Stop Buying "Native Inspired" Designs
August 28, 2018 8:53 AM Subscribe
Brands need to do more to prove they're using this imagery in a respectful way—and hiring Indigenous people to design it
“I tried ignoring it at first, but it just got worse. Almost every brand had something Native American–related,” says Kee, who had at various points approached some of the brands for work but had never been hired. “A lot of them were using actual symbols that are sacred and mean something.”
“I tried ignoring it at first, but it just got worse. Almost every brand had something Native American–related,” says Kee, who had at various points approached some of the brands for work but had never been hired. “A lot of them were using actual symbols that are sacred and mean something.”
A good ally is someone who facilitates the opportunity for our people to speak for ourselves,”
AKA “Nothing about us without us.”
This shouldn’t be such a hard concept, but it clearly is to way too many people.
posted by rtha at 9:31 AM on August 28, 2018 [18 favorites]
AKA “Nothing about us without us.”
This shouldn’t be such a hard concept, but it clearly is to way too many people.
posted by rtha at 9:31 AM on August 28, 2018 [18 favorites]
On a related note, I love Sailor J’s take on “native inspired” makeup.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 9:42 AM on August 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 9:42 AM on August 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
If you want to support Native artists, the org mentioned in the link, NativesOutdoors, has an online shop. I've also purchased very happily from Beyond Buckskin, which has a jewelry subscription box now apparently!
posted by Snarl Furillo at 1:04 PM on August 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Snarl Furillo at 1:04 PM on August 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
in Seattle, the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center has an annual fair for native artists in December that I try to visit every year.
posted by bq at 3:58 PM on August 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by bq at 3:58 PM on August 28, 2018 [3 favorites]
Also here in Seattle but selling through their website too: Eighth Generation, whose tagline is “Inspired Natives, Not ‘Native-Inspired’”. They had a 25% off sale recently and most of my relatives will be getting wool blankets from there for Christmas.
posted by skycrashesdown at 6:22 PM on August 28, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by skycrashesdown at 6:22 PM on August 28, 2018 [7 favorites]
Smartwool just launched a line of “curated “ ie. appropriated sock designs. It was disappointing. Multiple people commented and they ignored it.
posted by chuke at 8:44 PM on August 28, 2018
posted by chuke at 8:44 PM on August 28, 2018
This shouldn’t be such a hard concept
Snowboard graphics have a rich tradition of appropriating symbolism and graphical motifs from all over the world. Celtic, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Christian religious symbols, comic books, heavy metal, stoner art, modern abstract art, surrealism, cubism, whatever looks cool. It doesn't stop being art just because it's printed on a piece of outdoor sporting equipment.
Asking them to stop using particular sacred symbols for specific religious reasons seems fair. Asking them to stop using anything that looks like it might be "native inspired" is going to be harder to sell.
posted by sfenders at 4:37 AM on August 29, 2018
Snowboard graphics have a rich tradition of appropriating symbolism and graphical motifs from all over the world. Celtic, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Christian religious symbols, comic books, heavy metal, stoner art, modern abstract art, surrealism, cubism, whatever looks cool. It doesn't stop being art just because it's printed on a piece of outdoor sporting equipment.
Asking them to stop using particular sacred symbols for specific religious reasons seems fair. Asking them to stop using anything that looks like it might be "native inspired" is going to be harder to sell.
posted by sfenders at 4:37 AM on August 29, 2018
the ask is to pay the people whose culture and history they are profiting from exploiting, not to stop using these designs entirely (and continue the process of genocide and erasure from society)
posted by polyhedron at 7:45 AM on August 29, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by polyhedron at 7:45 AM on August 29, 2018 [8 favorites]
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posted by leslies at 9:08 AM on August 28, 2018