Do you really know｜什么是“文化挪用”？

What is cultural appropriation?

Think of Katy Perry in her video for This Is How We Do, Madonna in a traditional Berber outfit at the 2018 VMA Awards, or Adele with her hair in bantu knots to mark Notting Hill Carnival.

That's right, we're talking about cultural appropriation in today's episode. It's a practice which has caused regular controversy in the world of pop culture. Most often, white artists are accused of using ideas, symbols or other items which come from non-Western minority cultures.

The definition of cultural appropriation itself is somewhat controversial, with many saying it is often misapplied by the general public. Its meaning has evolved over time to have negative connotations. It's problematic when someone belonging to a dominant community uses cultural elements from an oppressed people for their own artistic or commercial benefit.

In 1976, art historian Kenneth Kutz Smith wrote one of the first essays to discuss cultural appropriation. He didn't actually use the term itself, but brought together the ideas of class appropriation and cultural colonialism.

I don't understand the issue. What's wrong with mixing cultures?

It can be okay to mix several cultures, as long as it is a true exchange and not a one-way street. In the case of cultural appropriation, the minority culture doesn't have the choice of accepting or refusing. In some cases, the original meaning of cultural items isn't respected, or the elements are used in a way that reinforces stereotypes. Concept applies to more or less the entire cultural landscape.

In recent years, designers and fashion creators have also come under fire for supposed cultural appropriation. High-profile shows have seen white models sporting dreadlocks or wearing African wax prints. Meanwhile, at the same time in the fashion world, black models are underpaid or struggle to find work at all, so it's not an exchange on any level.

Another historical case would be rock and roll. A style of music which was taken from black musicians in the 1950s, the white-dominated music industry chose to promote white artists instead, with Elvis being the most famous example.

It's tough on modern-day cultural figures to have the weight of history on their shoulders, isn't it? What could they do differently?

In such cases, one solution would be to create a kind of positive cultural appropriation. Why not collaborate with artists from the culture in question and come up with something creative rather than a cringeworthy imitation?

It's possible to respectfully borrow elements from another culture with the intention of sharing ideas and diversifying one's understanding. There you have it!

词汇表
Berber outfit [ˈbɜːbə(r) ˈaʊtfɪt] 柏柏尔服饰（北非传统民族服装）
bantu knots [ˈbæntuː nɒts] 班图结（源自非洲的传统发髻造型）
Notting Hill Carnival [ˈnɒtɪŋ hɪl ˈkɑːnɪv(ə)l] 诺丁山狂欢节（伦敦年度加勒比文化庆典）
cultural appropriation [əˌprəʊpriˈeɪʃn] 文化挪用（强势群体采用弱势群体文化元素的行为）
controversy [ˈkɒntrəvɜːsi] n. 争议，争论
minority [maɪˈnɒrəti] n. 少数族裔，少数民族
misapply [ˌmɪsəˈplaɪ] vt. 误用，滥用
connotation [ˌkɒnəˈteɪʃn] n. 内涵，含义，隐含意义
problematic [ˌprɒbləˈmætɪk] adj. 有问题的，造成困难的
dominant [ˈdɒmɪnənt] adj. 主导的，占优势的，强势的
oppressed [əˈprest] adj. 受压迫的，受压制的
bring together 结合，融合（不同元素）
class appropriation [əˌprəʊpriˈeɪʃn] 阶级挪用（统治阶级挪用被统治阶级的文化元素）
cultural colonialism [kəˈləʊniəlɪzəm] 文化殖民主义
one-way street 单行道，单向行为（指只有一方受益的交流）
reinforce stereotypes [ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs ˈsteriətaɪps] 强化刻板印象
more or less 或多或少，大致上，几乎
come under fire 遭受批评，受到抨击
supposed [səˈpəʊzd] adj. 假定的，所谓的，据说的
high-profile [ˌhaɪ ˈprəʊfaɪl] adj. 备受瞩目的，高调的
dreadlock [ˈdredlɒk] n. 脏辫（一种将头发缠成绳状的发型）
wax prints [wæks prɪnts] n. 蜡染印花（非洲传统印花布料）
underpaid [ˌʌndəˈpeɪd] adj. 报酬过低的，酬不抵劳的
rock and roll 摇滚乐
cringeworthy [ˈkrɪndʒwɜːði] adj. 令人尴尬的，让人难堪的
borrow [ˈbɒrəʊ] vt. 借用，借鉴，引入
diversify [daɪˈvɜːsɪfaɪ] vt. 使多样化，丰富

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