Dear Person that decided to dress up as an Indian for Halloween,

I was going to write you an eloquent and well-reasoned post today about all the reasons why it’s not ok to dress up as a Native person for Halloween–talk about the history of“playing Indian” in our country, point to the dangers of stereotyping and placing of Native peoples as mythical, historical creatures, give you some articles to read, hope that I could change your mind by dazzling you with my wit and reason–but I can’t. I can’t, because I know you won’t listen, and I’m getting so tired of trying to get through to you.

I just read the comments on this post at Bitch Magazine, a conversation replicated all over the internet when people of color are trying to make a plea to not dress up as racist characters on Halloween. I felt my chest tighten and tears well up in my eyes, because even with Kjerstin’s well researched and well cited post, people like you are so caught up in their own privilege, they can’t see how much this affects and hurts their classmates, neighbors and friends.

I already know how our conversation would go. I’ll ask you to please not dress up as a bastardized version of my culture for Halloween, and you’ll reply that it’s “just for fun” and I should “get over it.” You’ll tell me that you “weren’t doing it to be offensive” and that “everyone knows real Native Americans don’t dress like this.” You’ll say that you have a “right” to dress up as “whatever you damn well please.” You’ll remind me about how you’re “Irish” and the “Irish we’re oppressed too.” Or you’ll say you’re “German”, and you “don’t get offended by people in Lederhosen.”

But you don’t understand what it feels like to be me. I am a Native person. You are (most likely) a white person. You walk through life everyday never having the fear of someone mis-representing your people and your culture. You don’t have to worry about the vast majority of your people living in poverty, struggling with alcoholism, domestic violence, hunger, and unemployment caused by 500+ years of colonialism and federal policies aimed at erasing your existence. You don’t walk through life everyday feeling invisible, because the only images the public sees of you are fictionalized stereotypes that don’t represent who you are at all. You don’t know what it’s like to care about something so deeply and know at your core that it’s so wrong, and have others in positions of power dismiss you like you’re some sort of over-sensitive freak.

You are in a position of power. You might not know it, but you are. Simply because of the color of your skin, you have been afforded opportunities and privilege, because our country was built on a foundation of white supremacy. That’s probably a concept that’s too much for you to handle right now, when all you wanted to do was dress up as a PocaHottie for Halloween, but it’s true.

I am not in a position of power. Native people are not in positions of power. By dressing up as a fake Indian, you are asserting your power over us, and continuing to oppress us. That should worry you.

But don’t tell me that you’re oppressed too, or don’t you dare come back and tell me your “great grandmother was a Cherokee Princess” and that somehow makes it ok. Do you live in a system that is actively taking your children away without just cause? Do you have to look at the TV on weekends and see sports teams with mascots named after racial slurs of your people? I doubt it.

Last night I sat with a group of Native undergraduates to discuss their thoughts and ideas about the costume issue, and hearing the comments they face on a daily basis broke my heart. They take the time each year to send out an email called “We are not a costume” to the undergraduate student body–an email that has become known as the “whiny newsletter” to their entitled classmates. They take the time to educate and put themselves out there, only to be shot down by those that refuse to think critically about their choices.Your choices are adversely affecting their college experiences, and that’s hard for me to take without a fight.

The most frustrating part to me is, there are so many other things you can dress up as for Halloween. You can be a freaking sexy scrabble board for goodness sake. But why does your fun have to come at the expense of my well-being? Is your night of drunken revelry really worth subjugating an entire group of people? I just can’t understand, how after hearing, first-hand, that your choice is hurtful to another human being, you’re able to continue to celebrate with your braids and plastic tomahawk.

So I know you probably didn’t even read this letter, I know you’ve probably already bought and paid for your Indian costume, and that this weekend you’ll be sucking down jungle juice from a red solo cup as your feathers wilt and warpaint runs. I know you’re going to scoff at my over-sensitivity. But I’m telling you, from the bottom of my heart, that you’re hurting me. And I would hope that would be enough.

