Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery
“I love your hair… How long did you have to sit to get it done?”
“Your skin feels so soft. What moisturizer do you use?”
“I love that shirt print you have on. Did you make it yourself?”
“Why do you have that on your head? A bonnet? Oh, Why?”
“Is that your real hair? I would love to touch it.”
Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery …If you are a visible minority residing in a different country, there’s a 90% chance you have been asked either one or more of the questions above. It would seem as if other cultures equally fascinate and puzzles people of different race. Cultural appropriation is a ‘buzzword’ that gets floated around when anyone other than the race members adopts certain customs, practices or ideas. There is always a stir when a celebrity tries something known to belong to a different race, and social media trolls have their field day with comments and opinions.
All around the world, diversity is the main component that both unites and separates people. Objectively, there is a massive line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, and intent is the great divider. The idea that everyone who puts on a costume or tries to imitate something from a different race makes headlines and is automatically classified as mocking the race or termed cultural appropriation is not right.
So, where do we draw the line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation?
To better understand cultural appropriation, it is best to examine plagiarism. Plagiarism is based on the false premise that ‘I will take something created by someone else, and then present it as my creation’. This is very wrong and falls near in line with cultural appropriation. However, not every Caucasian with braided hair or dreadlocks may claim to own the “act” or have created braiding or locking hair. At first sight, there is not enough information about anyone imitating a different culture for the first assumption to be ‘appropriation,’ so it’s unfair to make it.
On the other hand, cultural appreciation is as simple as seeing something interesting from another culture and choosing to imitate it because you like/love it. There are no claims made during appreciation or denial of the valid owner of the culture. It shocks me when I see many videos of people asking for permission before trying something new for fear of being“cancelled”. Everyone is influenced by what is seen and heard, affecting what we do and how we act. The internet has exposed every race to every other race, and it is not fair that people are scared of using or trying out what is seen even though they love it and appreciate how it looks.
Sadly, the fear of doing something characterized by another culture is frowned upon in our world. If you are not close enough to someone to determine the intent behind their reason for trying out other cultures, you shouldn’t have an opinion about it. It’s okay to appreciate different cultures and be influenced by them. The only thing wrong is a lack of understanding, which leads to disrespect. Do some research before you try anything to understand the basics, and if it’s something as simple as braids and your scalp can tolerate it, try it., Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery, so go ahead and don’t be afraid to try something new from a different culture today. A little reading never hurts, so add that as well.
Image by Clarissa Carbungco
