Racism as Culture: Carnival Costumes, #CulturalAppropriation & #Germany – #Faschingskostüme #KulturelleAneignung

How do you create meaningful dialogue and create change to educate upon and end racist practices? Like the title of our documentary (“Forget Winnetou! Loving in the Wrong Way” – 2018) clearly suggests, there is a wrong and a better way to show appreciation, indicate interest or learn about other peoples and cultures that do not perpetuate cycles of erasure, violence, and misogyny (+transphobia). Learn more here: flyingwithredhaircrow.com.

Description: “Finally #Carnival again! That means celebrating exuberantly, swaying, dressing up. But apparently, this year, too, that doesn’t go without missteps. At a carnival reception in Hesse, there is a “blackfacing” scandal. In Prossen, Saxony, people in “Indian” #costumes drive through town during a carnival parade, and a man in a rainbow suit is tied to a torture stake. And we ask ourselves: why are certain costumes problematic?

For this, we take a look at history, more precisely at the time of colonialism. At that time, many ethnic groups were oppressed and considered inferior. Their clothing and culture were looked down upon. Today, for example, dressing up as #NativeAmerican without dealing with their history is unacceptable, Red Haircrow tells us in the video.

And yet, “Ind*aner” costumes are still everywhere. Many fools don’t understand the fuss over the disguise. Do many not care about #racism? We asked academics and those affected for their take.”

Note: By the way, I was addressed by MDR in English and never asked if I speak German. Which of course I do, I was born in Germany and have spent the last almost twenty years back in Germany. Another example that one can recognize the problems of stereotyping, but still make false assumptions about other things that interfere with intercultural well-being.

Wir fragen: Wie kann man einen sinnvollen Dialog führen und Veränderungen herbeiführen, um über rassistische Praktiken aufzuklären und sie zu beenden? Wie der Titel unseres Dokumentarfilms deutlich macht, gibt es einen falschen und einen besseren Weg, Wertschätzung zu zeigen, Interesse zu bekunden oder etwas über andere Menschen und Kulturen zu lernen, ohne den Kreislauf von Auslöschung, Gewalt und Frauen- oder transfeindlichkeit aufrechtzuerhalten. Erfahren Sie hier mehr: flyingwithredhaircrow.com.