I will draw whatever I feel like drawing. I am ashamed I watched all the movies. Privacy Policy. I know what cultural appropriation is but Ive not been as involved in social justice as I used to be and I guess its showing. Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. My intentions were pure, as were Rowling's, I imagine. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. The Wendigo (Also known as windigo, weendigo, windago, waindigo, windiga, witiko, wihtikow, and various other names including manaha) originates from Native-American legend, and is said to be a demonic half-beast as told by the Algonquian peoples along the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. [56], Various characters inspired by the legend, or named for it, appear in Role-playing video games, such as 2018's Fallout 76 by Bethesda Game Studios, where wendigos are featured as one of the cryptid enemies found in the area of Appalachia, mutated from people who consumed human flesh in isolation. I dont know who originally posted it, or where. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! Certainly Navajo "skin walkers" are one of the more common Native American legends that non-native writers reference (the only other example I can think of that comes close is the Algonquin Wendigo), but like I said, it would be presumptuous of me to guess at Rowling's research style. Eat what you want to eat, tattoo yourself with whatever you want to tattoo yourself with, wear what you want to wear, and let those ove Continue Reading More answers below He writes: Wtiko is a Cree termwhich refers to a cannibal or, more specifically, to an evil person or spirit who terrorizes other creatures by means of terrible evil acts, including cannibalism I have come to the conclusion that imperialism and exploitation are forms of cannibalism and, in fact, are precisely those forms of cannibalism which are most diabolical or evil It should be understood that wtikos do not eat other humans only in a symbolic sense. I can't even think about bank without getting mad, why did she need to make them like that..EVERY name is filled with stereotypes , well every name from minority .I don't even want to talk about Fantastic Beasts problems. Until Dawn logo. [42] In an early short story by Thomas Pynchon, "Mortality and Mercy in Vienna" (first published in 1959), the plot centers around a character developing Wendigo syndrome and going on a killing spree. Appreciation is honoring and respecting another culture and its practices, as a way to gain knowledge and understanding. In some traditions, humans overpowered by greed could turn into wendigos; the myth thus served as a method of encouraging cooperation and moderation. Western capitalistic expansion and cultural appropriation (see . After thinking about it some more, I understand that its a kind of It was okay for these kids to pretend to be Indians but not for these kids to actually be Indians thing but I saw someone claim that it was contributing to colonisation and the death of death of their culture and that felt a bit strong. WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression and doesn't respect their original meaning or give credit to their source. . This is a story shared not merely for entertainment but to reinforce the communal values that allow the communities in which this practice occurs to live well with one another and within their environments. Cultural appropriation by a dominant culture is harmful to underrepresented cultures because it reduces cultural significance and reinforces double standards. Thank god I am not from USA, where this seems to be an issue. An uncontrollable craving for consuming human flesh, even if a plenty of other food is available. Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 Trivia 4 Navigation History In a report from the Contemporary Folklore conference covered in issue 388 of FORTEAN TIMES, the go-to magazine for all things paranormal, weird, or unexplained, a complaint is voiced about the "cultural appropriation" of the Wendigo, likening it to the "sexualization" of the Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Topics: Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. You dont have to be French to love the Phantom of the Opera. I would agree, only I am more likely to not care much even what an Algonquin cares about my monster character. Joe Lockhard, English professor at Arizona State University, argues that wendigos are agents of "social cannibalism" who know "no provincial or national borders; all human cultures have been visited by shape-shifting wendigos. That will depend on who you ask. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It was forbidden to resort to this practice, even out of desperation. In most traditions, the wendigo is human in origin and becomes a monster through a process that results either from acts of starvation-induced cannibalism or from possession by a spirit. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. To Helheimr with it! The legend of the wendigo has long been associated with real-life problems like insatiable greed, selfishness, and violence. In their most recent music video for 'How You Like That', fans spotted a Ganesha idol kept on the ground, in the background of the music video. Monsters like Wendigos often represent, in the imprecise language of emotion, a common cultural fear. Cultural appropriation definition, the adoption, usually without acknowledgment, of cultural identity markers from subcultures or minority communities into mainstream culture by people with a relatively privileged status. Key elements of culture include: language art,. Aye, I love wendigos. Dressing up as a cultural stereotype is never, ever OK. Cady Heron once remarked that, "in the real world, Halloween is when kids . So, thanks, Dave! Don't tell lies to those Indians." teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. [40][41] Joe Nazare wrote that Blackwood's "subtly-demonizing rhetoric transforms the Wendigo from a native myth into a descriptive template for the Indian savage."[42]. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. Strictly speaking, cultural appropriation is the adoption of some element of another culture -- food, language, practices, fashion, etc. Is it okay for a white person to celebrate the culture. He said, "You bet there is, I have eaten lots of Indians, no wonder they are fat." Its incredibly validating to know that other people have heard about it and enjoy the story enough to make reference to the name and concept. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc.) I wouldn't be offended if someone dressed as a stereotypical Scottish person whatever that looks like lol. No one can try to stake a singular claim to it. As a result, in 1907, Fiddler and his brother Joseph were arrested by the Canadian authorities for homicide. No, I read your comment. (Not to put too fine a point on it, but you should totally go buy my novella. That's an easy solution and I still keep my freedom to create. "[39] Lockhard's ideas explain that wendigos are an expression of a dark aspect of human nature: the drive toward greed, consumption, and disregard for other life in the pursuit of self-aggrandizement. 9 Neil Jamieson-Williams Science Fiction Writer (part-time/now full-time) at Self-Employment (1977-present) Author has 1.7K answers and 1.1M answer views Updated 6 mo Ah, another Mike Wilson question Wendigos, teepees and cultural appropriation I read some stuff yesterday saying that teepees are cultural appropriation and there was a long post about how wendigos aren't cryptids and how stories about them are cultural appropriation. