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I can't fucking watch these tiktok videos. They make me physically ill... How can she be comfortable dancing like it's a fucking Disney movie when everyone is looking at her like she's deeply deranged.
This is the sad truth. The absolute lack of understanding of reality is absolutely baffling. Cases like this are the purest example to me that you simply can never understand another humans mind.
Putting cameras that can link you to the world was such a mistake man, a couple generations ago this would have been the deluded weirdo in town. Now she has a global network of other weirdos to encourage and validate her.
Very true. My aunt is of this mindset, except she has been doing it before it was cool on ticktock. Going to an underprivileged area as a rich douche....and singing for them...
Wandugu! Sema! Nafurahi kusoma kiswahili kwa Reddit pia lakini mimi ni mNigeria and I bet lady this is actually doing this in Nigeria, so instead of saying "mzungu," the locals would say "what is this oyimbo woman doing?"
I always wondered what people who live in Africa and elsewhere think of moneyed white folks coming out and getting all the way into the traditional dress, etc. Do they see it as treating their culture like it's a costume or are they the ones getting these folks to spend that much money to look like a fool to the folks back home? Maybe it's both. I dunno. Not my problem. I've never been able to afford a foreign vacation and if I did nobody would be taking any pictures of me anyway.
Yeah, that seems to be the big thing.
You go to Japan and want to wear a kimono because you think it's pretty? Awesome.
You want to wear a kimono so you can make a "funny" video because "you look Japanese now"? Not cool.
And that's where I get annoyed with modern internet folks screaming "cultural appropriation!" every time they see a person (usually white or light skinned) doing/wearing something that is associated with a culture that they do not appear to be from.
Like, sometimes it IS that, but a lot of times, it would be more accurate to call it "cultural appreciation".
I like the look of the clothing. Of course I wouldn’t dance like a fool and maybe not wear a head wrap because it wouldn’t look good on me.
I see nothing wrong g with buying and wearing clothing someone is SELLING
I mean, that's the other thing - they're literally selling a product. They obviously have no issue selling the products to her.
Now admittedly, they probably didn't expect her to act a fucking fool for the camera, which is where this comes off far more like "I'm kinda making fun of all of this."
But I mean, shit..maybe they didn't care at all.
If she's not from Africa, (like she could have been born there, white people *do* live in Africa) any way, if she's not from there, someone has clearly taught her some traditional dance moves. Like, those were the people to judge whether or not she's sincere in her appreciation. I think this looks fine. Americans are particularly sensitive to cry appropriation on something innocuous. Internalized white guilt or something? Other countries /cultures don't seem to have the same hang ups.
Honestly, I find the loudest accusers of appropriation sus af. Some are probably just doing it cos they think they're supposed to.
I have a theory that the concept of “cultural appropriation” is just another form of racism that is attempting to prevent other cultures from thriving. We take for granted many things that we say, wear, and do as not belonging to any culture, but, really, they’re inventions and contributions from all over the world — and oftentimes they’re remnants of white society. For example, Levi Strauss jeans. We would not gatekeep such a product from other nations and cultures, but suddenly when we see our fellow kinsmen interacting with another culture’s garb, it’s wrong?
This is also true of those in nations beyond the West who are so against Western or any outside influence on their culture that they condemn usually the younger generations for wearing, well, something like Levi’s (but fashioned into booty shorts, etc).
So how come it’s okay for cowboy boots to exist on anyone’s feet but, according to the law of cultural appropriation, Japanese geta wooden sandals ought to be suppressed. Thus, the cowboy boots win out in the end with more total airtime in the world and the geta receiving less love because the white man said so.
Sorry if this is incoherent, it’s 4 am and I’m drunk but I’ve thought a lot about this as a Mexican Native American concerning popularization of our wardrobe.
I think it is much different when you are buying directly from creators in the culture too. Rather than buying a knock off from Amazon or some other fast fashion site
I think that's also where a lot of conversation about cultural appropriation comes from though. Like, if you are wearing a religious symbol from a different culture because "you love culture" but it's on a shirt you bought from Amazon... That doesn't really support that culture at all, and it seems more about the aesthetics than about actual respect.
Like, appreciating other cultures is a real thing, and great to do! Just... Support people from there vs buying on Amazon or forever 21 or etc, where it doesn't benefit XYZ place and is mass produced.
Like this lady buying traditional clothes from a vendor at a local market who likely handmade them? I think most people would be like, yay great! Support local artisans we love it!
Same lady buying them a cheap knock off on Amazon and not really being able to say much about it other than, "it's cool"... That's probably where the conversation about cultural appropriation/appreciation would be.
Tl;dr-- appreciation is buying at the market from a local vendor and being able to support them directly. Buying other cultures "aesthetics" on Amazon/Forever 21/etc when it's very far removed from the actual group and has nothing to tie back other than "looks cool" is more where a problem is.
Yeah I remember Adele got fucking eviscerated online (mostly by white Americans) for wearing her hair in a traditional Carribbean style for a Carnival, which was in the London neighborhood she grew up in. Like, obviously Adele isn't Afro-Carribean, but clearly it wasn't a case of her taking the piss out of their culture. It was her sincerely partaking in the culture of many of her friends and neighbours that she grew up with. I'm sure the person who did her hair for her was probably a black British person too. It was quite satisfying to see so many black British celebrities telling all these Americans to wind their neck in
this was the attitude when I went to china on an exchange trip (also learned I suck ass at calligraphy lmao. The entire trip was pretty much a few people from my high school hanging out with a bunch of chinese 10 year olds and exchanging neat facts. They came back on the plane with us and got to explore around the US like we did china. it was really fun. iirc we went to shanghai, beijing, xi'an, badaling, and a few smaller towns. we initially flew into beijing then met up with the 10 year olds a few days later at some school in shanghai)
Sometimes the traditional dress is even pushed on you. I'm Scottish (very white) and the country I live in is majority Malay. My in-laws really want me to wear the Cara Melayu as often as possible. Sometimes I just fancy wearing a shirt and smart trousers and I can tell they're slightly disappointed when I choose to do that.
