In Algonquian traditions, the wendigo monster emerges not randomly or in violent response to colonialism as it often does in popular media but through a specific set of circumstances that are unique to different tribal groupings. 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. It was forbidden to resort to this practice, even out of desperation. People don't get offended on scotland's behalf over the common depiction of their national animal as a rainbow farting fairy horse. But I do know the actual description of it. The people who get offended over it, on behalf of someone else, are pathetically absurd. Discover short videos related to wendigo cultural appropriation on TikTok. "Windigo Psychosis: A Study of Relationship between Belief and Behaviour among the Indians of Northeastern Canada." Appreciation is honoring and respecting another culture and its practices, as a way to gain knowledge and understanding. Send them to Marvel. I have not always done so, and it appears that in this case, J.K. Rowling did not either. In addition to characterizing individual people who exhibit destructive tendencies, the wendigo can also describe movements and events with similarly negative effects. It never occurred to me that what I was doing might be offensive, because I've never even met a Native American person in real life. However, when reading Magic in North America, it's hard not to get the sense that Rowling did not understand the thin ice she was treading on when it came to representation of Native Americans, nor did she make any effort to treat these themes with the weight they deserve. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) 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. So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. Differing thinking is one of the cherished assets of democratic cultural pluralism. In addition to denoting a cannibalistic monster from certain traditional folklore, some Native Americans also understand the wendigo conceptually. So, now I realize, what the hell was I doing, thinking I could write about Native American folklore with anything approaching honesty? However, PCism taken to its extreme would say that neither Cooper, nor I, should be telling stories about Wendigos at all, since were not of aboriginal descent. And were on the right side, thats what were working on but sometimes you get that cannibal tendency. I would not care much about what a statistically likely personally unrelated "woke" thinks about what Algonquin descendants may think about it, but only what Algonquin descendants. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #culturalappropriation, #cultureappropriation, #culturalappropiation, # . With teepees, Im not sure I get it. Now that I have a major problem with. 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. Humans could also turn into wendigos by being in contact with them for too long. For Indigenous peoples in Canada, cultural appropriation is rooted in colonization and ongoing oppression. We have to stop guarding cultures and subcultures in efforts to preserve them.. Beyond Forbes, other Native American thinkers have also used wendigo stories to present critical perspectives on various social problems and call for their resolution. Cultural appropriation means using a racial, religious, or social group's customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits without authority or right. Wendigos/Windigos/etc. It first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #162 (April 1973), and again in the October 1974 issue. If it's so vulgar and offensive that many hate it, well they can just not look at it lmao - it clearly wasn't made for them. "[36] Out of equilibrium and estranged by their communities, individuals thought to be afflicted by the wendigo spirit unravel and destroy the ecological balance around them. Im glad, because I dont believe that it is. DeSanti points to the 1999 horror film Ravenous as an illustration of this argument equating "the cannibal monster" to "American colonialism and manifest destiny". I think if a Native American person were telling me not to speak about wendgos or name them out loud near them, I would comply, as I don't want to unreasonably make someone feel anxious or uncomfortable. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. 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. Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. Those things, the predation on the Indians by Europeans, most certainly happened. To fully understand its consequences, though, we need to make sure we have a working definition of culture itself. 1. 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. But its none of your concern what turns someone on! BTW, I love rainbow farting unicorns! It shouldn't be bad thing if you don't mock culture, make sure to have all information you can ( read books from culture or ask someone who grew up with said culture if they are willing to teach you) but then again they aren't from your culture and unlike creatures like vampires they are a bit more closed i don't know is it good to use them. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. It was created by Mayuki . But Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. And unfortunately for them, this isn't the first time. Jack committed suicide, but Joseph was tried and sentenced to life in prison. Pet Sematary is an important cultural artifact thanks to King's widespread popularity and recognition as a horror writer. Idiots have just made a religion out of being racist about culture and only allowing genetic descendants to participate in cultures. I believe that the Wendigo is far older than that, far more primal. 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. [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. Second, he determines the relevant issues as "aesthetic" and "moral," and then discusses the most prominent arguments that surround each type of appropriation. A specimen of folk story collected in the early 20th century by Lottie Chicogquaw Marsden, an ethnographer of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, in which a wendigo also exhibits tool use, an ability to survive partial dismemberment, and autocannibalism, reads:[19]. I know what cultural appropriation is but Ive not been as involved in social justice as I used to be and I guess its showing. Mistgod Edited Oct 11, 2020 Hobbyist Traditional Artist Apparently, wendigos are sacred creatures from several indigenous cultures. 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. In an as-yet unpublished urban fantasy novel of mine, I basically did the same thing; I made a supporting character an Acheri, completely bungling any semblance of folkloric accuracy in my attempt to come up with a "cool" and "unorthodox" monster. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. no actual cases of windigo psychosis have ever been studied, and Lou Marano's scathing critique in 1985 should have killed off the cannibal monster within the psychiatric annals. to tell a new tale. [51], Television series employing the figure include Teen Wolf, Supernatural,[52] Blood Ties,[53] Charmed,[54] Grimm,[55] and Hannibal, where an FBI profiler has recurring dreams or visions of a wendigo that symbolizes the titular cannibalistic serial killer. ". He was eating the juice (marrow) from the inside of the bones of his legs that were cut off. J.K is weird for using name like that, it isn't hard to google names, i know she wrote books before internet was as "popular" as now, but i honestly doubt that she couldn't find name and surname of east asian person, she could of used names from either celebrity ( use surname of one and name of other or something like that), she could of used name from character from some book, there were ways of finding name that isn't bad as Cho-Chang, also i find it a bit weird that said character is in "smart" house, feels way to stereotypical for me. 