home I noticed that I had a pillowcase with some Native American print on it that I had bought from Walmart. I ended up going out and buying new pillow cases and I’m not going to use that pillowcase again.
Thanks to this class period I was able to learn more about what cultural appropriation is and how to try and avoid it. From now on if I want something that is based off of Native American culture I will go to the source and buy it there instead of allowing big corporations to try and adapt what they believe into our culture.
I actually plan on going to the Navajo Nation this summer, August 4-11, and knowing what I know now I might get some items and talk to native vendors to see the importance and historical facts about their items. This way I can help support their local economy and help the people who made the items.
Jonathan June 29, 2018
That is awesome Jake! Also I agree with making sure profits benefit the people of the culture and follow cultural appropriation. I also believe we need to have a understanding of the materials we purchase and the meanings behind the different cultures traditions, beliefs, etc. Otherwise we can run into mistakes, like when the Olympics hired some one to design a logo for the games in Canada, but ended misinterpreting the meaning behind it. Which it ended up meaning a place of suicide. Plus this avoids disrespecting other peoples cultures as well.
mikerose June 29, 2018
Jake,
I also enjoyed learning about this. It is very ironic how all these “fake” native american artifacts that these big time corporations sell profit from them. Especially when we know how much tribes are struggling in the U.S. today and they could use the money more than anyone else. This is why it’s so ironic, nonnative people and organizations are profiting of native artifacts when they are the ones who truly need it the most. I think that’s awesome that you will be visiting Navajo nation this summer. It is good to see this class having an impact on the students, including me.
-Mike