Wado,

Adrienne K.

PS- I wonder if you saw these posters? Because I think they illustrate my point really well.

UPDATE 10/27: Have a look at some of the costumes I’m talking about. I think it makes my arguments a lot clearer.

Earlier:
But Why Can’t I Wear a Hipster Headdress?
Nudie Neon Indians and the Sexualiztion of Indian Women
A Cowboys and Indians Party is just as bad as a Blackface Party 
Paris Hilton as a Sexy Indian: The Halloween Fallout Begins (includes lots of links about the costume issue)
Mid-Week Motivation: I am not your costume

Longtime Racialicious readers know this time on the calendar has prompted the R to read someone (or several folks) about their racist costumes or some other Halloween-related foolishness. Well, this year, Ohio University’s Students Teaching about Racism in Society (STARS) put on posters what we’ve been putting into words for quite a while.

I think that, for the most part, the campaign deserves the accolades, coverage, and support it’s been getting around the web, from Angry Asian Man to the 17,575 (and counting!) responses on the STARS president’s Tumblr to The Root to Bitch to the former Racialicious owner Carmen Sognonvi .

Of course, we can argue, among other things, that phenotypes don’t equal culture and cultures aren’t static or even talk about the historical-religious appropriation of Halloween itself.

My only quibble with the campaign is that I may have chosen photos where the models conveyed different body language. Not that the models didn’t pose how they wanted, being a student-driven campaign. What I do think is quite a few photographers rarely get The Shot in one shot; in fact, several photographers submit several photos for clients/collaborative partners to choose from.

I would have chosen, say, the Latino looking down at the photo, the East Asian woman giving the “geisha” picture the side-eye. Or all of the models giving their respective photos the side-eye. Or all of them looking out at the viewer. Or all of them looking down. As is, the photo of the East Asian woman looking down may suggest non-confrontation (“meek Asian girl”)

juxtaposed with the men of color (the photo at the top of the post and this one)

and the Black woman

may  inadvertently suggest stereotypes of anger and aggression (“angry Arab,” “Latino with a temper,” “aggressive Black woman”). Just a thought if and when STARS decides to tweak this incredible campaign.

But, again, that’s my only quibble. STARS did a wild-applause-and-rose-tossing job with this campaign.

Others, however, have taken this serious and timely message and parodied—if not downright attacked–it. (Color me unshocked by this, Racializens.) Now, some of the parodies made me chuckle, like this Avatar-based one

and the zombie one

mostly due to the ideas of the creatures being symbols for people of color.

The ones about white people, especially poor whites, produced mixed results mostly because the parodies don’t quite grasp that, yes, poor white people do have a mitigated privilege via their skin color and that white people of various class standings making fun of poor whites may be viewed as “inside joking,”

but white poverty is also thoroughly ridiculed and dismissed—and, therefore erased–in US society by that very same mitigated privilege.

Oh, and let’s not forget the sexism and the fatphobia in these parodies.

As we’ve witnessed in our posts about racism in costuming, people have rushed to defend their choice to dress up in racially offensive Halloween garb in some of the comment sections about the campaigns, with the usual mixture of the “I got my rights!”, “my best [insert race and/or ethnicity here] friend/partner/co-worker/neighbor didn’t find my costume offensive,” (bonus points if the person saying this is a person of color wears the stereotyping costume of a PoC culture), “y’all are being oversensitive/overemotional/hostile,” “you’re the racist for calling out my racism,” and other derailing techniques.

Some of the Derailing/Apologist/Other-Blaming hits and remixes?

From “Jerry Stein” at Autostraddle

OMG, get a life. This is pathetic. Would an Asian woman be OK to go as a Geisha on Halloween? If not why not? And if so are we now saying that only people of the exact origin or race can have fun dressed as a CHARACTER on Halloween? Stop being so sensitive. If America is to get passed all of this nonsense then it needs to get some perspective and start smiling again.

