Cultural appropriation tends to be a very hot topic in our current society. Those who claim it doesn't exist immediately blame "social justice warriors" for creating the term to defend being overly sensitive and not wanting change.
In reality, cultural appropriation is the act of diluting a culture or practice of its original value by using it for an awful joke, fashion trend, trashy party, etc. This is especially important to keep in mind with Dia de los Muertos coming up.
As someone with Mexican blood, I find it incredibly offensive to see sugar skulls used as exotic print on throw-away plates and napkins. My culture is not something you can decorate your low-budget Halloween party with. My culture is not something you can get tattooed on your thigh because the sugar skull is just so cute and edgy. Sugar skulls are not another commodity for non- Latinx people to use as they please because of hollow interest.
If you're going to use my culture — or any culture for that matter — then have the courtesy of at least getting a deep knowledge of why it came to be. We welcome you to learn our customs, we love sharing our heritage, but we don't appreciate when you look at it from a surface value to use as an excuse to paint your face and get drunk. If learning about someone's culture feels too boring or time-consuming, then you have no right to partake in it.
So what is Dia de los Muertos? For starters, it is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Though the holidays are close, Dia de los Muertos is about celebrating the life of and showing respect to a deceased loved one.
This holiday originated thousands of years ago from the Aztecs who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For them, death was a natural part of life and as such, the dead were still considered a part of their community. On Dia de los Muertos (November 1), they returned to the realm of the living.
Ofrendas, or alters, are privately built in homes and cemeteries to welcome the dead back to the realm of the living. They're loaded with offerings such as food, water, family photos and a candle for each deceased relative. Since marigolds are the main flower used to decorate the ofrendas, their petals are used from grave-site to alter to guide the dead back to their place of rest.
Sugar skulls represent a departed soul and have the name written on the forehead. They're then placed on a home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a specific spirit. Back to the topic of cultural appropriation, it's obvious that the sugar skull print on Hot Topic shirts and Walmart mugs has nothing to do with honoring the dead.
As you can see, Dia de los Muertos is a beautiful holiday meant to pay respect to and show love for the deceased. Please do not disrespect my culture by using the sugar skull for anything but it's original purpose.
If you'd like to learn more, please visit Champlain College Diversity Program's Dia de los Muertos Celebration on November 1 from 6 p.m. - 8: p.m. in the Fireside Lounge.
