golden-zephyr:

I keep getting asks regarding this, so I figured I’d make a legitimate post about it.

People always tell me that I’m racist for calling out appropriation of Native American and Walking People (gypsy) clothing, religious beliefs, and other items. Often I am told that telling someone they can’t wear Native American items or call something gypsy makes ME the racist—and not them.

Well, here’s an interesting fact:

Native American and Walking People are oppressed minorities that have suffered a great deal of oppression, racism, and discrimination over a very LONG historical period of time. Yet, people seem rather obsessed with stereotyped versions of both cultures (they hate the people, but want our stuff)…

Let’s look at what everyone’s favourite one-stop info-site has to say (Wikipedia):

Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group.

The term cultural appropriation has a negative connotation, usually when the subject culture is a minority culture or somehow subordinated in social, political, economic, or military status to the appropriating culture; or, when there are other issues involved, such as a history of ethnic or racial conflict between the two groups.

Both Native American and Walking People cultures fit under this label.

Let’s see what else the god-of-knowledge (Wikipedia) says:

Examples include sports teams using Native American tribal names, tattoos of Polynesian tribal iconography, Chinese characters, or Celtic bands worn by people who have no interest in, or understanding of their original cultural significance. When these artifacts are regarded as objects that merely “look cool”, or when they are mass produced cheaply as consumer kitsch, people who venerate and wish to preserve their indigenous cultural traditions may be offended. In Australia, Aboriginal artists have discussed an ‘authenticity brand’ to ensure consumers are aware of artworks claiming false Aboriginal significance. The movement for such a measure gained momentum after the 1999 conviction of John O’Loughlin for the fraudulent sale of works described as Aboriginal but painted by non-indigenous artists.

Most of those wearing so-called “War Bonnets” or frolicking in fields as “Gypsies” have no interest in, or understanding of the original cultural significance of the clothing or the language they use. 

Cultural Appropriation then, is not something that you should want to take part in. If you DO have the urge to understand or use something from an indigenous people (or Nomadic people), then in the name of all things Holy, PLEASE find out the true significance and meaning of the items, words, symbols, etc BEFORE deciding to get a tattoo or take a picture and upload it to the internet. 

Think carefully how you want people to see you and your actions. Think about the people from which the thing you are using has come from and think hard about what you’re about to do.

Do you know the meaning of the object/symbol?

Are you using/showing the item in the correct way?

(In some cases) Do you have permission to use the item in that way?

Are you using the object/symbol/word deliberately out of context?

Are you being respectful?

If the answer to ANY of these is no, then STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER.

In all likelihood, if people did this, the amount of posting here on the gypsy tag would drop by 90% and I would not shed one single tear.

The word gypsy is a racist slur and should not be thrown around as though it’s nothing, regardless of whether or not white people think its meaning has changed. The meaning will NEVER change for us, considering it was used as a branding mark in Auschwitz. However, that does not preclude Rroma or other Walking People from choosing to use the term however they please. Sometimes, in order to actually have people understand what we’re trying to say, we HAVE to use the word. I’ve had some Native Friends tell me the same thing—that they could say Cree or Choctaw all they want, but usually the response is “OH you mean American Indian!” …

Actually, NO… what we say is what we mean.

I am Rroma. 

Lastly, I’d like to address the other common misnomer that getting a Kanji (Japanese/Chinese) tattoo or a “gypsy head” are NOT racist because they are art.

Okay, so let’s look at the idea of art and racism:

[From Jim Crow History]

“Everywhere one turned were brightly colored and skillfully drawn images of big-eyed and thick-lipped blacks eating corn, sporting fanciful attire and riding a wild pig or some other farm animal, aping white elites to comic effect, trying to ice skate, clumsily walking along a high fashion boulevard, haplessly trying to ride horses in the manner of an English gentleman, and strutting proudly in exaggerated dress at parties and “darkey” balls.

And soon, the images became products themselves—racist dolls and Mammy-style metal banks flooded the consumer market as children’s toys. By 1900, so accepted was the popular concept of black inferiority that racist brand names, such as “Niggerhead,” began to appear—usually selling some aspect of blackness, such as ink or dye.

This outpouring of images, performances, and music was supported by a largely racist or else highly romanticized literary tradition. The novels and writings of Joel Chandler Harris, especially his Uncle Remus tales, written from 1888 through 1906, looked back at the days of plantation slavery as a time of racial harmony in which happy and simple-minded blacks lived with respect and dignity as slaves.”

To a large extent, this is what has happened with the word gypsy over time. We’re still in the “romanticized [literary] tradition” in the US, which although romantic is according to all of this information, racist.

Even now, the images one sees of “gypsies” are either dirty, begging, thieving, prostitute women and naked wild children, or Esmeralda, tambourine-wielding fortune tellers who’ll curse you if you don’t pay. These stereotypes are prevalent in the media (movies, print, photography, and especially in the US ‘hipster’ scene). 

No one stops to consider where the word comes from or if “real” gypsies still exist. We’re so marginalized and misrepresented we’re not even worthy of a second glance. 

So I don’t care if your romanticized tattoo of a gypsy/sugar skull is a Rembrant-worthy piece of artwork, it is unfortunately, still racist and will always BE racist.

Did you get a tattoo of some Japanese or Chinese because it’s cool but can’t speak the language and don’t know where the language originated or why it’s used? Do you have the kanji for something culturally significant written on you but no other interest in it’s meaning? How about a Buddhist phrase, because it’s super coooool, but you’re not Buddhist and not interested in the plight of the Tibetans or the Theraveda monks in Vietnam, and you don’t have any idea of the significance of the phrase or it’s historical, cultural, and religious significance?

A popular one is of the Chenrezig Mantra: Ohm Mani Peme Hung

and people have zero idea exactly what those words mean, what they stand for, and why they’re written that way (and it’s not as simple as the words themselves—there are the six paramitas and the realms and more)…

Calling something art does not give it some anti-racist super hero quality.

Art is, and can be, racist.

Period.

So, please THINK about your actions. Think about your choices. Think about whether or not you WANT to be a racist. If you don’t, then please PLEASE think twice before stealing from our cultures and trying to make it your own.

You have enough already.