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RE: My tattoos #5 - culturally appropriative "indian maid"
"We assert a posture of zero-tolerance for any "white man's shaman" who rises from within our own communities to "authorize" the expropriation of our ceremonial ways by non-Indians; all such "plastic medicine men" are enemies of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people."
This type of thing is what really ticks me off. People acting like they are healers and shamans, and reeling in upper-class white people with their clean and safe version of spirituality that steals distorts a tradition that is already having a hard time existing without people taking it away and making it more appropriate for consumption.
The biggest question to me is "What is your intent?". In this case there is intent to profit, not to share culture because of a true appreciation. I completely agree that extorting culture for money is wrong. But the whole "white people can't have dreads" argument is a far cry from this. The term Cultural appropriation has been so broadened it means nothing.
Update: White people participating in Yoga is now 'cultural appropriation'...