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Thats just asking for trouble.) wendigo appropriationplymouth township mi police scanner. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. So, now I realize, what the hell was I doing, thinking I could write about Native American folklore with anything approaching honesty? That's just pulling a potential explanation out of my ass, though, I have no idea if its accurate or not. Im just struggling to understand the significance of it. Far from just being a monster in an escapist horror flick, Forbes and LaDuke demonstrate that the wendigo can help us grasp the horrors of our real world so we can be here now and, ultimately, work toward solutions. Learn how your comment data is processed. If Hello Kitty and the Minions from Dispicable Me being considered acceptable Halloween costumes wasn't the exact point I stopped taking Halloween seriously as a holiday, Wendigos being considered a form of disrespectful "cultural appropriation" was. So for some woke culture types it's considered a form of disrespectful cultural appropriation to make your own Halloween monster or character based on a wendigo. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. Apparently, wendigos are sacred creatures from several indigenous cultures. Created by the writer Steve Englehart and artist Herb Trimpe, the monster is the result of a curse that afflicts those who commit acts of cannibalism. (1961). The wendigo -- a creature from Native American myth -- carries powerful symbolism and is presumably sufficiently mysterious to keep enough audience members guessing at its motives and abilities. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. [29], Another well-known case involving Wendigo psychosis was that of Jack Fiddler, an Oji-Cree chief and medicine man known for his powers at defeating wendigos. We feed it because we don't know how else to live, and so we live disconnected lives watching the seasons change through windows . Further, cultural appropriation often occurs as the backwash of colonization, and contributes to widening existing divisions and perpetuating patterns of historic dispossession and oppression. In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. I can write whatever fiction I want, and draw whatever I want. No they fucking aren't. Though these misrepresentations of the wendigo beg for critical interrogation, the wendigo stories of Algonquian peoples offer a window into the endurance of cultural resources used to transmit significant moral values, and underscore the power of Native people using these stories to engage in social critique. [10], The Wechuge is a similar being that appears in the legends of the Athabaskan people of the Northwest Pacific Coast. [23], What caused us greater concern was the news that met us upon entering the Lake, namely, that the men deputed by our Conductor for the purpose of summoning the Nations to the North Sea, and assigning them a rendezvous, where they were to await our coming, had met their death the previous Winter in a very strange manner. Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. Most sensible thing said ever. Only assholes think thats offensive. The Wendigos are the ultimate antagonists of Until Dawn. It turned its hunger on the Americas, a wendigo so hungry that it consumes its own lips if there is nothing else for it to eat. The Cambridge Dictionary, defines it as "the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture."And a lot of times, it is marked by a dominant culture taking from one that has been colonized and oppressed . without permission. He wasn't dead. And you know what? In 1661, The Jesuit Relations reported: Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. arent cryptids thing. Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. So for some woke culture types it's considered a form of disrespectful cultural appropriation to make your own Halloween monster or character based on a wendigo. Have you encountered wendigo stories in films, television shows, or books? Unlike cultural appropriation, strategic anti-essentialism can be practiced by both minority cultures and majority cultures. The windigo, however, continues to seek revenge for this attempted scholarly execution by periodically duping unsuspecting passers-by, like psychiatrists, into believing that windigo psychosis not only exists but that a psychiatrist could conceivably encounter a patient suffering from this disorder in his or her practice today! In a report from the Contemporary Folklore conference covered in issue 388 of FORTEAN TIMES, the go-to magazine for all things paranormal, weird, or unexplained, a complaint is voiced about the cultural appropriation of the Wendigo, likening it to the sexualization of the Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. I would not care much about what a statistically likely personally unrelated "woke" thinks about what Algonquin descendants may think about it, but only what Algonquin descendants. The Wendigo happens to be part of my own (Anishiinaabe) cultural heritage. Cultural appropriation means using a racial, religious, or social group's customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits without authority or right. [45] Wrist, the 2016 debut novel by First Nations horror fiction writer Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler (Lac Des Milles Lacs Anishinaabe),[46] combines the traditional Ojibwe legend with the author's ideas inspired by non-Indigenous writers like Anne Rice and Tim Powers. Humans could also turn into wendigos by being in contact with them for too long. This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. For example, dressing up as a Native American while using redface and using the gaudiest, most elaborate costume you can think of (using the stereotypical feathered headress, tribal print tan clothing, holding a spear, etc.). In another unaware move made by a YG artist, mega girl group BLACKPINK, were recently called out for cultural appropriation. Character can be mean, evil or complete asshole but you still should be respectful while writing said character. It shouldn't be bad thing if you don't mock culture, make sure to have all information you can ( read books from culture or ask someone who grew up with said culture if they are willing to teach you) but then again they aren't from your culture and unlike creatures like vampires they are a bit more closed i don't know is it good to use them. The novel describes its primary antagonist, a rapist whose violent crimes desecrate a sacred site, as a wendigo who must be killed because he threatens the reservation's safety. As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. I would refuse to be shackled by political correctness. [33], The frequency of Wendigo psychosis cases decreased sharply in the 20th century as Boreal Algonquian people came into greater and greater contact with European ideologies and more sedentary, less rural, lifestyles. New replies are no longer allowed. Cultural appropriation is a bullshit term made up by people who feel some bizarre psychological need to make up reasons to punish themselves. That, I would affirm, is truly and literally cannibalism, and it is cannibalism accompanied by no spiritually meaningful ceremony or ritual., More than a commentary on the life of wendigo stories amongst his own people, Forbes deploys the metaphor of the wendigo to advance nothing less than a critique of civilization at large and describes the violence that he argues lies at its foundation as one driven by a kind of wendigo psychosis.