reminder about the term “spirit animal”

presidentgoat:

you cannot use that term if you are not native american. you do not have a spirit animal if you are not native american. if you use this term out of the correct context and you are not native american, you are being appropriative.

beewitch:

breelandwalker:

stylemic:

Eighth Generation is what modern Native American design looks like without cultural appropriation 

Louie Gong describes his company, Eighth Generation, as “a Native-owned, community-engaged small business that began when I started putting cultural art on shoes.” It’s true, in 2008, Gong began decorating sneakers and skateboarding apparel with indigenous Nooksack patterns — a move that, as a Nooksack himself, set him apart from the non-Native designers who’d been doing so for years. As demand grew, so did Gong’s ambition.

Here you go, kids!

How to procure Native-American-and-First-Nation-themed items without entitlement or cultural appropriation in one easy step.

BUY THE THINGS DIRECTLY FROM THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

Because if they’re selling these representations of their culture and being fairly compensated, you’re not appropriating, you’re appreciating. And helping good folks make a living while you’re at it.

Everybody wins.

Not to mention, who wouldn’t want to rock that gorgeous stuff? 🙂

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TO THOSE MAKING NATIVE OCS

aphromanoo:

I see this a lot, no one has actual names, or any reference for names, that are legit Native American, varying among the tribes, for their characters.

Babynames.com and shit like that will give you names made up by white people.

However, I’ve got your solution.

Native-Languages  is a good website to turn to for knowledge on a lot of native things, including native names. If you’re unsure about the names you’ve picked, they even have a list of made up names here!

Please don’t trust names like babynames.com for native names, they’re made up and often quite offensive to the cultures themselves.