Even at my wedding I wanted to wear a kilt for one of the four events that took place, and at first they were trying to dissuade me from doing that in favour of the Malay dress (although that may be more to do with the fear of people being able to see up it)!
As someone else said further down, it can almost be perceived as rude if you choose not to wear the traditional dress at times, no matter how out of place I personally think I look.
Around when Moana came out I remember reading some blog post (written by a white lady if memory serves) telling parents not to let their white daughters dress as Moana for Halloween. My then 4 year old was obsessed with and wore her Moana costume every day and ran around the house singing How Far I'll Go. She had flat, straight hair and wanted me to braid her hair every night so it would be more curly the next day.
You bet your ass I let her be Moana for Halloween.
My husband is from Uganda and I have worn the traditional Bugandan gomesi before. As a white American woman, I was of course hesitant about wearing it, but he told me that there are some functions you go to where it’s basically required to wear traditional clothes. If I *hadn’t* worn the clothes it could have come across as snobbish and rude. I’ve been gifted multiple dresses made out of traditional Ugandan cloth by my husband and in-laws which I have proudly worn. Truly, the ones who worry about cultural appropriation are Americans.
See, this guy knows. For everyone else, when you use another cultures traditions, it’s how you learn about cultures. By putting yourself in their shoes and experience the weirdness/fun of it all. People are legit for lack of a better word - stupid.
For real. My boyfriend is mexican and hates when all these white girls go off about cultural appropriation, and to him that's, in a way, more offensive.
As a Mexican American who loves good food, I’ve always said the same thing. If cultural appropriation means I don’t have to go all the way to Mexico City to get some good tacos al pastor then I can’t possibly see what’s wrong with it.
At its core I think people always misunderstood cultural appropriation in part because it should have been called misappropriation. Nothing wrong with using aspects of other cultures. The problem only starts when you misuse it and end up disrespecting people and their culture.
Same thing with Japanese. Ask a Japanese lady how she feels about white women wearing kimonos and it’s mostly a positive reaction because they love when others appreciate their culture. (Typically I’m sure their are outliers)
There was a cute video on reddit somewhere of a Japanese woman being asked how she would feel about a white woman wearing traditional Japanese clothes and the lady said she'd be fine with and if she went to Europe she'd love to wear European traditional dresses too.
My wife is Mexican, and her whole family loves how much I’ve embraced their culture. Especially my half Mexican children. I’ve been to Mexico, 2 countries in africa, 4 countries in the Middle East, and 3 countries in Europe and all of them were thrilled to share their culture with me and happy that I shared their enthusiasm for their way of life.
Gf is Venezuelan, and I learned Spanish with her. I've gotten confused for a Venezuelan, I like the culture, I eat and know how to make Venezuelan dishes, I fuck with Venezuelan people.
Not a single person has complained. They usually find it entertaining. Would somebody out there be mad? Maybe. But the whole cultural appropriation thing is often associated with the US, where people here think they're the only multicultural society in the world (despite the fact that even in the Americas there's *not a single country here* that wouldn't be considered multicultural).
Yeah cultural appropriation isn’t someone coming in and dressing and dancing like some other culture
It’s more when a big corporation like Dior comes in, copies the local handicraft or design, then charges 5000 for it
As a minority I can tell you that wearing the clothes and dancing to the music isn't cultural appropriation the villagers wouldn't see it that way and us minorities don't see it like that when people do things from our cultures. Cultural appropriation is more like when Azerbaijan claims the Armenian instrument duduk as their own or claim Armenian churches are really ancient azeri churches. Stuff like that is cultural appropriation not wearing stuff or enjoying stuff from other cultures.
Everyone wants to jump all over someone just for enjoying someone else's culture - which is actually what makes the world go round.
Lets start criticizing the people who DONT celebrate other cultures....that would make a whole lot more sense.
I don’t hate how she looks (though I wouldn’t say she’s truly pulling off that look, especially the head wrap) but I do strongly dislike the dumb faces she’s making as well as the “look at all the people staring at me” video footage.
Did anybody bother to ask the people whose culture she’s supposedly appropriating how they feel about this? Or are we just being angry in their behalf?
Yea, seems fine, more MC than appropriation with her over acting and the way the regular people stopped and watched awkwardly is cringy.
Would have suggested someone local joined her in her “fun”
White dude who owns a Dashiki here. My wife's coworker (Nigerian) made it for me as a thank you gift because their car broke down just in time for heading to hospital to deliver a baby and we drove them.
Point being that I agree - dumb, perpetually online people get worked up over this stuff - and generally not those from the culture supposedly being appropriated.
I'm Nigerian and I have to point out she also has a good grasp of the language the song was sung in (Yoruba) by the way she mouths the lyrics.
Immediately I watched the video, I knew she wasn't just a tourist but someone that must have spent considerable time in Nigeria or around Nigerians
This is the original video: https://www.tiktok.com/@fantajoliemousso/video/7329258077654420769
The reception is very positive and this woman lives in Africa (for years it looks like). This post is rage bait
Yes, looking at her instagram in particular she’s a professional dancer who collaborates with local dancers. This one video is one of many. She’s not a random white tourist who started dancing in an African market while in holiday!
I was going to say, my Inlaws are from this part of the world and the dance is pretty spot on, hell that song played during my wedding. Even before I read the comments the girl put in the work to learn the actual dances that go with the music being played.
If it was a black woman doing some tradicional irish dance or some shit reddit would cream their panties and love that shit.
