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. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Here's some links:Website - https://thesierramistify.wixsite.com/thesierramistifyEtsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/thesierramistify?ref=simple-shop-header-name\u0026listing_id=736195213Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesierramistify/Art Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesierramistify.art/- Music used in this video -Prime Beatz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkG3r3-ODOw Don't miss a beat. Ojibwe scholar Dr. Brady Santi has developed this guide for teachers who would like to teach students about her communitys unique belief systems with an emphasis on the wendigo as it appears in popular films. I'm all for respecting other people's cultures, but straight up trying to tell people they can't respectfully depict a fictional creature because it's ,,stealing" or ,,evoking the creature" or something is just way too overboard. I would agree, only I am more likely to not care much even what an Algonquin cares about my monster character. I would refuse to be shackled by political correctness. As a result, in 1907, Fiddler and his brother Joseph were arrested by the Canadian authorities for homicide. Until Dawn logo. For this screenshot controversy, I am actually going to go over a video game for this. Cultural appropriation can be defined as the "cherry picking" or selecting of certain aspects of a culture, and ignoring their original significance for the purpose of belittling it as a trend. The reason I chose this game is due to how this game has story in it, and I think it would fit this meme well for an analysis and review. It has become something else altogether. (the proceeding statement may contain some levels of sarcasm.). One day they came to an Indian village and the Windigo sent the boy to the Indian village to get some things for him to eat. [2], Although distinct from how it appears in the traditional lore, one of the first appearances of a character inspired by, or named after, a wendigo in non-Indigenous literature is Algernon Blackwood's 1910 novella The Wendigo. It was created by Mayuki . We enjoy liberties today that aren't even a freckle on the face of human history, and yet some individuals would go so far as to throw them all away because something offends them. 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. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. The film dives deep into cultural appropriation during those pivotal scenes in which the black crows help save the day for the titular flying elephant. [13] They were strongly associated with winter, the north, coldness, famine, and starvation.[14]. The Windigo had a knife and he'd cut the boy on the hand to see if he was fat enough to eat, but the boy didn't get fat. I can't say for sure how much research Rowling did when writing her series, but others have pointed out that it doesn't seem like much. 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. C'est la maladie dont ces dputez furent atteints; et comme la mort est l'vnique remede parmy ces bonnes gens, pour arrester ces meurtres, ils ont est massacrez pour arrester le cours de leur manie. Some researchers argued that, essentially, Wendigo psychosis was a fabrication, the result of nave anthropologists taking stories related to them at face value without observation. and our I agree with some of it to a point, but disagree with most of it. Key elements of culture include: language art,. I am just reacting to what I read in this ridiculous PSA journal out there on Deviantart. Oh yeah, Marvel. "** 40. I think people just need to chill out, no mater what their religion and culture is. 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. One does not need to delve very deeply into the annals of American film, television, and literature to find an array of caricatured depictions of Native American peoples and a distortion of their knowledge. But if they actually did, I would pick another monster from the giant Pandemonium one has at one's choice. I will draw whatever I feel like drawing. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. Climbing the totem pole. without permission.1 LOL. 5. without permission. Second, he determines the relevant issues as "aesthetic" and "moral," and then discusses the most prominent arguments that surround each type of appropriation. 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. Now why cant that be said to prudes lurking here. This term only applies to a . The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation; its desiccated skin pulled tautly over its bones. [28] Given that he resorted to cannibalism so near to food supplies, and that he killed and consumed the remains of all those present, it was revealed that Swift Runner's was not a case of pure cannibalism as a last resort to avoid starvation, but rather of a man with Wendigo psychosis. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. It also seems to me to be unacceptable for authors to be unable to use one (or more) of those characters/symbols/etc. Dollightful's Apology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW-KBzKWvrUTo clear up the addition that I made even more, I think that it would be pretty important for the information on this topic to be easily accessible to her viewers. Even in the face of ongoing cultural appropriation and erasure, wendigo stories are but one reflection of the survivance, wisdom, and brilliance of Native peoples. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! The idea of getting down to the nitty-gritty came from the 18th century English slave trade, when nitty-gritty referred to the worthless debris left at the ship's bottom compartment after slaves had been evacuatedand evolved to include the slaves themselves. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) cultural identity theft, many would argue that cultural appropriation is inevitable in a melting pot like the United States. Cultural appropriation, defined Culture refers to the traditions, customs, beliefs, and practices of any given ethnic, racial, or religious group. As a creator, I believe it is my responsibility, the responsibility of any creator, if using characters that belong to a culture other than mine and exploring themes from that culture, to be accurate. Mythologynote my use of the capital M to convey that it is far more than just some made-up stories; it is stories containing deeper spiritual truthsbelongs to all of humanity. ][22][failed verification], In historical accounts of retroactively diagnosed Wendigo psychosis, it has been reported that humans became possessed by the wendigo spirit, after being in a situation of needing food and having no other choice besides cannibalism. I do not possess the cultural or social knowledge required. (Not to put too fine a point on it, but you should totally go buy my novella. And FWIW, I've read stories that disturbed me & even disgusted me but the author has the right to tell their story whether I like it or don't. [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. :)Looking to buy some stickers or look at some pictures of my art or my other things? 1. How stupid to think otherwise. They travelled too much. After thinking about it more, I think I get it about the wendigos. