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5 Ways to Stop Cultural Appropriation This Halloween

   By Helen Oliff

Halloween is just around the corner, so I want to focus on cultural appropriation. You can find “Native American Halloween costumes” with buckskin, fringe, and feathers for sale everywhere, even on eBay and Amazon. Not only do they mimic the old-school ‘Hollywood cowboys and Indians’ stereotypes, but they also depict Native Americans as frozen in time. Yet, profit seems to take precedence over harm to Native cultures.

In truth, tribes are not a monolith – every tribe is different with its own culture, beliefs, and traditions. So, these “Halloween” costumes perpetuate stereotypes, diminish the identity and heritage of Native peoples, and even turn sacred objects into commodoties.

Avoid Stereotypes on Halloween

As NPR notes, cultural appropriation is a perennial issue on Halloween. But what does that mean exactly? Cultural appropriation is when aspects of Native culture and design are ‘borrowed’ and used for profit by the dominant culture (in this case non-Natives). You see cultural appropriation in sports names, music, art, or tourist shops that sell teepees, dreamcatchers, medicine bags, and headdresses. Other items frequently copied by non-Natives include jewelry, pottery, baskets, carved stone fetishes, woven rugs, kachina dolls, and clothing. It’s one thing to appreciate these items, but you can buy them from a Native vendor. The harm comes into play when the sale is exploitive or the item is stereotypical.

Why Do Halloween Costume Matter?

Cultural appropriation hurts Native livelihoods, especially for small designers, producers, and vendors. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 is a truth-in-advertising law. It prohibits non-Native sellers from misrepresenting or even implying that any art or craft is “Native,” “Native-made” or associated with a particular tribe if it is not. For some tribes such as Navajo, the Tribal name cannot be used by a non-Native to advertise a “Navajo design” or “Navajo-inspired” item. A true Indian artisan is an enrolled member of a tribe or certified by the tribe as an Indian artisan.

It is time for America to recognize and respect the uniqueness and diversity of Native cultures and voices. We hope you will join us and do what you can to #StopCulturalAppropriation. If you see or suspect a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, here are 5 things you can do:

  1. Don’t buy the product!
  2. Call out the vendor.
  3. Report the violation here.
  4. Spread the word.
  5. Buy from Native vendors like those on our #BuyNative page!