Shower thoughts... About cultural appropriation

[00100001]

So, I'll start with this is light. Not a deeeeeep meaningful thought it anything. More of a pondering.

Is it cultural appropriation to make recipes from other cultures? So for example, my 3yo niece and I read the book Chapatti Moon, and from that we made chappatis and some pakora.

Would it be (in some way) cultural appropriation? Or ... Maybe appreciation?

I would err to appreciation. However, I might be wrong! My reasoning is it we were learning about different foods from around the world and made them to experience them. Not "take" them as our own. If that makes sense?

As such is the British curry an appropriation? How to do "gate keep" things? Societies evolve and move on, partly due to external influences...

It must be a fine line for some things?

/End rambling

Oh god, not the dreadlock thing again. White people with dreadlocks have been around since Roman times.

In addition white people are more that capable of being Rastafarians if they believe in it, its not a colour thing.

'They' don't.

Most of the discourse around cultural appropriation seems to be coming from Americans (as in US Americans). Africans, Asians, Europeans, South Americans - from what I have seen have said that getting involved in their cultures, learning about food and beauty and clothing is a celebration.

Im just watching Ainsley Harriot now, I think its quite an old series on the food network, he is showcasing Mediterranean food, showing me how they make salads in the Levant, making money out of his TV career telling me how the ladies make date syrup.

I could say the same for any old chef.

This is how ridiculous the concept of cultural appropriation is

I agree with this it's generally others who bleat on about appropriation.
I think it's a point to be proud of if others want to dress like those of my culture, or enjoy the food of and so on.
There's a you tube video of a young white man dressed in traditional Mexican clothing, all the white people he asks are disapproving, but when he asks the Hispanics, they're actually really proud that he likes and wants to dress like one of them and none of them is offended.

It's generally only white wokers who are mortally offended and shout cultural appropriation at every opportunity. Unless you are being rude, offensive or trying to claim ownership of a product most people are generally heartened when someone from another culture enjoys it.

Not cultural appropriation at all. Go on and make all the food you want.

If you ain’t from Yorkshire, leave our puddings alone.

No OP. You are not taking the place of someone from that culture.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery because its true.

Blimey now its Rachel Khoo, basing her entire series on Sweden, but making a Tunisian dish 'her way' and now some Swedish biscuits with her 'own twist'.

She might just about get away with it due to her husband but she's making big money out of it

I think it is a compliment to make and eat food from different cultures and listen to different styles of music too.

It's only cultural appropriation if you're profiting from it.

No. Of course not.

Neither, it’s called making some food.

Have a non appropriated 🍪🙄

I remember driving many times past a take-away in Huddersfield called, if I remember correctly, 'Hari's Pizza Ranch'. Cultural appropriation much?

So, Jamie Oliver making and profiting from Italian food in his restaurants... Appropriation?

No OP, what you describe is not cultural appropriation. It is cooking.

Re-branding haldi doodh as ‘turmeric latte’, or ghee as ‘paleo butter’, is cultural appropriation.

Not much history of the UK colonising or oppressing Italy. Of course if you go back far enough they colonised Albion and we’re still using the name of the oppressors.

But, PPs we're talking about profiting from something from another culture.

Where does oppression come into it all. Or can only previously oppressed cultures be appropriated?

I'm not sure.

Oh dear god. So it’s just the British who can’t cook other foods?

And as to who colonised whom I think you’ll find the Romans invaded Albion.

Cultural appropriation is about co-opting part of another culture and failing to reference the original creators, culture and the significance/original use of the thing.

So the examples of a non-Indian person writing an Indian cookbook are not cultural appropriation.

Using another culture's ceremonial items as a fashion statement without referencing their significance/intended use is.

What? You say it’s only appropriation if white people do it but not the other way round? What are you talking about? So if a Polish person wanted to cook a Pad Thai (a Thai dish), would that be considered cultural appropriation because he was white, but if a a Thai person cooked Pierogi (a Polish dish), then that would not be considered cultural appropriation? Can you please clarify?

I literally said that.

Of course you can open an Indian restaurant if you're not Indian 🤨