Be aware that some things are sacred to each culture

There is a thin line between appreciating a culture that is not your own and appropriating it. That line is often blurred in today’s world of fashion trends leaning towards ‘exotic’ and ‘ethnic’ looks. Cultural appreciation, simply put, means to partake in a culture not your own, with complete respect for it and with total understanding of the meaning of your actions. It often helps bridge the divide between different people and nations and is also a great source of income for places that rely on tourism to boost their economy.

However, there are some things that are sacred to each culture, meant for the people of that culture only therefore have special meaning and significance in the lives of those people. An outsider to any culture should consider these things and try to understand them as best as they can and do their best not to cross that thin line between appreciation and appropriation. Take for instance Native American culture. Many Native tribes have asserted that purchasing dreamcatchers, or wearing them on clothes, tattoos etc, is not cultural appropriation and therefore it is not an issue for foreigners to do it and in fact, it encourages trade. However, some tribes have sacred war bonnets and rituals, with special significance attached to them, which make them off-bounds for outsiders. Therefore any outsider who purchases a war bonnet for the sole purpose of fashion or trends, while not knowing or understanding the meaning of it, is guilty of cultural appropriation. This holds true for many different cultures all over the world, and the difference between appreciating a culture and appropriating it should be well understood and respected. From Ms Naila Memon

Dental student based in Umm Al Quwain