Cultural Appropriation?

[Burgoo]

I've just stumbled across a few articles that make reference to mindfulness/medication and yoga.

Both articles argue that the Westernisation of both activities is "cultural appropriation" and that white folk in the West should think about how they are using these activities in every-day life. The key themes seem to be:

1. We need to acknowledge the concepts and where they originated
2. We must bring attention to the oppression that has been meted out onto minorities and other cultures if we are to use "their" concepts/activities
3. We should never benefit financially from activities that are stolen from other cultures (e.g. white-middle-class women shouldn't teach yoga if they are getting money from it because it is stolen from another culture)
4. We shouldn't just take the bits that are "relevant" to our culture - for example, using yoga for physical exercise and ignore the spiritual aspects of yoga.

So... what are people's thoughts on this?

TABU (they are being unreasonable, people who argue this)
TANBU (they aren't being unreasonable, we need to stop taking aspects of other people's cultures and respect all aspects of them)

I say they because I am undecided and wonder if I am missing something!

I'm not following - how does it prove your point? I also know white people with type 4 hair, quite a few actually. They can buy whatever hair products they want. As long as they're not stealing them from Black women I don't see why they're being in any way disrespectful.

Oh sorry- presumed you were interested at some level to have an opinion on whether it’s practice in the West was a concern or not. Must have misread earlier posts

This is the second time today I've seen arguments about hair. The first was people saying that white people can only have wavy hair and even tight ringlets aren't curls because the hair root isn't angled.

As a Yorkshire person I think everyone else should stop appropriating our cultural food and dress. Puddings and flat caps for God's own county only.

The conversations that people end up having on this topic are a true testimony to how fundamentally stupid it is.

I have an opinion on the fact a certain race is being blamed for something when yoga is practice all around the world by people from all walks of life. Is that okay ?

The fact that you have to ask is interesting. The culture of Europeans. Maybe Google can help you further. I don't believe in cultural appropriation is my point. Have you ever asked anyone else what African or Asian culture is?

Interesting
I don't know his background but if I fake an accent from my mother or father's country of origin, am I appropriating?

Stokowski was of Polish heritage on his father’s side - his grandfather came to Britain in the mid 19th century - and his mother was English.

If you're teaching or practicing only the physical aspects of yoga, then that is not yoga and you shouldn't be selling it as such.

A key element of yoga is the spirituality, so doing a "yoga" class without the spirituality simply isn't yoga.

I think it's ok for white women to teach yoga as long as they understand that and teach it holistically. They also need to make it inclusive.

Cultural misappropriation is saying "namaste" at the end of a class.

The weatern yoga industry is trash, it makes shit loads of money off an ancient Indian practice which often is mistaught and misrepresented.

I think the main issue is not people enjoying or sharing different cultures - it’s claiming it for you own and failing to acknowledge it’s heritage and giving credit to the people (especially marginalised groups) to who the customs belong or originated from.

It’s absolutely right that yoga has been whitewashed and bastardised and gentrified. Many things have.

Cultural appropriation is a real thing. Lots of people get tied up in knots about it but it’s not hard to blend cultures whilst being respectful? It’s a given isn’t it?

Dont worry- I don’t mean to highlight any particular « race » - I would say anyone of any background practising Yoga should be really mindful of its origins

The fact that you have to ask is interesting. The culture of Europeans.

There's no group 'european culture' though. There are multiple nations and identities in Europe with their own distinct cultures.

@Burgoo Link? I wants to read me these articles.

Both but not as basic as that.

Cultural appropriation for profit is the issue. Using other cultures simply to make money is wrong no matter what culture it is. Yoga is an everyone thing and I've never noticed anyone using is as a version appropriation...so I think that's a bit of a stretch saying you've seen it everywhere.

what would you like people to do as part of this being "mindful"?

It’s just more bollocks for people to be randomly offended by.

I would say anyone of any background practising Yoga should be really mindful of its origins

What does that entail though? If people enjoy it and aren't being disrespectful to anyone else, then what's the issue?

Lenny "Using other cultures simply to make money is wrong no matter what culture it is."

what would be an example of this happening please?
the reason I ask - I do creative writing and have been questioned about wanting to write a historical novel set in England, because of the colour of my skin...which to tne questioner, means that England isn't my history because my family weren't in England that far back.

I seem that person as a racist and they think I'm culturally appropriating.

Yes.

Yes let them buy unicorn tears for all I care but don’t casually imply that it’s not unusual for a white person to have type 4C hair because you just sound ridiculous…

Taken to its logical end that would also mean no man could write as a woman or woman as man.

Now think of it fiction could not exist as it is always imagining a situation, even if it's "your own", so we all write diaries.

What heinous shite. Ignore.

echt exactly! I think Antony Horowitz said this....that he'd not be allowed to write about anything other than being a 60something male Londoner.

That wasn't your point. If you had said its unusual then you would be correct. You didn't say that.

There is European culture and of course the subcultures with in. Didn't think I had to specify.

There is European culture and of course the subcultures with in. Didn't think I had to specify.

What are 'European' cultural practices then?

Sounds bonkers to me. Cultural appropriation implies abuse or profiteering on the back of a minority.

I would see if more as learning from each other, sharing ideas etc. Esstern cultures have also taken ideas from the west. They like pop music and football.