Cultural Oversensitivity ?

[kiwiwolf]

Okay, so it's an hour after I have finished having a Native American armband tattooed on my right arm and I'm in the supermarket. The tattoo is exposed so that it has time to dry out.
While browsing the Deli bar for salmon steaks, I'm accosted by this very earnest looking critter who proceeds to dress me down for "hi-jacking the symbolism of another culture." Keep in mind that I am in New Zealand and that this rooster was a Kiwi. I put up with his diatribe for a few minutes before politely telling him to eat shit and die, then removing myself from his presence.

Before I have anything tattoed on my body, I do a lot of thinking about what it means to me. My stomach and back is dedicated to Japanese imagery... the irezumi. I have great respect for the Japanese philosophy, and the tattoo will eventually tell a story when it is finished. My chest has two big english roses, with my families names woven through the stems and petals. My arms are reserved for Native American images and symbols. I did this to reflect the respect I have for the Native American peoples love and one-ness with the outdoors. (Is one-ness a word... too bad).

I would be bullshitting if I were to say that my choices were solely motivated by my respect and admiration for these cultures. The images translate beautifully into tattoo work.

Am I wrong for using images and icons from another culture to decorate my bod? Is it a show of disrespect?

All opinions would be really welcome.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Am I wrong for using images and icons from another culture to decorate my bod? Is it a show of disrespect?

All opinions would be really welcome.

I don't consider it disrespectful... my tat is of an ankh (egyptian) and the one i'm getting in the next couple weeks is a celtic knotwork design around my ankle... i love tribals too.

the only disrespect I can see is if you were getting tats with no thought behind them. As long as they mean something to you, and they're done respectfully, I see no problem which culture you take them from.

 

[Poverkhnost]

Early overinterpretation

It's great that you want to use other cultural symbols, as long as you're doing it respectfully. It sounds like you are because it's out of respect and admiration.

It seems that too often people would rather preach a sermon without knowing the motivation of a person's actions rather than wait and consider the reality. Congratulations on your new tatoo. I'm not a fan for myself, but do enjoy symbols from other cultures to add to my own.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

Hey, don't sweat it buddy. I have had flack from people in New Zealand because I write books about other cultures and not mine!! Hell, you put on you what you want.

 

[Guest]

Never worry about what other people think or say man..... just worry about what you think. Let people have their opinions.... it is yours you have to worry about. If you like what you have or do then why should it matter to anyone else?

 

[Angelus]

that was mine.

 

[kiwiwolf]

Never worry about what other people think or say man..... just worry about what you think. Let people have their opinions.... it is yours you have to worry about. If you like what you have or do then why should it matter to anyone else?

He didn't worry me, it just got me thinking about when being culturally sesitive turns into something approaching the ridiculous. I don't begrudge him his opinion, just the way he voiced it. And yeah I suppose it did get me questioning my choices for a while.

PCG, TH, and Poverkhnost, thanks for the input folks. It does a mind good to be validated once in a while.

 

[Laurel]

I think that's more ignorance than over-sensitivity. All cultures borrow from other cultures. That guy's a maroon.

 

[kiwiwolf]

that was mine.

Shit! If that is you in your AV then I think I know you... Are you familiar with Papa Jacks Voodoo Lounge on Vulcan Lane in the city?

 

[kiwiwolf]

I think that's more ignorance than over-sensitivity. All cultures borrow from other cultures. That guy's a maroon.

My God... Laurel on my thread... pull up a chair ... coffee?... can I polish your toenails for you...

*Mavis... Chill the Dom Perignon and get out the sunday crystal... Laurels here...*

 

[Laurel]

LMAO! My responses on threads often get the royal treatment, but not this kind of royal treatment...

 

[kiwiwolf]

LMAO! My responses on threads often get the royal treatment, but not this kind of royal treatment...

Hang about ... we're just peeling the grapes, and trying to sell one of the kids to buy caviar...

And as an added bonus we have 4 cute little kittens as a parting gift for you...

 

[Laurel]

And as an added bonus we have 4 cute little kittens as a parting gift for you...

Noooo! Manu will put ME outside!

 

[kiwiwolf]

Noooo! Manu will put ME outside!

ROFLMAO...

 

[Draco]

OK>>>My $1.29 worth....

New Zealand has got far too culturally sensitive for its own good...

Hell..i have to dig the garden with a "soil cultivation device", I'm no longer allowed to call it a spade.

We have a varied multi-cutural society..but theres only one culture that gets rammed down our throats.
As an Irish/Kiwi...I'm sick of it...my kids get taught to speak that language at school..but do they get taught gaelic, or hebrew or anything else. NO.

