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Cultural Appropriation Of Emily Carr And The Vanishing Indian Culture

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Imagine this scenario: A white man wears feathers, holds an axe, and screams at the top of his lungs. How do you think First Nations will react to this man? This is an example of Cultural Appropriation, to take cultural elements that aren’t one’s own and depict them without any understanding of that culture. With many celebrities getting criticized for culturally appropriating like Kylie Jenner’s cornrows or Katy Perry dressing as a geisha, historical figures are also not safe from criticism. One figure that’s been heavily criticized recently is Emily Carr due to her art. Through the works of Douglas Cole’s “The Invented Indian/The Imagined Emily”, the line drawn between the sides that say she is and isn’t suddenly becomes even more blurred. …show more content…

Cole managed to completely debunk the three assumptions, the Salvage paradigm, the "Vanishing Indian," and the "Authentic Indian". Emily Carr is accused of cultural appropriation for her paintings depicting the Pacific Northwest's Indigenous cultures. However, I think it is important to note that Carr was deeply invested in preserving the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples, and her paintings were an expression of her reverence and respect for their traditions. One such painting was one of Sophie, Emily’s friend. This not only shows her respect for First Nation’s people but also for her friend. She lived among Indigenous communities and was deeply influenced by their spiritual beliefs, art, and way of life. An example of how close she was to the First Nations is the name they give her, “Klee Wyck” (Laughing One). Furthermore, she worked to document their cultures when they faced significant threats of colonization and loss of cultural identity. She also tried her best to support the First Nations in times of need. For example, when Louisa and Jimmie’s Methodist pastor wanted Carr to “influence them into sending their boys to the Industrial boarding school for Indians,” Carr immediately said, “No” (156). Then after that, when Louisa asked Emily Carr if she should send them to school, Carr, again, said “No.” To me, Carr's paintings are a celebration of Indigenous cultures and a testament to her dedication to preserving their heritage. It is also important to consider the context of the time in which she was working when few artists were interested in depicting Indigenous cultures. In conclusion, while the issue of cultural appropriation is complex, it is clear that Emily Carr's paintings were motivated by her love and respect for Indigenous cultures, and her contributions to their preservation should not be

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