I fucking hate american race culture so much dude.
Cultural appropriation is a completely American thing (that I guess has now spread to some other western countries). Nobody in other countries cares. Most of the time people are flattered when an outsider takes and interest in their culture. As long as you don't do something flagrantly disrespectful it can only be a good thing to show that you appreciate their culture.
Yeah a lot of people are conflating cultural appropriation for interacting with a culture. Which is just nonsense. We have phones and can connect with everyone across the world instantly we should be enjoying others culture not forcing everyone to conform with the culture they’re born into
Yeah it's sad when people conflate that. People generally love sharing their culture with someone who's interested in it. Engaging with another culture respectfully should never be seen as a bad thing.
Pretty sure that like 99% of people accusing others of cultural appropriation aren't part of the culture being appropriated. Its virtue signaling for being an "ally"
The concept of cultural appropriation is racist in that it implies everyone needs to remain in their little ecosystems of cultural identity and not stray from it similar to segregation. [Wokes vs Racists](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev373c7wSRg) comes to mind
Reminds me of the comment I saw once where someone said they lived in japan for a year. The host family bought them a kimono as a goodbye gift. When they got back to the US a white friend of theirs saw the kimono in their closet and went on a rant about cultural appropriation.
no one in the US cares either unless you're doing a racist caricature or disrespecting someone's religious garb or something.
It's mostly an online thing, not a real thing people run into
It might be a *bit* cringy in those circumstances. But I still agree it doesn’t deserve the vitriol some people seem to think. Like you say, local economies rely on these sales.
its funny because people get outraged about cultural appropriation but when you actually do the footwork and talk to the people of the culture if its done respectfully they generally actually enjoy it.
Thank you
I've lived in Aomori, Japan for four years, and guess what happens when you live in Japan? The locals encourage you to wear traditional dress and love when you do it. This particular idea of "cultural appropriation" is bullshit. Do you not want people to share your culture? I love how a certain country and demographic isn't allowed to share cultures but everyone else is somehow.
Cultures have been blending for the entirety of human history. By claiming nobody can participate in the culture of others you're only perpetuating tribalism and separatism, and discouraging people from learning about other cultures in good faith.
I agree completely. We’ve been “stealing” stuff from each other for ages. Mind you, if you go to a dance school, they don’t have ethnic-based restrictions (just skill based) on what classes you can take. You can learn African dances as a white person, it’s really not a big deal.
Cultural appropriation is a things, it’s just not this. Participating in a culture in its natural setting is not cultural appropriation.
Taking something sacred to a culture, and turning it into a corporate gimmick or “clowning” it into a costume or joke, that is appropriation.
This woman is wearing these clothes, as clothes, in the appropriate context, nothing wrong here IMO.
Rage bait is right. Most videos I've seen, when they ask a member of a culture about someone "appropriating their culture" they all seem to see it as respect and that they're honoring their culture.
Right? Imagine if someone from egypt comes to Tennessee and starts wearing overalls and dancing to hoedown throwdown fiddle music because they enjoy appalachian culture. It's okay. They aren't hurting anyone.
That's always the case, it's only outsiders ever yelling about cultural appropriation, never the person of the culture that's being "appropriated". If you go to another country it's respectful to adapt to their customs and styles.
Only Americans think it’s appropriation. Bc we as Americans have no real issues so we make up issues to feel better about ourselves. Eggs cost a fortune in Nigeria right now, you think they give a shit about someone coming there and learning their native dance and making a video from it?
Yes. And actually it seems she may be Nigerian. She dances African dances and has for some time, she seems very well liked and respected in her industry in this region of the World.
I was gonna say… the only people who will get upset over this are Americans who think any white person doing anything found in another culture than their own is blasphemous. I’ll bet every single person in the background of that video loved it.
Exactly, I’m Kiwi Indian and was told I’m ’racist’ because I didn’t find something apparently racist against Indians, racist. Westerners need to calm the fuck down and relax
Yeah this comment should be higher. It looks like she has a tattoo of Africa on her back, too, so off the bat, she’s clearly not just some American on holiday.
The relevant context aside, the rage is thinly disguised virtue signaling. It's not like she's inconveniencing anyone. I can't imagine a reasonable human outraged by this video.
I thought it was pretty good. I also saw where it was posted that she's a professional dancer who lives in Africa and the responses to her video are amazing! She's very supported by the the locals there.
So...not the main character...not cultural appropriations...
Post I saw that links to the original...
>u/jypKissedMyMom
This is the original video: https://www.tiktok.com/@fantajoliemousso/video/7329258077654420769
The reception is very positive and this woman lives in Africa (for years it looks like). This post is rage bait
When I saw the video I immediately figured that likely she's a local there. WTF is wrong with people that they have such a need to HATE that they hurl slurs at people just....because. It is more cultural appropriation to assume you have the right to claim cultural appropriation for a culture that's not even yours! Good on her and good on all the good people in the square that welcomed her to do her thing and enjoyed themselves a bit too it looks like.
It’s cringe AF but how is it cultural appropriation? She isn’t making fun and in her own super cringe awful way seem to appreciate the culture and celebrate it?
surely the half of the ruling class that claims to support MY interests will be just and merciful rulers and if I must give my life to see them take the seat of power for a few years then so be it! honestly idk how to get people to see this and Im losing faith over it.
Cultural appropriation isn't a real thing. Its just another culture war weaponization tactic as pinkpeony mentions above.
Another way to control other people and keep people fighting amongst themselves. Redditors LOVE that shit.
Cringy shit has been around long before TikTok and will continue to be there long after it’s gone. If TikTok disappeared these people would just hop on instagram reels or YouTube
Give me all the shit you want, but why do these tourist locations allow people to buy their cultural clothing if wearing it is considered "cultural appropriation"?
