Native Appropriations facts for kids

Native Appropriations is a popular online blog. It talks about how Indigenous people are shown in movies, TV, and everyday culture. The blog looks closely at these images to see if they are fair and respectful.

The website started in 2010. It is run by Adrienne Keene, a scholar from the Cherokee Nation. She writes about these important topics to help people understand better.

What Native Appropriations Talks About

This blog often discusses how Native American cultures are sometimes used or shown incorrectly. This is called cultural appropriation. It means taking parts of a culture without understanding or respecting their true meaning.

Common Topics Discussed

The blog covers many examples of cultural appropriation. Here are some of the main ones:

• "Hipster headdresses": These are fake headdresses worn as fashion. Real headdresses are sacred items for many Native cultures.
• Sports team names: The blog has talked about sports teams using names that are offensive to Native Americans, like the former Washington Redskins.
• Hollywood movies: It looks at how Native Americans are shown in films, like The Lone Ranger movie. Often, these movies use old, untrue ideas about Native people.
• Halloween costumes: Costumes like "Pocahottie" are often discussed. These costumes turn Native American women into stereotypes.
• Fashion brands: The blog has critiqued companies like Urban Outfitters for selling items that disrespect Native cultures.

Positive Examples of Native Culture

While much of the blog points out problems, it also shares good examples. For instance, the musician Nelly Furtado was praised. She showed respect when working with Native hoop and shawl dancers. This shows how people can engage with Native cultures respectfully.

How the Blog Makes a Difference

Adrienne Keene has noticed that Native Americans are rarely seen in mainstream media. When they are, journalists often talk to non-Native people instead of Native voices.

Growing Influence of the Blog

However, Native Appropriations has become very popular. Adrienne Keene also uses social media like Twitter. This has made her a trusted expert on cultural appropriation.

Major news groups have quoted her work. These include the BBC, NPR, The Guardian, and Time magazine. This shows how important her blog has become.

Successful Campaigns

The Guardian newspaper even said that Adrienne Keene helped lead a successful campaign. This campaign was against disrespectful images made by Paul Frank Industries. Because of this, the company later worked with Keene and Native artists. They designed new products together in a respectful way.