Watch any movie or TV show and you will see a racial stereotype. Are all stereotypes negative NO! Why is it that this campaign only sees that.

This country is dividing itself. Nobody wants to be American. Everyone is so narcissistic and self important it makes me sick to my stomach. Bring back people with humility and a sense of humor before we all end up selfish deluded idiots thinking the world owes them something.

Based on this all costumes which feature Cowboys, Irish Leprechauns, Michael Jackson, Lady GaGa, Bin Laden, OJ Simpson, Madonna, Jersey Shore cast members will all now be banned because they offend the Irish, African Americans, Italians and Muslims. Thats pretty much Halloween cancelled.

This country is becoming a laughing stock for the wrong reasons.

Mohamhead from GOOD

I am not white myself but I don’t see what’s wrong with people doing that kind on stuff on Halloween. I might even dress up as a white guy. Is that racist too? Or is it only racist if white people do it? Hypocrites.

didimydoe3, also at GOOD

I don’t mind stereotypical costumes of my race because I’m mature enough to know it’s a costume.

Sometimes it is offensive. Mine is. It’s the only reason I’m doing it. I’m going blackface.

Oh, I could go on and on and on with these kinds of comments–because these comments are out there ad nauseum–but you get the jist.

But see, here’s the thing, People Who Defend Racist Costumes: you all are proving STARS’—and Racialicious’—point…and quite well. You’re welcome.

As Bitch’s headline says, don’t mess up as you dress up, and have a Happy Halloween!

Image credits: Uproxx and Hard to Be Humble When You Stuntin on a Jumbotron

By Arturo R. García

Apologies for the one-day delay, but after the positive response to last year’s Mexican Independence Day post, here’ s another look at some Mexican artists worth keeping track of.

Kicking things off is perhaps the most glaring omission from last year’s list – and I apologize for that – Lila Downs, the Oaxacan-Minnesotan who was nominated for an Academy Award for her contribution to the film Frida. This year, Downs released Live A FIP, a concert album recorded in Paris. So it’s appropriate we spotlight her onstage here, singing “Paloma Negra.”

A couple of old-school rock en español bands also released new albums this year. First up, this is Jaguares, which was itself born from the ashes of another influential Mexican group, Caifanes.

After surviving a break-up in 1997, the group reformed and got back on the road. Their latest release, 45, is their first album in three years. But “No Dejes Que” might still be their most enduring song.

Also back on the scene is El Gran Silencio, who first appeared in the ’90s. The Monterrey natives – same town Kinky’s from, incidentally – just released Chuntaros Radio Power.

If you’re big on Ozomatli, these guys might just be up your alley. For an introduction to their up-tempo style, though, check out “Super Riddim Internacional”:

We touched on Hello Seahorse! briefly last year, but their continued development – they’re garnered both critical praise and awards aplenty -  is worth paying another round of respect. They’ve also got a new album out, in Lejos No Tan Lejos, which includes this track, “Me Has Olvidado”:

We’ll close out the primary portion of this year’s edition with quite possibly the longest-running Mexican rock group in existence, El Tri, who’ve been playing since 1968(!)

The band’s success, though, is bittersweet: as once noted by the Los Angeles Times, the band’s sales have been undermined by piracy to the extent that it cost them their recording contract. That said, Alex Lora and company are still touring – it just wrapped up a swing through the midwest U.S. – and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Here’s “Las Piedras Rodantes,” which was featured on the 4 Decadas En Vivo live album:

Also Recommended:
Ceci Bastida: Former vocalist for Tijuana NO! and bandmate for Julieta Venegas is now stepping out on her own.
Ely Guerra: I first became aware of her through her appearance on La Ley’s Unplugged album a few years back, but Guerra has emerged as a confident soloist in her own right. Currently on tour in the U.S.
Orlando: The Tijuana native is already attracting attention for his debut album, Capullo.
Carla Morrison: Another Tijuanense on the upswing, got on NPR’s radar for her dreamy-voiced single, “Compartir.”
Sala De Espera: Jose Galvan’s Rock En Español show based out of Los Angeles has become a solid spot for keeping up on what’s out there.

