Get Ready For Halloween

A recognized form of cultural appropriation that occurs in Canada is the use and portrayal of Native American symbols in a way that is both incorrect and upholds stereotype. All those ‘Pocahontas’ and Native American costumes you see each year? That’s cultural appropriation. But so are the “Mexican” and “Sugar Skull” costumes (and every other costume that seeks to mimic cultural or ethnic clothing). Painting your face like a sugar skull for Halloween? Definitely cultural appropriation.

The question of calaveras in art is trickier. As a general rule, we let ourselves get away with a lot more in the name of art than we would in our daily life. Art, after all, is a form of expression that shouldn’t be censored. However, there is most certainly a proper way of going about it. Remember, the key definition of cultural appropriation is when the majority culture adopts part of a minority culture out of context.

What do you Steemit humans think about dressing up like a cultural character at Halloween?