Every piece we carry is more than a simple bag or piece of jewelry. It’s a story, a memory, a connection to an entire community and the artisan whose hands made it. This is why discussing cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation is so important to be able to understand the difference between the two, especially when it comes to buying or wearing handmade goods rooted in Indigenous cultures.
It’s a conversation we’ve been having often, and one to continue to learn from. So let’s break it down and get to learning!
What is Cultural Appropriation?
Cultural appropriation happens when designs, symbols, styles, and traditional forms of medicine from a culture, especially one that has been historically exploited, are taken without permission or understanding, often by businesses or individuals who profit from them without giving credit, compensation, or directly supporting the source and community it comes from.
It often looks like brands or individuals copying Indigenous designs without acknowledgment, or treating traditional symbols as trends. The problem here isn’t sharing or enjoying the beauty from different cultures, the problem is rooted in taking without permission and taking credit for something that doesn’t belong to them. When Indigenous cultures are treated like a trend or stripped of their meaning, it erases the deep roots that make it special and diminishes the long history behind it.
It’s not cultural appreciation when brands copy Wayuu bag designs and sell them as "boho" or "tribal" bags with no mention of the Wayuu people. It’s not culture appreciation when fashion brands create and sell war bonnets as festival wear or costumes, or when herbal remedies and Indigenous medicines like Ayahuasca or Peyote are sold as weekend getaway retreats with people leading these "healing spaces" who aren’t even from the communities where those medicines come from, and packaging and selling them in wellness spaces without credit, compensation, or connection to the communities that have been ridiculed and robbed for protecting that knowledge for generations. When these traditions are turned into products for profit, it erases the cultural context, disrespects the communities, and continues to keep alive harmful stereotypes, therefore disconnecting people from the living, breathing cultures that still hold and protect these ways today. But there’s another way to learn from and connect with Indigenous communities without actively harming their cultures and communities in the process, and it’s called cultural appreciation!
What is Cultural Appreciation?
Appreciation is taking the time to learn, to listen, and to understand the roots and significance of these traditions. It’s not just about admiring the beauty of a Wayuu mochila or an Okama necklace made by Embera women, it’s about honoring the story behind it, the hands that made it, and the knowledge that has been passed down through generations to make that piece come to life.
Cultural appreciation is buying directly from Indigenous artisans, supporting businesses that work in union with Indigenous artisans, and paying honest prices that reflect the skill, time, and meaning in their work. It means asking questions about the artisans or pieces, respecting boundaries, and learning about the cultural context while taking the time to learn the why behind the designs, the colors used, and the symbols they carry. It means comprehending that every stitch, every bead, and every design used carries the knowledge of a community that has faced centuries of colonialism, displacement, assimilation, and the attempt to erase these traditions. It's choosing to stand in solidarity with them.
Appreciating other communities' cultures and traditions is about building relationships with the creators, getting to know them, learning about where their traditional lands are, and hearing the true meaning behind the stories that are rooted in their pieces. It's acknowledging that these handmade goods are not trendy or for aesthetics, but diverse expressions of culture and identity that have a right to be protected, not exploited. When you choose to appreciate instead of appropriating, you become part of the whole story. A story of respect, mutuality, and consideration for the cultures that continue to share their art, wisdom, and ways of knowing with you and the world.
When Indigenous art is treated like a trend and stripped of its meaning, it erases the long, strong roots that make it special. That’s what we strive to do: to not just admire the beauty of Indigenous artisanship but to actively uplift the people who make it and educate you, the buyer, on those designs, the history behind them, and most importantly, the people who make them.
How Can We Buy Ethically?
It starts with intention:
Learn the story behind what you buy. Who made it? What does it mean? Why does it matter? Who does it benefit?
Buy directly from artisans or small businesses that work in partnership with artisans and pay fair prices.
Respect the technique, knowledge, and traditions behind the piece.
Say NO to mass-produced copies and fast fashion brands that exploit Indigenous designs.
Do not bargain down handmade work; understand that these pieces often take days, even weeks to make and not everyone has the skill to do them!
Learn about the culture. Take time to understand the significance of the pieces you wear or decorate your home with.
What kind of language is being used to describe the piece? Does the seller provide the cultural context of the design, or simply refer to it as "boho" or "tribal"?
Share the stories of the makers when someone compliments your piece, so when people ask about your bag or necklace, you’re knowledgeable about the cultures and artisans it comes from!
At Raíces Tejidas, we’ve been working with the same communities for years, like Arte Misak in El Cauca, Inga Awaska in Putumayo, and Wayuu collectives in La Guajira. We stay in touch, visit if possible, and pay prices that respect their craft and the time it takes to create them. It's a shared commitment to keeping these traditions alive, supporting Indigenous livelihoods, and making sure that when you wear a piece, you wear it with knowledge, respect, and can feel the love that was used to make it.