The Fetishization of a Culture

Cultural appropriation is the act of one culture (normally of privilege) taking pieces from another group and using these elements as its own. In most cases, this results in a trivialization and commodification of tradition and faith. While our society is by nature a hodgepodge of different cultures, there are certain instances where appropriation is undoubtedly harmful. In this photograph, a young woman stands nude with Native American inspired accessories: a feather, face paint, and two, long braids. By using elements of Native American cultural as sexually appealing accessories, the original photo aids the already present fetishization of Native American women. While some may argue that such a photo only enhances her natural beauty and inherent sexuality, the text included in the edited version of the photo clearly puts the image into context. The message, “I perpetuate damaging stereotypes. I maintain the fetishized, over sexualized image of Native American women,” addresses the American and post-colonial view of Native American women. The text guarentees that the viewer realizes that such media is not in a vacuum. Furthermore, the haunting statistic, “One in three Native American women are victims of sexual assault,” provides an indisputable acknowledgment of the dangerous effects that such images can have. Placed on top of the woman’s bare torso, the text draws the viewer’s eye away from the sexual nature of the image and onto the much less appealing reality of Native American women. This image effectively provides insight into the very serious issue of cultural appropriation.