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. Clunky prose aside, this is the "noble savage" trope repurposed for Rowling's universe, with just a pinch of Magical Negro thrown in for good measure. No it isn't cultural appropriation, as long as it is researched and accurately presented in the story. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. People don't get offended on scotland's behalf over the common depiction of their national animal as a rainbow farting fairy horse. Sacred creatures? Appreciation is honoring and respecting another culture and its practices, as a way to gain knowledge and understanding. If an idea has merit, it doesn't need protecting. No, I read your comment. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It really depends who you talk to. With teepees, Im not sure I get it. Learn how your comment data is processed. and our Dont look at it! White authors should be able to write about non-white people. I wouldn't be offended if someone dressed as a stereotypical Scottish person whatever that looks like lol. [16] Whenever a wendigo ate another person, it would grow in proportion to the meal it had just eaten, so it could never be full. Is it Cultural Appropriation if I have a Wendigo character. PSA: These 11 Halloween "Costumes" Will Always Be Offensive. Chippewa author Louise Erdrich's novel The Round House, winner of the National Book Award, depicts a situation where an individual person becomes a wendigo. The book's cul-tural importance granted it not one, but two movie adaptations, the first in 1989 and the second in 2019. Ces pauures gens furent saisis, ce qu'on nous a dit, d'vn mal qui nous est inconnu, mais qui n'est pas bien extraordinaire parmy les peuples que nous cherchons: ils ne sont ny lunatiques, ny hypocondriaques, ny phrenetiques; mais ils ont vn mlange de toutes ces sortes de maladies, qui, leur blessant l'imagination, leur cause vne faim plus que canine, et les rend si affamez de chair humaine, qu'ils se iettent sur les femmes, sur les enfans, mesme sur les hommes, comme de vrais loups-garous, et les deuorent belles dents, sans se pouuoir rassasier ny saouler, cherchans tousiours nouuelle proye, et plus auidement que plus ils en ont mang. [21] The last known wendigo ceremony conducted in the United States was at Lake Windigo of Star Island of Cass Lake, within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.[when? 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. More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories, often presented apart from its original cultural contexts, At Facing History and Ourselves, we value conversationin classrooms, in our professional development for educators, and online. You're just making up a story. We should show proper respect to our Cryptids at all times, and Im rightfully righteously indignant at the thought of anyone doing otherwise with Mothman. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. Cultural appropriation, feel like a real blur to me but I never worry about it I feel it can dampen the creative process. [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. The wendigo is seen as the embodiment of gluttony, greed, and excess: never satisfied after killing and consuming one person, they are constantly searching for new victims. 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. In 1661, The Jesuit Relations reported: I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. With the comments turned off on Dollightful's apology video, I thought that maybe we could have some discussion here(if anyone ever sees this, anyway). The question of how to challenge the wtiko psychosis as described by Forbes and Wendigo Economics as described by LaDuke is a difficult one, but the mythic force of the concept of the wendigo helps to underscore the urgency of these questions. And they are worth considering including in one's classroom teaching. Anyone who lives in a place that is exposed to more than . J.K. Rowling, author of the absurdly-popular Harry Potter series (of which I'm a massive fan), recently waded into controversy with her four-part "Magic in North America" series, which outlines the Potterverse's American history. Theres something else. 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. My intentions were pure, as were Rowling's, I imagine. Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. "[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. Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. Now that I have a major problem with. [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. 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. Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. [30], Fascination with Wendigo psychosis among Western ethnographers, psychologists, and anthropologists led to a hotly debated controversy in the 1980s over the historicity of this phenomenon. Funny how it's only creatures from certain culture's folklore people get pissy over and not others. What lips it had were tattered and bloody Unclean and suffering from suppuration of the flesh, the Wendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption.[15]. "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. 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. arent cryptids thing. [26][27] During the winter of 1878, Swift Runner and his family were starving, and his eldest son died. She states that the wendigo symbolically represents three major concepts: it is the incarnation of winter, the embodiment of hunger, and the personification of selfishness. so no, if you're some white kid hearing crying in the forests of california you're not being "lured into the If I don't, I'll never know what it is I'm so angry about! [17] Therefore, wendigos are portrayed as simultaneously gluttonous and extremely thin due to starvation. iii 3 four quarters: Jack D. Forbes' concept of colonialism as a manifestation of wtiko psychosis; ethnographical works that feature fearsome figures from the stories of North American tribal Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I think she knew that her decision would be challenged and she wanted to let people know that she had valid reasons for doing what she did. [clarification needed] The ceremony, known as wiindigookaanzhimowin, was performed during times of famine, and involved wearing masks and dancing backward around a drum. Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. 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. So, thanks, Dave! [20], Among the Assiniboine, the Cree, and the Ojibwe, a satirical ceremonial dance is sometimes performed during times of famine to reinforce the seriousness of the wendigo taboo. There's also Wendigo psychosis. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. I wouldn't be offended if someone dressed up as a stereotypical native american even though my great grandma was half blackfoot native american. Pet Sematary is an important cultural artifact thanks to King's widespread popularity and recognition as a horror writer. As a concept, the wendigo can apply to any person, idea, or movement infected by a corrosive drive toward self-aggrandizing greed and excessive consumption, traits that sow disharmony and destruction if left unchecked.
