3 Indigenous writers discuss cultural appropriation with CBC's Rosanna Deerchild

The fallout fromthe "appropriation prize" controversyin the wake of an editorial published in Write magazine has leftmany wondering what exactly constitutes cultural appropriation, and how it is different, if at all, from appreciation.

The editorial's author, Hal Niedzviecki, later stepped down, as didWalrus editor Jonathan Kay after he published an opinion piece of his own advocating for debate around the issue of cultural appropriation.

On Tuesday, host Rosanna Deerchildof CBC Radio'sUnreservedspoke with three Indigenous writers, including Joshua Whitehead, whose piece on "Indigenegativity" appearedinthe same spring Write issue that carried Niedzviecki's editorial.

Niedzvieckiwrote that he didn't "believe in cultural appropriation" and encouraged writers to "imagine other peoples, other cultures, other identities."Several media executives,including one from CBC, had tweeted they would contribute funds to any such "appropriation prize," as proposed byNiedzviecki.

• An emotional Jesse Wente on the 'remarkable arrogance' of an appropriation prize
• 'Emerging Indigenous Voices' award to counter 'cultural appropriation' prize

"I suppose I wasn't surprised because this is kind of how it's been throughout my ... career so far, but at the same time, it hurts," saidWhitehead, who lives inCalgary.

"I wish I had a heads-up that was going to be in there ... I totally would've gone and ripped up my cheque."

In response to the editorial, Whitehead wrote an addendum to his article and posted it online elsewhere.

Winnipeg-based artist and writer Jaimie Isaac pointedto a recent incident involvinga Toronto art exhibit as an example of cultural appropriation, which, she said, "has been around the Indigenous arts community for time immemorial."

A Toronto gallery pulled the work of local Indigenous artist AmandaPL after receiving complaints.Amanda PL, whosecreations focuson nature, animals, Indigenous spirituality and medicine, said she'sinspired by the Woodlands style made famous in the 1960s by theAnishinabeartistNorvalMorrisseau

• Toronto gallery cancels show after concerns artist 'bastardizes' Indigenous art

"I completely stand in solidarity with that exhibition," saidIsaac. "That was a perfect example of mining the esthetics of Indigenous art and completely disregarding the meaning or the history of that artist and what it stood for."

"You can't just take Indigenous esthetics and culture and claim it as your own."

For Whitehead, some of that history comes from a place of pain, which is brought back to the fore when Indigenous art is appropriated.

"When Ithink of appropriation ... it's linked to assimilation, it's linked to the residential schools my father was in, it's linked to the '60s scoop, the murder of my grandmother."

AS IT HAPPENS | 'I invoked cultural appropriation in the context of literature and writing only': Hal Niedzviecki

"All of this comes to my being when appropriation is played, and used and defended."

NiigaanSinclair, acting head of the native studies program at the University of Manitoba, frequently writes about Indigenous issues. Sinclairsaid the cultural appropriation debate is not a free speech issue, because people can write about anyone, and he has done so in the past.

"Anyone can engage with any culture and borrow things. People do it all the time," he said, noting he has written from the perspective of women, people with disabilities and non-Indigenous individuals."To do it without responsibilityor ethics is where violence and genocide begins.

"Appropriation is theft based on power andprivilege. Appreciation is engagement based on responsibility andethics."

• 'We cannot look to mainstream Canada to support us': Indigenous writers urge communities to reclaim own voices

Sinclair saidwords have power and the ability to shape perceptions of a group, so taking extra care to accurately represent them is paramount.

"Words create practice, practice creates policy, policy creates law, and next thing you know, we're taking children and hammering the Indian out of them."

"We havehistorical precedence [in Canada]."