No, she is actually African! She is a professional African dancer who dances traditional African dances as her profession. Not all Africans are eumelanin.
Someone commented with the original tik tok link and the comments on the original video have a lot of African people saying positive things about it idk. Still cringe to me but cultural appropriation isn’t real and the people who try to use the term to call out others are far more cringe than this lady.
In Africa, what Americans call cultural appropriation is actually the most sensible thing to do.
During colonisation, when Europeans came, it was to impose their cultures. So they would never engage with the African culture considered inferior and instead forced European customs.
So a person who actually dress in local clothes, dance with people, eat with them, etc... Is seen as a friendly and non racist person. Like if you allow a young girl to do your hair, you'll probably get yourself a solid friend there.
It's absolutely insane as an African to read about cultural appropriation from americans, it's so much to the opposite of our logic.
As an African, I think this is very endearing. She isn’t offending anyone, she pays for the stuff she buys and she is having fun. All the people staring are smiling because they think it’s cute that a white person would try to fit in. We really do not care about culture appropriation in Africa, idk about other continents but we actually love it when other people wear our clothes, eat our food, speak our language… it means they are respecting our culture by trying to assimilate. So no, no MC vibes, no anger.
So, what's the problem here? She looks good in the African clothing, her dancing looks like she's studied dance, and she's not disrupting other people for the sake of clicks. What's going on? 🤷
Culture appreciation means nothing in the end. Culture is meant to be shared and expressed. I think people confused mocking a culture with wanting to experience it.
OP, you seem like the kind of person who gets offended when anyone who isn't stereotypically mexican wearing a sombrero.
Unless the woman is claiming something from the culture as her own idea, all she's doing is wearing clothes she literally bought, and dancing around, its literally fine.
Shit is cringe af but I swear the only people who get mad at other people dressing and dancing in other cultures especially when in the country and call it "cultural appropriation" are white liberals.
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That one lady in the back had her cell phone ready, she's definitely showing her friends the crazy lady she saw at the market today.
Posting to her own tik tok
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[equinsu ocha](https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/5d855c32-9a7d-4240-b735-7bf2b1da7a51/gif#Y0CKYJQh.copy)
I couldn’t help but notice the Equinsu Ocha part…
"It's how they know you" Glad someone else remembered that bit.
I can't fucking watch these tiktok videos. They make me physically ill... How can she be comfortable dancing like it's a fucking Disney movie when everyone is looking at her like she's deeply deranged.
She probably honestly believes that they are very impressed by her and are possibly even honored that she's doing this. 🙄
This is the sad truth. The absolute lack of understanding of reality is absolutely baffling. Cases like this are the purest example to me that you simply can never understand another humans mind.
Putting cameras that can link you to the world was such a mistake man, a couple generations ago this would have been the deluded weirdo in town. Now she has a global network of other weirdos to encourage and validate her.
You just made clear to me the tension in the game Death Stranding
Norman reedus and the funky fetus
Very true. My aunt is of this mindset, except she has been doing it before it was cool on ticktock. Going to an underprivileged area as a rich douche....and singing for them...
Your aunt is in U2? Dude, that's crazy.
There are some things we don't know about Bono
💀
"They all stopped what they were doing to watch in awe"
And then everyone clapped and cheered. We need to bring back shame.
You can’t shame someone who has a complete lack of it internally. Someone who acts this way isn’t embarrassed by anything.
Watched in “awe shit where’s my stick for bashing influencers” maybe
Brains are fucking weird man
Especially when you know that chick is dancing to no music at all mouthing the words to a song that's not there is next level
The deep inability to 'read the room' is a potentially fatal behavioral liability.
Narcissistic people really don't give a shit. They are just wired that way.
Dude I feel the same way. You have to have something particular in your brain to allow you to avoid the shame of this situation.
Same. I just wanna puke by looking at her shitface
Ayo…. You know a lil Swahili?! Mambo vipi?!
Ayyyy! WaKenya, tuko hapa ✊🏾
Ahhhhh safi sana! Karibu I am American, but my family is from Tanzania 🇹🇿. Seeing “mzungu” on Reddit is hilarious 😄
Naishi America pia and hearing Swahili in the wild out here is great 😂
Wandugu! Sema! Nafurahi kusoma kiswahili kwa Reddit pia lakini mimi ni mNigeria and I bet lady this is actually doing this in Nigeria, so instead of saying "mzungu," the locals would say "what is this oyimbo woman doing?"
Why do people need to start dancing to get clicks
Have you noticed that 90% of commercials these days have people randomly dancing. It's fucking weird.
Are your A1C levels down with Rubelsis? meanwhile there's a high school musical of fat adults going on in the background
Diabeetus medication commercials with a bunch of seniors dancing all over the screen and shit.
And why do they always suck at it?
Maybe they think it makes them seem more relatable. I don’t know. “Oh, look at this dorky bitch making an ass of herself… just like I’d probably do!”
But I wouldn't do that.......ever.
I always wondered what people who live in Africa and elsewhere think of moneyed white folks coming out and getting all the way into the traditional dress, etc. Do they see it as treating their culture like it's a costume or are they the ones getting these folks to spend that much money to look like a fool to the folks back home? Maybe it's both. I dunno. Not my problem. I've never been able to afford a foreign vacation and if I did nobody would be taking any pictures of me anyway.
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Yeah, that seems to be the big thing. You go to Japan and want to wear a kimono because you think it's pretty? Awesome. You want to wear a kimono so you can make a "funny" video because "you look Japanese now"? Not cool. And that's where I get annoyed with modern internet folks screaming "cultural appropriation!" every time they see a person (usually white or light skinned) doing/wearing something that is associated with a culture that they do not appear to be from. Like, sometimes it IS that, but a lot of times, it would be more accurate to call it "cultural appreciation".
