Cultural Appropriation Illustration
It is undeniable that globalization and immigration have resulted in cultural diffusion, which has helped spread a vast diversity of cultures around the world. I’m sure we can all agree that being inspired and incorporating traditions from different cultures into our lifestyles can be both an enriching and unifying experience.
It is important to mention that cultural diffusion is different from cultural appropriation. While cultural diffusion can result in the preservation and acknowledgement of the uniqueness, cultural heritage and history of a particular group, cultural appropriation comes from the disregard of the origin, denial of recognition, claiming it as their own and rebranding it to the point where the appropriating group takes full credit. This can be disrespectful towards the people who are proud of these aspects of their culture as it strips away a part of their identity, resulting in misrepresentation. One can imagine how frustrating it must be to be living abroad and seeing your national dish or some other aspect of your culture being mislabeled and promoted as something it is not. I’m sure I'm not the only one who has noticed or experienced this!
Arguing over the origin of each cultural appropriation can seem irrelevant, but the sharing that ties cultures together should insight people to appreciate where their inspirations come from, honor the people who have created it, and become more caring towards one another. Wouldn’t it be great if our willingness to enjoy and connect with certain aspects of other people’s cultures went as far as embracing and making an effort to understand them? 🤍
Feel free to check my Instagram to see the full illustration