Native American costumes: Appreciation or Approriation?

What do you think? Where is the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation?
#germany #nativeamerican #costumes #carnival #shorts

[D.Ambrose]

Hello, as an actual Native American, I can say that Italian and German films and TV provided more work for Native Americans in the era of the Western than Hollywood did.

Often times Hollywood would cast Mexicans because they were closer and well, also brown.

German and Italian filmmakers wanted authenticity so they grabbed true native actors when possible.

I’m here for this, I’m happy to see our culture spread and exist across the world without interference. Happy as a clam, actuslly

[tobiwan]

You mean like tourists wearing dirndls or lederhosen as a costume?

[haselmaus]

Sometimes imitation is the highest form of admiration.

[eliyah]

I'm fully native american and this is hilarious, people need to lighten up and stop living just to be opressed. It'd be better if they did have a few actual natives to teach them how it's done.

[mariaslasovicz]

My Blackfoot friend in Canada always thought the German reverence for Indian culture and Winnetou was one of their most endearing traits. We do not cry out if you wear a Dirndl at our Oktoberfest or found the Schwarzwaldschnitzelhaus in Ontario. So everyone, just relax.

[Lysandra-]

Are the many tourists wearing fake dirndls and lederhosen at Oktoberfest okay? People have become far too sensitive, there are far worse things we could talk about

[ricachicka]

As a German I can tell you that dressing up as Native American was my favourite thing to do as a kid! And it wasn’t meant in a disrespectful way at all. I was just fascinated by the culture and the stories about native people. I think it’s the same for almost all of us.

[ravenation]

I am not a Native American and I am not white European either. But I would love to see people from other cultures wearing our costume because why not !? USA should keep their issues to themselves.
This victim attitude is what divides us and shows everyone how different everyone is rather than being one with each other.

[The_HealingSpace]

Americans need to realize that people who have ACTUAL culture LOVE to share it with other people and cultures and also honor other cultures and it's fine.

[charlottedgh]

I was surprised to see the same Hallie wearing a dirndl just 4 months ago - not as a member of a Bavarian tradition's club, but just as a party costume at Octoberfest. I'm not sure what I should think about it choosing the same presenter for this topic?!

[Sharp]

Americans should keep their "issues" within their borders.

[garrettyankton]

Victim mentality. I’m native btw and I don’t care what so ever

[starlinguk]

Does the lady realise that the native Americans are the heroes in a Winnetou books? Nobody is making fun of them.

[guzziwheeler]

Yes, if only it was about wearing the clothes of other cultures. But the cultural appropriation goes much further: my German cousin wears French dresses and shoes (!). South American dances are taught in German dance schools (!!). My German neighbor drives an Italian car. A German work colleague has learned two foreign languages is even cheeky enough to speak them in public. And myself...., well, mea culpa, but I really enjoy eating homemade Spaghetti and Paella. And I drink spanisch wine with it. And afterwards a greek Ouzo. God have mercy on my soul.

[kzuxtnv]

Karl May and his very informed books about other cultures (not just "Indians" but also China etc.) inspired a whole generation to be interested in other cultures. Many of them studied anthropology. I met several professors of anthropology who ended up studying tribal people because of him.

[johnysharki]

Don't bring american sensitivity into other countries. I'm a middle eastern bedouin and it makes me so happy to see other people wearing our cultural attire. As long as someone is not mocking it, its okay. If they want to wear it for Halloween or a festival or whatever that is totally fine

[BadlanderX]

Wow what a load of bull . You dont see Irish people getting upset when half the world celebrates Saint Patricks day

[Hehe..]

Glad to see the German consensus is “stay out” American sensitivity towards what is offensive are not reflected all over the world. And they laugh at us whenever we think we are helping them by getting them to change

[nebelland]

„Native people are still around“….yes, native Americans are the biggest foreign population group in Germany….not 🙄
I am so tired of this. Nobody says a word, if foreigners wear Dirndls at the Oktoberfest or even if people who are not Bavarians use them to dress as Bavarians for carnival.
Nobody complains, if Africans straighten their hairs like europeans….we simply don’t care. But the moment Europeans or in general white peoples do something, people think it is racism or cultural disrespect.
This world is going crazy.
About native Americans: everything is wrong today…old western movies are wrong, because they portray them as uncivilized enemies. Our Winnetou books and movies are wrong, because they portray Winnetou (chief of apaches) as „the noble wild“, which basically means he is the good hero. Bad is wrong, good is wrong…..whatever.
Honestly? I don’t care. If people want to be offended, because in a country far away some people like to dress in costumes and play „Indianer“, because they liked some of germanys most popular books…let them be offended.

[theawesomest]

No intention equals no harm. Stop gatekeeping