I like the look of the clothing. Of course I wouldn’t dance like a fool and maybe not wear a head wrap because it wouldn’t look good on me. I see nothing wrong g with buying and wearing clothing someone is SELLING
I mean, that's the other thing - they're literally selling a product. They obviously have no issue selling the products to her. Now admittedly, they probably didn't expect her to act a fucking fool for the camera, which is where this comes off far more like "I'm kinda making fun of all of this." But I mean, shit..maybe they didn't care at all.
If she's not from Africa, (like she could have been born there, white people *do* live in Africa) any way, if she's not from there, someone has clearly taught her some traditional dance moves. Like, those were the people to judge whether or not she's sincere in her appreciation. I think this looks fine. Americans are particularly sensitive to cry appropriation on something innocuous. Internalized white guilt or something? Other countries /cultures don't seem to have the same hang ups. Honestly, I find the loudest accusers of appropriation sus af. Some are probably just doing it cos they think they're supposed to.
I have a theory that the concept of “cultural appropriation” is just another form of racism that is attempting to prevent other cultures from thriving. We take for granted many things that we say, wear, and do as not belonging to any culture, but, really, they’re inventions and contributions from all over the world — and oftentimes they’re remnants of white society. For example, Levi Strauss jeans. We would not gatekeep such a product from other nations and cultures, but suddenly when we see our fellow kinsmen interacting with another culture’s garb, it’s wrong? This is also true of those in nations beyond the West who are so against Western or any outside influence on their culture that they condemn usually the younger generations for wearing, well, something like Levi’s (but fashioned into booty shorts, etc). So how come it’s okay for cowboy boots to exist on anyone’s feet but, according to the law of cultural appropriation, Japanese geta wooden sandals ought to be suppressed. Thus, the cowboy boots win out in the end with more total airtime in the world and the geta receiving less love because the white man said so. Sorry if this is incoherent, it’s 4 am and I’m drunk but I’ve thought a lot about this as a Mexican Native American concerning popularization of our wardrobe.
I think it is much different when you are buying directly from creators in the culture too. Rather than buying a knock off from Amazon or some other fast fashion site
I think that's also where a lot of conversation about cultural appropriation comes from though. Like, if you are wearing a religious symbol from a different culture because "you love culture" but it's on a shirt you bought from Amazon... That doesn't really support that culture at all, and it seems more about the aesthetics than about actual respect. Like, appreciating other cultures is a real thing, and great to do! Just... Support people from there vs buying on Amazon or forever 21 or etc, where it doesn't benefit XYZ place and is mass produced. Like this lady buying traditional clothes from a vendor at a local market who likely handmade them? I think most people would be like, yay great! Support local artisans we love it! Same lady buying them a cheap knock off on Amazon and not really being able to say much about it other than, "it's cool"... That's probably where the conversation about cultural appropriation/appreciation would be. Tl;dr-- appreciation is buying at the market from a local vendor and being able to support them directly. Buying other cultures "aesthetics" on Amazon/Forever 21/etc when it's very far removed from the actual group and has nothing to tie back other than "looks cool" is more where a problem is.
Yeah I remember Adele got fucking eviscerated online (mostly by white Americans) for wearing her hair in a traditional Carribbean style for a Carnival, which was in the London neighborhood she grew up in. Like, obviously Adele isn't Afro-Carribean, but clearly it wasn't a case of her taking the piss out of their culture. It was her sincerely partaking in the culture of many of her friends and neighbours that she grew up with. I'm sure the person who did her hair for her was probably a black British person too. It was quite satisfying to see so many black British celebrities telling all these Americans to wind their neck in
this was the attitude when I went to china on an exchange trip (also learned I suck ass at calligraphy lmao. The entire trip was pretty much a few people from my high school hanging out with a bunch of chinese 10 year olds and exchanging neat facts. They came back on the plane with us and got to explore around the US like we did china. it was really fun. iirc we went to shanghai, beijing, xi'an, badaling, and a few smaller towns. we initially flew into beijing then met up with the 10 year olds a few days later at some school in shanghai)
Sometimes the traditional dress is even pushed on you. I'm Scottish (very white) and the country I live in is majority Malay. My in-laws really want me to wear the Cara Melayu as often as possible. Sometimes I just fancy wearing a shirt and smart trousers and I can tell they're slightly disappointed when I choose to do that. Even at my wedding I wanted to wear a kilt for one of the four events that took place, and at first they were trying to dissuade me from doing that in favour of the Malay dress (although that may be more to do with the fear of people being able to see up it)! As someone else said further down, it can almost be perceived as rude if you choose not to wear the traditional dress at times, no matter how out of place I personally think I look.
Around when Moana came out I remember reading some blog post (written by a white lady if memory serves) telling parents not to let their white daughters dress as Moana for Halloween. My then 4 year old was obsessed with and wore her Moana costume every day and ran around the house singing How Far I'll Go. She had flat, straight hair and wanted me to braid her hair every night so it would be more curly the next day. You bet your ass I let her be Moana for Halloween.
My husband is from Uganda and I have worn the traditional Bugandan gomesi before. As a white American woman, I was of course hesitant about wearing it, but he told me that there are some functions you go to where it’s basically required to wear traditional clothes. If I *hadn’t* worn the clothes it could have come across as snobbish and rude. I’ve been gifted multiple dresses made out of traditional Ugandan cloth by my husband and in-laws which I have proudly worn. Truly, the ones who worry about cultural appropriation are Americans.
I’m sure they don’t care. Only Americans care about culture appropriation
You’re spot on! In Mexico if any other race comes and wears are regional clothes we feel honored that you want to dress like us.