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. Basil H. Johnston, an Ojibwe teacher and scholar from Ontario, gives a description of a wendigo: The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. Doing so is an honorable endeavorbut only if we actually do our homework first. As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. Until Dawn logo. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. 9 Neil Jamieson-Williams Science Fiction Writer (part-time/now full-time) at Self-Employment (1977-present) Author has 1.7K answers and 1.1M answer views Updated 6 mo Ah, another Mike Wilson question 8.1.2014. Funny how it's only creatures from certain culture's folklore people get pissy over and not others. 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. Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 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. Thats just asking for trouble.) 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. "[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. People can appreciate and draw as many wendigo and other scary monsters as they like, it's all entirely fictional and doesn't hurt anyone. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. Lurking in the deep woods of the Northern United States and Southern Canada lies a mysterious and fearsome Native American monster, the Wendigo. They heard the Windigo calling the boy. Though these misrepresentations of the wendigo beg for critical interrogation, the wendigo stories of Algonquian peoples offer a window into the endurance of cultural resources used to transmit significant moral values, and underscore the power of Native people using these stories to engage in social critique. 5. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They travelled too much. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? 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. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. Film, Payals, or anklets, are meant to symbolize the arrival of a wife into her husband's house. As long as theyre not shoving their porn in your face let them be as Paul McCartney sung. No cultural appropriation in it, I promise! https://www.deviantart.com/forum/community/complaints/2611618/. The boy told the Indians that the Windigo was near them, and showed them his hand where the Windigo cut him to see if he was fat enough to eat. 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. [23], What caused us greater concern was the news that met us upon entering the Lake, namely, that the men deputed by our Conductor for the purpose of summoning the Nations to the North Sea, and assigning them a rendezvous, where they were to await our coming, had met their death the previous Winter in a very strange manner. Certainly Navajo "skin walkers" are one of the more common Native American legends that non-native writers reference (the only other example I can think of that comes close is the Algonquin Wendigo), but like I said, it would be presumptuous of me to guess at Rowling's research style. It's taking those cultural. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It's fine for colonized Indians to incorporate European fitness . In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. minority cultures deserve a higher level of protection from being put on display than mainstream cultures," Nah, https://forum.deviantart.com/community/complaints/2612415/, https://www.deviantart.com/comments/18/2611618/4878314665, (, literally "goat-sucker") is a legendary cryptid rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas, with the first sightings reported in Puerto Rico. [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 Indians asked the Windigo if there was any fat on them. Oh yeah, Marvel. I think every idea can be taken to an extreme and distorted to the point where it is ridiculous. Further, cultural appropriation often occurs as the backwash of colonization, and contributes to widening existing divisions and perpetuating patterns of historic dispossession and oppression. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. Theyre revered spirits to the point where people wont speak their name so it must be frustrating when people are just like Oh yeah, I saw one of those, it was so spooky or have an aesthetic called wendigocore. I mean yeah I see what your saying, personally I do research on what its about even if I don't use it in it's entirety. Now why cant that be said to prudes lurking here. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. I would agree, only I am more likely to not care much even what an Algonquin cares about my monster character. Thus I support Scott Cooper, the director of the forthcoming (hopefully by next spring) ANTLERS, in his efforts to seek out consultation from Indian advisors when making his movie, which features a Wendigo. identity. Lots of stories have aped Native American folklore before her, including some of mine. Sacred creatures? You dont have to be of Afro-Caribbean descent to talk about, write about, or make movies about zombies. I dont know who originally posted it, or where. They got Thor and Loki all wrong and what the hell? [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. No they ain't. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! BLACKPINK. 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. 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. Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. 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 [57] In the 2018 first-person shooter video game Dusk, wendigos are enemies that remain invisible until they receive damage. It too is cannibalistic; however, it is characterized as enlightened with ancestral insights. Those poor men (according to the report given us) were seized with an ailment unknown to us, but not very unusual among the people we were seeking. Cultural appropriation is a bullshit term made up by people who feel some bizarre psychological need to make up reasons to punish themselves. During a panel at YES! Key elements of culture include: language art,. Check it out here:https://youtu.be/fHE4fkvUpWMI really just made this video to express how I am currently feeling about the wendigo doll situation and the questions I have about it. The horror film Antlers adopts an old monster for its story, which serves as both a benefit and a hindrance. Not so for anyone who isn't a straight, white male, and this trend in entertainment forces many people to seek out "niche" markets to find characters who look like them and are portrayed honestly and realistically. [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. 17spaz 2 yr. ago These things feel formulaic, quantitative, mathematicbalancing equations and subtraction. This inspired an entire thread -->, Sucks to be these artists I guess. Cultural appropriation is a huge red flag that the brand has minimal diversity or representation behind the scenes," she explains. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(443401, 'c61f3219-a9f3-4b0c-95ea-f614a80c184b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Pictured above: A portion of the poster for the film Antlers (Fox Searchlight, 2021). It springs from the well of the collective human unconscious, the communal soul. I have drawn my own version of golems too, and that is Jewish mythology. Theres something else. 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. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Archived post. Replying to @luciproletariatfox #culturalappropriation #wendigoon, #yeti #wendigo #voodoodoll #culturalappropriation, #duet with @firelotusthewitch #culturalappropriation #vvitchtok #vvitch #witchywoman #pagantok #norsepagan #norsetok #pagansoftiktok #pagancommunity, I am curious to hear the opinions of others on this one. In theory, art and other cultural products are created for the. Exactly!! 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. 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. [24], Although in many recorded cases of Wendigo psychosis the individual has been killed to prevent cannibalism from resulting, some Cree folklore recommends treatment by ingestion of fatty animal meats or drinking animal grease; those treated may sometimes vomit ice as part of the curing process.