Well, it’s almost Halloween.  And every day that we get closer to Halloween, the more our intrepid readers point out for us some of the season’s most ghoulish examples of racism. Sigh.

Reader Joel sent us a link to this Illegal Alien costume being sold by Walgreens and Target (though word on the street is that the costume has been yanked after complaints).

Carleandria sent us this link that shows you how to make your own dreadlocks wig so that you can be crafty and culturally tone-deaf at the same time.

And Brooke sent us a link to her open letter to those who would dress up as Natives on Halloween, (illustrated by a dazzling array of exquisitely racism “Native” Halloween costumes):

but when did the Native American enter the realm of Wizards, Fairies, Super-heroes, Goblins, or Ghouls? When did it become ok to reduce the diversity, language, and culture of nearly 500 different Indigenous tribes into a tacky “costume” of cheap suede, colored feathers, plastic beads, and fringe? Who decided that the history, identity, and lineage of Native Americans could be easily put on and taken off like greasy Halloween face paint?

In fact, it’s become an extremely unenjoyable October Racialicious tradition to post angry articles dissecting the politics of Halloween.  In 2007 Fatemeh wrote “Reasons I Hate Halloween“:

["Orientalist" costumes] reinforce the eroticized and/or dangerous stereotypes associated with Muslim and Middle Eastern men and women. Plus, it’s doubly insulting because (usually) white people will “play dress-up” in these costumes, to supposedly “live like we do” for one night. The only missing detail is: none of the institutional oppression that we face as Muslims and Middle Easterners comes with the costume.

In 2008 I wrote “Take Back the Halloween” (incidentally one of my most commented-upon posts ever, holla!):

So how do people who are often made to feel visually different – you know, like people of colour – experience Halloween?…those of us who are made to feel like we are visually different, or those of us who feel culturally marginalised by mainstream North American culture feel uncomfortable, guilty, angry or just plain sad at Halloween…

People of colour – especially those who grew up or live racially isolated – have a fear of being conspicuous. As much as I like attention, I also devote massive energy to trying to blend in. This effects my personality and how I present myself on a fundamental level. The regular attempt to neutralise your race is a basic part of living as a person of colour in a racist culture…the holiday where you’re supposed to stand out gives me a serious case of the heebiegeebies.

As you can see, Halloween is an exhausting time for us wee anti-racist critics.  When everyone else gets to dress up and have a good time, we wind up at home, either sifting through online images of people dressed up as racists – and growing more bitter and gnarled by the minute – or we try to pretend that it is not Halloween. Usually by drinking.

But wait. I should speak for myself.  I happen to know at least one Racialicious correspondent who is beside herself with excitement about a certain Mad Men themed costume.  And I know of another one who blows all the racists out of the water with an amazing “Dark Captain Morgan” costume.  That’s right. Look to your right.

So you can take Wendi and Arturo’s lead and find a way to enjoy Halloween in spite of the haters.  Or just eat the pain away with chocolate covered marshmallows – you’ll be in good company.

Update:

The subject of one of the tips listed in this post wrote in, saying she wanted to clarify her costume, the second picture in this post. She pointed out that her wig was not intended to imitate anyone’s culture, heritage, or hairstyle, and sent in images of the full costume. The dreadlocks are actually a deep green, not black as they appeared in the picture:

And the full costume was supposed to evoke the idea of a dark fairy.

But the real reason we are posting this update is because the writer seemed to understand the basics of what we were describing in the post: that dressing up as a person of another race or with cultural markers is not ok, and she sought advice on how to convey these sentiments on her craft page. Since the picture was related to a tip, I’ll leave it up, but a better example of what we are talking about looks like this:

-LDP