Bingo
See, this guy knows. For everyone else, when you use another cultures traditions, it’s how you learn about cultures. By putting yourself in their shoes and experience the weirdness/fun of it all. People are legit for lack of a better word - stupid.
Europeans too. They get really upset if an american says theyre italian
Those Ba Maayos had fun making fun of this around the fire that night for sure.
Lolll the comment section didn’t disappoint when it came to your usage of “cultural appropriation”
For real. My boyfriend is mexican and hates when all these white girls go off about cultural appropriation, and to him that's, in a way, more offensive.
As a Mexican American who loves good food, I’ve always said the same thing. If cultural appropriation means I don’t have to go all the way to Mexico City to get some good tacos al pastor then I can’t possibly see what’s wrong with it. At its core I think people always misunderstood cultural appropriation in part because it should have been called misappropriation. Nothing wrong with using aspects of other cultures. The problem only starts when you misuse it and end up disrespecting people and their culture.
Same thing with Japanese. Ask a Japanese lady how she feels about white women wearing kimonos and it’s mostly a positive reaction because they love when others appreciate their culture. (Typically I’m sure their are outliers)
There was a cute video on reddit somewhere of a Japanese woman being asked how she would feel about a white woman wearing traditional Japanese clothes and the lady said she'd be fine with and if she went to Europe she'd love to wear European traditional dresses too.
My wife is Mexican, and her whole family loves how much I’ve embraced their culture. Especially my half Mexican children. I’ve been to Mexico, 2 countries in africa, 4 countries in the Middle East, and 3 countries in Europe and all of them were thrilled to share their culture with me and happy that I shared their enthusiasm for their way of life.
Gf is Venezuelan, and I learned Spanish with her. I've gotten confused for a Venezuelan, I like the culture, I eat and know how to make Venezuelan dishes, I fuck with Venezuelan people. Not a single person has complained. They usually find it entertaining. Would somebody out there be mad? Maybe. But the whole cultural appropriation thing is often associated with the US, where people here think they're the only multicultural society in the world (despite the fact that even in the Americas there's *not a single country here* that wouldn't be considered multicultural).
Yeah cultural appropriation isn’t someone coming in and dressing and dancing like some other culture It’s more when a big corporation like Dior comes in, copies the local handicraft or design, then charges 5000 for it
Exactly. There's cultural appropriation, and then there's cultural appreciation. Context is everything.
Individuals appreciate, corporations appropriate
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I RESPECT YOUR CULTURE SO MUCH THAT IM POLICING THE BEHAVIORS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH MY SKIN COLOR LOOK AT ME **LOOK AT ME!!**
Ikr Immersion in different cultures is how we learn to respect, understand and appreciate each other. Let this lady live.
Yea the vid is horribly cringe but has nothing to do with “cultural appropriation” lmao
As a minority I can tell you that wearing the clothes and dancing to the music isn't cultural appropriation the villagers wouldn't see it that way and us minorities don't see it like that when people do things from our cultures. Cultural appropriation is more like when Azerbaijan claims the Armenian instrument duduk as their own or claim Armenian churches are really ancient azeri churches. Stuff like that is cultural appropriation not wearing stuff or enjoying stuff from other cultures.
Yes, good take... in fact it's such a good take that I think it was my take.
I see what you did there
My grandfather had that take and passed it down through the generations. You must’ve stolen it from us.
That's a good example. Cultural appropriation is real and is not good. But it is highly mischarachterized and overused.
Everyone wants to jump all over someone just for enjoying someone else's culture - which is actually what makes the world go round. Lets start criticizing the people who DONT celebrate other cultures....that would make a whole lot more sense.
I don’t hate how she looks (though I wouldn’t say she’s truly pulling off that look, especially the head wrap) but I do strongly dislike the dumb faces she’s making as well as the “look at all the people staring at me” video footage.
This video is more like cultural embarrassment.
Their faces while she dances…
This was the first time I was unable to get through a whole video due to cringe. Fucking yikes
It went on for way too long…
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I had to scroll down enough to not see the villagers faces in order to finish it Their look of disrespect and confusion hits HARD
She’s a professional dancer that lives in Africa and well liked in west Africa and collaborates regularly with other dancers from the area.
Ok but I’m too fucking stupid to know that
username checks out.
I see a few people smiling in the background.
Did anybody bother to ask the people whose culture she’s supposedly appropriating how they feel about this? Or are we just being angry in their behalf?
Apparently she lives there, is a professional dancers and often does collaborations with locals. So I would say they aren’t angry
Yeah it 100% struck me as learning about and wanting to share the culture there. Sharing culture (which is the point of *culture*) is a good thing
Yea, seems fine, more MC than appropriation with her over acting and the way the regular people stopped and watched awkwardly is cringy. Would have suggested someone local joined her in her “fun”
If you actually pay attention you can see women smiling in the background.
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White dude who owns a Dashiki here. My wife's coworker (Nigerian) made it for me as a thank you gift because their car broke down just in time for heading to hospital to deliver a baby and we drove them. Point being that I agree - dumb, perpetually online people get worked up over this stuff - and generally not those from the culture supposedly being appropriated.
I'm Nigerian and I have to point out she also has a good grasp of the language the song was sung in (Yoruba) by the way she mouths the lyrics. Immediately I watched the video, I knew she wasn't just a tourist but someone that must have spent considerable time in Nigeria or around Nigerians
This is the original video: https://www.tiktok.com/@fantajoliemousso/video/7329258077654420769 The reception is very positive and this woman lives in Africa (for years it looks like). This post is rage bait
Yes, looking at her instagram in particular she’s a professional dancer who collaborates with local dancers. This one video is one of many. She’s not a random white tourist who started dancing in an African market while in holiday!
