Hello my lovlies!!!
I have not done a personal post in a LONG TIME so here goes….
Question time!!
What do you think about cultural appropriation? Is it a big deal to you or do you not pay it much attention?
I’ve only seen it in the Native American context aka where black and white kids dress up as Natives for Halloween.
I started thinking about where else I have seen people not of a culture wearing that cultures clothes and I can’t say I was ever bothered by it.
Ex: My family (with the help of church members, donors, friends, relatives, etc.) built a school and medical center in one of my parent’s villages and I know for many events or trips having to do with the center, folks would come in formal attire. The Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans would come in their traditional attire and many of our white guests did as well.
Now according to the (i like to call) social justice warriors on tumblr, these white people “should be ashamed of themselves kill themselves for wearing Nigerian garments….WHY???
I can’t speak for Native Americans, but I can speak for myself as one American with Nigeiran parents and say many of us are FLATTERED when non-Nigerian appreciate and wear our clothing. You should see their faces when we compliment them on their outfits. They are a bit nervous at first because they’ve never worn the outfits before but all is well when they see our faces.
I’m proud of my heritage. I’m proud that the African attire of various ethnic groups in Africa are on the global stage.
I WANT NON-AFRICANS TO WEAR THESE AFRICAN-INSPIRED CLOTHING.
Celebrate Africa.
If you can’t tell by now, I’m basically I’m OVER the complaining. As if there isn’t enough going on in the world, people want to complain about people wearing their clothes….*blank stare*. I don’t get and I don’t WANT to get it.
It’s like my grandma said when I told her about Americans having “no shoes day” in honor of the poor aka Africans with no shoes.
“You Americans have a lot of time on your hands don’t you?”
LOL. Too much time if you ask me :)