Post #297066 by Sneakytiki on Thu, Apr 5, 2007 10:23 AM

I for one don't think she is a racist. I think that calling her one was uncalled for. This matter is completely separate from whether or not she was a troll, quick to anger, threatening, etc..
I also thought that it was unfortunate that we had a native Maori on this board and they were banned. But ignoring the rules due to ethnicity would hardly be fair.

If we are going to use art and sacred figures from another culture, I believe a person from that culture has a right to ask why, and a right to say they disagree with it. If they think all this polypop stuff is disrespectful, fine, they don't have to partake in this forum. Colonized, brutalized, genocized peoples of the Western hemispere, Oceania, Australia, and Africa can think appropriation is disrespectful without it making them a racist. I have issues with parts of it myself. I enjoy the fun use of Indigenous art such as souvenir totem poles or tikis but i stay away from the coco joes lady with huge sagging boobs and big feet, mammy figures with duckbill lips and exaggerated phenotypical features etc. These things to me are definitely mocking another race or culture. Others on this board would disagree. That's fine. I'm not forced to participate in this forum and neither are they.

Appropriation isn't isolated to Western cultures and that's part of the reason I don't have a problem with it as long as it's not racist or blatantly disrespectful/mocking. I think there is much more admiration/imitation of Oceanic styles on this board then there is mockery. I've seen posts that were definitely taking a superior stance toward native religions, cultures etc. but thankfully those are the vast minority here.

Peace,
ST

To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2007-04-05 10:25 ]