Cultural Appropriation In Canada

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The act of adapting culturally significant elements of a marginalized group without gaining consent, nor paying it respect is an issue that can be traced back to colonialism, imperialism, and globalization. What’s otherwise known as cultural appropriation typically occurs when dominant cultures acquire features of a minority’s culture for their own benefit, which can take the form of fashion, music, art, language, symbols, rituals or even hairstyles. Such practices often perpetuate stereotypes, erasing the significance of part of the culture, and reinforcing power imbalances between dominant and marginalized groups. The article The cultural appropriation debate isn't about free speech — it's about context, addresses this problem by discussing …show more content…
It argues that Canada has a tendency to push policies that only partly benefit the indigenous community, while also limiting their access to resources and services, encourages the displacement of communities, and the exploitation of Indigenous lands and resources (Sawchuck 2011). By calling attention to the historical and ongoing injustices faced by marginalized communities, Elliott challenges readers to confront Canada's colonial legacy and work towards a more equitable future. When addressing potential conflicts, the article is likely biased towards Indigenous perspectives and critical of Eurocentric tendencies within Canadian literary circles. This brings awareness to the story from which the public has only heard the perspective of the dominant/western side. Consequently, assumptions about the progress of decolonization in the context of literature and culture are more reliable, given that the issue is explored through the lens of an indigenous