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THREAD ON MAKING ‘TRIBAL’ DESIGNS AND CHARACTERS
An option from a 29 year old furry Cherokee.
((Thread
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An option from a 29 year old furry Cherokee.
((Thread
))
I’ve seen SO MUCH discourse going around about ‘well this artist made a character and made it ‘tribal!!! That’s bad!!’
Stop.
Just stop.
Let me lay out a few things for you before you come to that conclusion (because sometimes your right! Sometimes it is bad!)
But hear me out!
Stop.
Just stop.
Let me lay out a few things for you before you come to that conclusion (because sometimes your right! Sometimes it is bad!)
But hear me out!
1- this is not bad IF AND ONLY IF:
The artist is labeling the design with the correct cultural inspiration.
Example: they make a character with a turtle tattoo (seen in Hawaiian and Samoan designs) and openly states that the character is inspired by that culture, then good!
The artist is labeling the design with the correct cultural inspiration.
Example: they make a character with a turtle tattoo (seen in Hawaiian and Samoan designs) and openly states that the character is inspired by that culture, then good!
They can list the inspiration and educate their audience in a culture that is interesting to them! It’s a chance to learn something new about the indigenous people of that area!
2- HOWEVER, THIS IS BAD IF:
-the artist makes it their sole aesthetic (ie- making money on native designs and NOTHING ELSE if they themselves are not native)
-if the artist misrepresents the design or culture (ie- claiming that the turtle design is Cherokee, which is not true)
-the artist makes it their sole aesthetic (ie- making money on native designs and NOTHING ELSE if they themselves are not native)
-if the artist misrepresents the design or culture (ie- claiming that the turtle design is Cherokee, which is not true)
- ESPECIALLY if the artist is making the designing as a slur.
For example, drawing First People (native Americans) as ‘savages’ or drawing the native people of Alaska and the north as ‘whale killers’.
For example, drawing First People (native Americans) as ‘savages’ or drawing the native people of Alaska and the north as ‘whale killers’.
TL;DR
Culture representation is nice. Even if you don’t think the artist should be making money off the art, I think it’s alright for them to take some liberties and inspiration, as long as they are NOT taking away from the culture itself.
Culture representation is nice. Even if you don’t think the artist should be making money off the art, I think it’s alright for them to take some liberties and inspiration, as long as they are NOT taking away from the culture itself.
If you still think non-BIPOC people shouldn’t make art with culture inspiration, then don’t buy from them.
Find an indigenous artist, and spend your money on them instead.
As the saying goes “Put your money where your mouth is.”
Find an indigenous artist, and spend your money on them instead.
As the saying goes “Put your money where your mouth is.”
One last example real quick:
If non-bipoc people wernt allowed to make culturally inspired characters, then we would never have representation in media. No Lilo and Stitch, no Coco, no Lion King.
It’s okay for white people to make non-white characters, as long as it’s respectful.
If non-bipoc people wernt allowed to make culturally inspired characters, then we would never have representation in media. No Lilo and Stitch, no Coco, no Lion King.
It’s okay for white people to make non-white characters, as long as it’s respectful.
