Princesses Hey! That’s my feather!
Cultural appropriation is a hot subject as of late. Social media and online access to countless images of Non-Aboriginal people dressed up as “Indians” have fuelled a fire amongst activists, traditionalist and most of the general Indigenous population in North America. Traditional regalia are precious and sacred and are not proper attire for a Halloween costume. And wearing a headdress to front a rock concert or to stroll down the catwalk in Victoria Secret lingerie is not cool, it’s rude. If the general population knew and understood the beauty of traditional regalia, the significance of the material, the beading, and the feathers, maybe they would refrain from such inappropriate use.
Standards of beauty – now, there’s a truly subjective issue! While it’s an easy enough task today to consult fashion archives from recent years, the challenge becomes far more complex to try and chart as elusive a topic as shifting concepts of beauty among indigenous peoples, especially as they applied to a distant past when oral tradition was the primary form of history. Add to that the need to approach such an elusive subject with numerous different Aboriginal nations, each with its own, often-complex history, customs, tradition – and therefore, inevitably, standards of beauty. It’s a safe bet that some grey areas may well remain, even under the most arduous scrutiny. Yet, these quibbles aside, the subject remains an interesting one which undoubtedly deserves attention, if only to debunk some myths that have lingered on for far too long! Keywords: race, indigenous, ethnicity.
Primary Title
- Princesses
Episode Title
- Hey! That’s my feather!
Date Broadcast
- Monday 4 October 2021
Start Time
- 19 : 30
Finish Time
- 20 : 00
Duration
- 30:00
Series
- 1
Episode
- 7
Channel
- Maori Television
Broadcaster
- Maori Television Service
Programme Description
- Standards of beauty – now, there’s a truly subjective issue! While it’s an easy enough task today to consult fashion archives from recent years, the challenge becomes far more complex to try and chart as elusive a topic as shifting concepts of beauty among indigenous peoples, especially as they applied to a distant past when oral tradition was the primary form of history. Add to that the need to approach such an elusive subject with numerous different Aboriginal nations, each with its own, often-complex history, customs, tradition – and therefore, inevitably, standards of beauty. It’s a safe bet that some grey areas may well remain, even under the most arduous scrutiny. Yet, these quibbles aside, the subject remains an interesting one which undoubtedly deserves attention, if only to debunk some myths that have lingered on for far too long! Keywords: race, indigenous, ethnicity.
Episode Description
- Cultural appropriation is a hot subject as of late. Social media and online access to countless images of Non-Aboriginal people dressed up as “Indians” have fuelled a fire amongst activists, traditionalist and most of the general Indigenous population in North America. Traditional regalia are precious and sacred and are not proper attire for a Halloween costume. And wearing a headdress to front a rock concert or to stroll down the catwalk in Victoria Secret lingerie is not cool, it’s rude. If the general population knew and understood the beauty of traditional regalia, the significance of the material, the beading, and the feathers, maybe they would refrain from such inappropriate use.
Classification
- G
Owning Collection
- TV & Radio
Broadcast Platform
- Television
Languages
- English
Captions
Live Broadcast
- No
Rights Statement
- Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Subjects
- Indigenous women
- Feminine beauty (Aesthetics)--Social aspects
- Documentary television programs--Canada
Genres
- Community
- Documentary
Contributors
- Angie-Pepper O'Bomsawin (Director)
- Louis-François Grenier (Writer)
- Luc Lainé (Producer)
- Orlando Arriagada (Producer)
- Cayenne (Production Unit)
- Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (Production Unit)
- Canada Media Fund (Funder)
Subjects
- Indigenous women
- Feminine beauty (Aesthetics)--Social aspects
- Documentary television programs--Canada