Cultural Appropriation in NZ

An article was published on Vice in March about cultural appropriation incidents in New Zealand, which according to this article there have been a few. The main focus of this article is the appropriation of cornrows by white New Zealanders. If you are unfamiliar with cornrows, they are not the super trendy “boxer braids” that Kim Kardashian has recently made famous. Cornrows are a braided hair style that many link back to Africa, as a hairstyle used to maintain afro textured hair.

In this article the writer interviews an African Kiwi hairdresser, Sam Kumah, who owns a braiding salon. His comments on cultural appropriation are very interesting to say the least. In the context of America, it is very easy to see the lines and bounds of cultural appropriation in regard to black hairstyles, music, culture etc. When it comes to cultural appropriation in New Zealand, the African community, a result of the African diaspora, have had their own experiences of racism and prejudice, but it cannot be compared to the lived experiences of African Americans. African Americans have a harrowing history of slavery and segregation that continues to affect them today through their systematically and institutionally racist society. With this in mind, the so called effects of cultural appropriation, in this context of hairstyles, are not truly present here in New Zealand. 

Youtube video of Amandala Stenberg discussing the cultural appropriation of black culture.

This Vice article very much resembles one that was published by the Guardian last year after Kylie Jenner posted a picture of herself with cornrows. More and more people are becoming more self-aware, being quick to point out when others are being culturally offensive. I think this is really great that this is leading to a greater respect for different cultures and their customs and traditions.

Looking at these two articles, I think it would have been helpful to get an expert in African American/African sociological/anthropological studies, instead of just relying on one member from these communities.

It’s interesting to note that both of the hair experts that are presented in the articles justify the appropriation of cornrows due to the fact that many black woman are able to get weaves, wigs and straighten their hair to resemble that of white European women. I find this problematic in the sense that they are dismissing the context and history of colonialism and the perpetuation of Eurocentric beauty standards that have existed for hundreds of years. It would have been helpful to distinguish the differences of then and now, as for the most part there has been a shift in society where having straighter hair is more of an choice rather than a need to be able to assimilate and “fit it” by black women. Of course the stigma of having “good hair” still exists for many, but the natural hair movement has made a huge impact positive impact on this damaging mind set.

Some would also argue that in New Zealand it is not seen as cultural appropriation, but a representation and embrace of African culture by non-African New Zealanders.

One person commented on my friends Facebook page in response to this article, saying that “you can't run a business strictly catering in to Black people in NZ; because of how small a community we are it would just not be sustainable”. This is a very interesting point, but does it excuse someone from culturally appropriating a hairstyle?