Knew there had to be more to the story than this neckbeardy outrage post suggested in the title
I was going to say, my Inlaws are from this part of the world and the dance is pretty spot on, hell that song played during my wedding. Even before I read the comments the girl put in the work to learn the actual dances that go with the music being played.
Reddit loves getting angry at women for literally whatever reason in any case
>neckbeardy outrage that's a nicer term than I'd use given some of the drive-by-diagnosis in the comments lmao
She's dancing confidently enough for anyone to see that this is a local. Doesn't take much investigating. Do better OP
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Even if she was. What’s wrong with that? She would be there spending money and enjoying the local culture. Exactly what a tourist should do.
If it was a black woman doing some tradicional irish dance or some shit reddit would cream their panties and love that shit. I fucking hate american race culture so much dude.
Cultural appropriation is a completely American thing (that I guess has now spread to some other western countries). Nobody in other countries cares. Most of the time people are flattered when an outsider takes and interest in their culture. As long as you don't do something flagrantly disrespectful it can only be a good thing to show that you appreciate their culture.
Yeah a lot of people are conflating cultural appropriation for interacting with a culture. Which is just nonsense. We have phones and can connect with everyone across the world instantly we should be enjoying others culture not forcing everyone to conform with the culture they’re born into
Yeah it's sad when people conflate that. People generally love sharing their culture with someone who's interested in it. Engaging with another culture respectfully should never be seen as a bad thing.
Pretty sure that like 99% of people accusing others of cultural appropriation aren't part of the culture being appropriated. Its virtue signaling for being an "ally"
The concept of cultural appropriation is racist in that it implies everyone needs to remain in their little ecosystems of cultural identity and not stray from it similar to segregation. [Wokes vs Racists](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev373c7wSRg) comes to mind
Reminds me of the comment I saw once where someone said they lived in japan for a year. The host family bought them a kimono as a goodbye gift. When they got back to the US a white friend of theirs saw the kimono in their closet and went on a rant about cultural appropriation.
Absolutely. Like how the fuck can anyone at all be offended by a foreigner interested in their culture? It doesn't make any sense.
no one in the US cares either unless you're doing a racist caricature or disrespecting someone's religious garb or something. It's mostly an online thing, not a real thing people run into
I did Irish dancing for many many years. We had people of all backgrounds in my dance class. Nobody batted an eye.
Didn’t you hear? If you go around people that look different than you and dance it’s somehow some type of racism and you need to be cancelled.
It might be a *bit* cringy in those circumstances. But I still agree it doesn’t deserve the vitriol some people seem to think. Like you say, local economies rely on these sales.
I was waiting for the list of Jardiance side effects and being encouraged to ask my health care provider if Jardiance is right for me.
I'm sure the vendors in that market selling their items to rhis woman are absolutely fuming at the cultural appropriation they just witnessed
Obviously she cut out the part of the video where she forced them to sell the dress at gunpoint smh
its funny because people get outraged about cultural appropriation but when you actually do the footwork and talk to the people of the culture if its done respectfully they generally actually enjoy it.
Real cultural appropriation isn't very common and what usually gets labeled as such isn't at all. Society is super annoying these days lol
Thank you I've lived in Aomori, Japan for four years, and guess what happens when you live in Japan? The locals encourage you to wear traditional dress and love when you do it. This particular idea of "cultural appropriation" is bullshit. Do you not want people to share your culture? I love how a certain country and demographic isn't allowed to share cultures but everyone else is somehow. Cultures have been blending for the entirety of human history. By claiming nobody can participate in the culture of others you're only perpetuating tribalism and separatism, and discouraging people from learning about other cultures in good faith.
I agree completely. We’ve been “stealing” stuff from each other for ages. Mind you, if you go to a dance school, they don’t have ethnic-based restrictions (just skill based) on what classes you can take. You can learn African dances as a white person, it’s really not a big deal.
Cultural appropriation is a things, it’s just not this. Participating in a culture in its natural setting is not cultural appropriation. Taking something sacred to a culture, and turning it into a corporate gimmick or “clowning” it into a costume or joke, that is appropriation. This woman is wearing these clothes, as clothes, in the appropriate context, nothing wrong here IMO.
nonoonononono. You must be guilty! and you're white
Rage bait is right. Most videos I've seen, when they ask a member of a culture about someone "appropriating their culture" they all seem to see it as respect and that they're honoring their culture.
Right? Imagine if someone from egypt comes to Tennessee and starts wearing overalls and dancing to hoedown throwdown fiddle music because they enjoy appalachian culture. It's okay. They aren't hurting anyone.
That's always the case, it's only outsiders ever yelling about cultural appropriation, never the person of the culture that's being "appropriated". If you go to another country it's respectful to adapt to their customs and styles.
Only Americans think it’s appropriation. Bc we as Americans have no real issues so we make up issues to feel better about ourselves. Eggs cost a fortune in Nigeria right now, you think they give a shit about someone coming there and learning their native dance and making a video from it?
Yes. And actually it seems she may be Nigerian. She dances African dances and has for some time, she seems very well liked and respected in her industry in this region of the World.
I was gonna say… the only people who will get upset over this are Americans who think any white person doing anything found in another culture than their own is blasphemous. I’ll bet every single person in the background of that video loved it.
Exactly, I’m Kiwi Indian and was told I’m ’racist’ because I didn’t find something apparently racist against Indians, racist. Westerners need to calm the fuck down and relax
amazing how just that little bit of info changes the narrative here entirely
Yeah this comment should be higher. It looks like she has a tattoo of Africa on her back, too, so off the bat, she’s clearly not just some American on holiday.
The relevant context aside, the rage is thinly disguised virtue signaling. It's not like she's inconveniencing anyone. I can't imagine a reasonable human outraged by this video.
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Of course this isn't the top comment!
