blog assignment 7: selected posts

[nice detail and references] from Chris Mather:

Cultural Sensitivity/Insensitivity: Blog 7

The first picture is of a Japanese sushi mat (makisu) which is used in Japanese culture to roll up sushi. I discovered this in the two dollar shop on Cuba Street. I believe this to be very culturally sensitive, with how it is made and presented. With the components of the makisu made out of traditional materials such as the bamboo. The packaging is very simplistic with simple pictures of bamboo storks, with only the colours red and green used, relating back to the Japanese culture though what these colours represent.  With red representing energy, as in Japanese culture it is believed the sun is red.  With the green representing growth, vegetation and nature. These colour meanings therefore relate back to the culture and the task the makisu carries out.

This second picture is of a Maori tattoo, proudly known as a Ta Moko in Maori culture. This photo was taken in a tattoo shop on Cuba street. This Te Moko in Maori culture is a sacred treasure (taonga) with the purpose and application carrying significant meaning and procedures. These include tribal affiliations and their placing within these social structures. But in this case the designs are just for show and have no particular meaning to the individual with the story behind the patterns false and unjust. With the tattoos being applied using a modern day European tattooing needle instead of the Traditional Maori way of using a bone chisel. Also modern day inks are made primarily from metal salts, plastics and vegetable dyes. With authentic Maori ink is made from burned wood or an organism that is half vegetation, half caterpillar. This pattern blatantly shows a lack of cultural knowledge behind these tattoos. I believe that they are very culturally insensitive towards Maori culture. With the designs marked for pure design, instead of as a sacred treasure of tribal affiliations.

Weather something is culturally sensitive or insensitive is up for debate as it is an individual opinion. For instance what one man finds culturally insensitive another may not, such as Robbie Williams getting a Maori tattoo on his arm. This was very offensive to many Maori and New Zealander’s but he didn’t believe he was being culturally insensitive when he got the tattoo. 

[thoughtful and concise] from Luke Verboeket:

Cultural Sensitivity/Insensitivity: Blog 7

As I was walking around Cuba Street trying to find examples of cultural sensitivity/insensitivity I wondered how do we decide if something is culturally insensitive or just bad taste?
I found this drawing of a Maori tiki mask that had been warped to be more of a demon looking thing, but is still likened to the traditional Maori precedent. Personally, I think this could be considered culturally insensitive because it is basically mocking the original drawings that the Maori had done. Which, perhaps raises another question; is this is true cultural insensitivity or just artistic license?
Finding something that was culturally sensitive was much harder for me, as it seems that cultural insensitivity is a mainstream idea now that if not done in the extremes, we accept. I found this Buddha statue in a shop window, which unlike the drawing, was similar to what we would consider an authentic one to look like. I think this is being culturally sensitive because it still has the integrity of the original.