There just too much of it... (I"ll be flamed for being a rascist soon, but I really dont care.)

They weren't the first here..they are not NZ native culture..They destroyed most of NZ's fauna and flora (Think Moa's here people)
They hunted to the point of extinction the TRUE Native people of New Zealand...drove them to the far outreaches and then slaughtered them there. (Chatham Islands)

And then they have the GALL to try and claim all the land back that they sold 150 years ago. And claim stuff they never had, like the air waves etc.

IT MAKES ME SICK.

 

[kiwiwolf]

Draco your signature line, the Cree proverb is one of the reasons I chose Native American imagery... I deeply identify with the sentiment expressed therein.

 

[Draco]

An aside to my last post...

A friend who works for an ISP here in CHCH has informed me of a new domain space becoming available in the first quarter of this year.

www.******.IWI.nz

Can you believe this.....so THEY can have their share of the internet too....FUCK ME..i searched the CHCH Musemn(sp)..but didn't see any with laptops....whats fucking next???!!!

 

[Draco]

Draco your signature line, the Cree proverb is one of the reasons I chose Native American imagery... I deeply identify with the sentiment expressed therein.

Yeah..i agree with it too...and one day i hope to be a US citizen...so I intend to learn as much as I can about them.

 

[Debbie]

Personally I don't see what the guys problem was.

If he had bothered to ask he could have found out from you that it meant something to you. Not only a respect for their oneness with nature but the beauty of their art/body adornment.

 

[kiwiwolf]

Personally I don't see what the guys problem was.

If he had bothered to ask he could have found out from you that it meant something to you. Not only a respect for their oneness with nature but the beauty of their art/body adornment.

I think it gets back to the point that Draco made regarding our desperate need to be culturally PC. This knobend was so keen to show me how culturally switched on he was that he didn't exercise the brain muscle before starting the lips.

 

[Draco]

I would have shown him the japanesse tattoo's, then the english ones, then offered him a closer inspection of the tiny tattoo you have on your right knuckles......

TWACK>>>>

 

[Cocoa]

I don't think it's disrespectful at all. In fact, I think that it's the opposite - why would you put another culture's symbol on your body if you didn't have respect for their cultures.

then again, I can understand how it might be a little disrespectful if that particular culture doesn't believe in tattoos at all.

I'm not sure. I think I'd need more info to answer.

 

[JazzManJim]

Draco your signature line, the Cree proverb is one of the reasons I chose Native American imagery... I deeply identify with the sentiment expressed therein.

And I've a good part of my own heritage that's American Indian (I do hate the term "Native American"). Not Cree, but Cherokee and Sioux (relatives on both sides of the family, y'see).

As far as the sensitivity goes, I think you're doing fine. There will always be folks out there who will be offended, no matter what you do or how you do it. I say Fuck 'em and do what you feel is right.

That you respect the culture is great, but that you find the designs lovely is simply enough. Any culture would be proud to know that its art and tradition has something to draw folks in who aren't part of it. At least I would be.

~~~ Oh, and the musical design work continues apace. I"ve not forgotten. ~~~

 

[Juspar Emvan]

Your body is your temple. If you chose to decorate such a sacred place with imagery from a culture, then that is a blessing on you and it. Of course that depends on you not subverting the original intent of the images, but you haven't so WTF, show him that little tattoo at high velocity.

My own Tat is out of Star Wars and is a symbol of potence, what does that say?

As for the whole native New Zealanders thing that Draco raised. I feel your ire my friend. I'm 7th generation mixed blood of second and third wave imigrants. The first wave being those that were hunted murdered (and in cases eaten). It must be pointed out that there are NO native New Zealanders. The second wave arrived about 600 years ago, and currently need to be placed on Stewart Island and then set adrift. The third wave arrived about 200 years ago after Tasman and Cook did thier thing. The fourth wave are arriving now from the islands and south east asia. Too many cultures all trying to be transplanted into the new environment. We are a nation god damn it, lets stop trying to be our old people in a new land and accept New Zealand culture. Admitedly that is a disgusting melting pot brew, but it's our melting pot.

I wonder just why the iwi's have words for things like the internet and aeroplanes? And how they 'own' the airways?

 

[Guest]

While my opinion doesn't matter any more than others, I thought I'd throw a few words out to you. I don't find your choice to tattoos offensive. I'm not oversensitive to such cultural icons, if I can even call them that. I don't feel as though any certain group owns "art". I think it's a wonderful tribute to great people.


I'd love to see a pic or sketch. I'm thinking of getting one, myself.