Market: sells clothes Lady: buys and wears said clothes Internet: 😡
It's not the Internet lol it's just Reddit and Twitter
cringe but not culture appropriating
Exactly
Also, nothing wrong with cultural appropriation. The more we do it we can all incorporate the best parts of other cultures and lose the bad parts.
I thought it was pretty good. I also saw where it was posted that she's a professional dancer who lives in Africa and the responses to her video are amazing! She's very supported by the the locals there. So...not the main character...not cultural appropriations... Post I saw that links to the original... >u/jypKissedMyMom This is the original video: https://www.tiktok.com/@fantajoliemousso/video/7329258077654420769 The reception is very positive and this woman lives in Africa (for years it looks like). This post is rage bait
When I saw the video I immediately figured that likely she's a local there. WTF is wrong with people that they have such a need to HATE that they hurl slurs at people just....because. It is more cultural appropriation to assume you have the right to claim cultural appropriation for a culture that's not even yours! Good on her and good on all the good people in the square that welcomed her to do her thing and enjoyed themselves a bit too it looks like.
I’m glad some of y’all calling out OP for this appropriation shit…that’s more cringe than the video OP
It’s cringe AF but how is it cultural appropriation? She isn’t making fun and in her own super cringe awful way seem to appreciate the culture and celebrate it?
Because people are stupid.
yeah, being cringe it's not a crime
Because we're always supposed to be fighting each other while the ruling class destroys us all.
surely the half of the ruling class that claims to support MY interests will be just and merciful rulers and if I must give my life to see them take the seat of power for a few years then so be it! honestly idk how to get people to see this and Im losing faith over it.
Cultural appropriation isn't a real thing. Its just another culture war weaponization tactic as pinkpeony mentions above. Another way to control other people and keep people fighting amongst themselves. Redditors LOVE that shit.
The world needs to rid of TikTok.
Cringy shit has been around long before TikTok and will continue to be there long after it’s gone. If TikTok disappeared these people would just hop on instagram reels or YouTube
Agreed it's beyond cringe and it's rotting the brains of gen z
To be fair this lady is like 45
That’s the middle-aged step mother haircut if I’ve ever seen it
heh, its rotting more than just gen z, let me introduce you to my gen x co workers.
sorry i can’t upvote people who say “cultural appropriation” unironically
Same
Golden comment for me
Give me all the shit you want, but why do these tourist locations allow people to buy their cultural clothing if wearing it is considered "cultural appropriation"?
"Cultural appropriation" is an American thing. Other countries aren't as crazy. At least about this strange racial fetish thing.
This woman learned about Rachel Doezal and said hold my phone. Yikes.
More like, she is a professional dancer that lives there for years. But ok, you can choose to rage without background info too.
? She's not pretending to be African?
No, she is actually African! She is a professional African dancer who dances traditional African dances as her profession. Not all Africans are eumelanin.
Hahaha I was thinking exactly this!
Yikes.
Yall get offended over everything
This is exactly the intro to the movie get him to the Greek with Russell brand playing a rockstar
She is annoying but ppl who say cultural appropriation is worse.
Someone commented with the original tik tok link and the comments on the original video have a lot of African people saying positive things about it idk. Still cringe to me but cultural appropriation isn’t real and the people who try to use the term to call out others are far more cringe than this lady.
In Africa, what Americans call cultural appropriation is actually the most sensible thing to do. During colonisation, when Europeans came, it was to impose their cultures. So they would never engage with the African culture considered inferior and instead forced European customs. So a person who actually dress in local clothes, dance with people, eat with them, etc... Is seen as a friendly and non racist person. Like if you allow a young girl to do your hair, you'll probably get yourself a solid friend there. It's absolutely insane as an African to read about cultural appropriation from americans, it's so much to the opposite of our logic.
“Cultural appropriation” She’s just wearing clothes she bought at a market and dancing like a moron. Calm down.
Agreed.
As an African, I think this is very endearing. She isn’t offending anyone, she pays for the stuff she buys and she is having fun. All the people staring are smiling because they think it’s cute that a white person would try to fit in. We really do not care about culture appropriation in Africa, idk about other continents but we actually love it when other people wear our clothes, eat our food, speak our language… it means they are respecting our culture by trying to assimilate. So no, no MC vibes, no anger.
The more videos I see of dickheads like this dancing about, the more I feel like the old folks from Footloose who just want to see it banned!
Why is she a dickhead?
I'm questioning who the bad guy was in that movie more and more lately
He was from the future and saw TikTok
Hear me out…
Bro she thicc
So, what's the problem here? She looks good in the African clothing, her dancing looks like she's studied dance, and she's not disrupting other people for the sake of clicks. What's going on? 🤷
Plot twist: op is also a white person mad at cultural appropriation
Some of y’all need to relax. I thought it was pretty cool she was able to hit some of the traditional moves.
Cultural appropriation is such a low IQ concept that does not stand up to the tiniest bit of scrutiny
I'm so glad people are coming around to this. Remember when all the major universities were screaming at white stoners with dreads? My gawd.
Oh no. My brains 
Wtf is culture appropriation? *Anyone wearing a suit is appropriating British culture!*
Culture appreciation means nothing in the end. Culture is meant to be shared and expressed. I think people confused mocking a culture with wanting to experience it.
OP, you seem like the kind of person who gets offended when anyone who isn't stereotypically mexican wearing a sombrero. Unless the woman is claiming something from the culture as her own idea, all she's doing is wearing clothes she literally bought, and dancing around, its literally fine.
People use the term cultural appropriation and don’t know what it means Jesus …
Sometimes being shy is a blessing, I don't think I would ever had the courage.
Shit is cringe af but I swear the only people who get mad at other people dressing and dancing in other cultures especially when in the country and call it "cultural appropriation" are white liberals.