The May-June 2009 issue of Utne featured an article discussing a particular German weekend activity involving about 40,000 "hobbyists" who model their lifestyles on Native Americans. They:

While Native American culture has been an influence in Germany due to books by best-selling German author Karl May and reflects Germans' desire to have a deeper connection to the spirit of Mother Nature and the environment, many Natives have been offended by how their culture seems to be re-envisioned and misappropriated by those hobbyists. Religious ceremonies are sometimes blasphemed and sacred items are supposedly treated like collector's edition regalia. 

 

When does initial reverence take an evil turn into sacrilege or, more commonly, stereotyping? Does a community own the rights to its own culture?

 

If you're familiar with Edward Said's Orientalism, then you'll have run into these types of questions. Said argues that even as far back as Christopher Columbus' time, cultures (and he specifically cites the Far East) have been misappropriated and reinterpreted for the benefit of another (in his case, the West). The West would "orientalize" the East, portraying "Orientals" as inferior, mysterious, and dangerous. Simultaneously, because of this surrounding mystique, products from the East were coveted. In a way, the West owned the "Oriental" culture, manipulating and molding it into what they wanted it to look like. 

 

In today's consumerism-driven society, I think Asian culture is owned all the time. Certain teas are marketed as "made from authentic Asian herbs," as though that automatically means it must be good. New York City's Chinatown, while not the cleanest of places, is sometimes seen as dark, crime-ridden, and mystical by tourists.  C'mon now. Really? Is the world still under the impression that Asian is synonymous with all that stuff Said said? 

 

For more, in my opinion, rather outrageous ownership of Asians/Asian culture in mainstream America, see the following:

 

A. Pearl River Mart (in SoHo, on Broadway, in NYC): a store chock full of gimmicky Asian goodies like commercialized kimonos (?), trendy chopsticks (?), and chic rice cookers (?). A glance at their YELP page reveals praise with reviewers (most non-Asian) dubbing it as an "oohh and awwww" store, claiming "you make me wish I was Asian!" and calling its products "Chinese notions." 

 

B. The infamous 2008 Six Flags commercial , featuring an Asian man saying "Mo' Flahhg, Mo' fuuhhn!" Yeah, cause we all talk like that. Obv. 

 

C. A very recent KFC Grilled Chicken commercial, featuring normally dressed people applauding the product. EXCEPT, two Asian men who are dressed as though they are about to engage in Kung-Fu battle and also speak in gibberish that I guess is meant to simulate Asian accents? That doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.