Message Her

Join OkCupid

Find better matches with our advanced matching system

Online Now

An image of sitakali
An image of sitakali
An image of sitakali
—% Match —% Friend —% Enemy

sitakali Away

29 / F / Straight / Single

Wellington, New Zealand

Her journal posts

Just deleted the Spirit Animal test after 7 years

Feb 18, 2012

I was saddened to realize that this test is culturally appropriative, as I am not Native American or from any culture that has spirit animals. I was very proud of it, as it has been going for 7 years or something like that, and had over 200,000 takers.

I have left the description up, so that people who click on it can read my reasons for taking it down. It is my hope that, since so many took the test, many will see that message. The most important part:

The discrepancy between our fascination with native cultures and our disrespect for their descendants today is truly disconcerting. Their struggles are just as real as the cultural traditions that fascinate us.

This is the truth. There are far more people out there who like feather earrings, headdresses, moccasins, spirit animals, and other aspects of various Native American cultures and tribes than people who care or know anything about Native history, genocide, and continued mistreatment. This must change.

Comments must be approved by the author.

I was saddened to realize that this test is culturally appropriative, as I am notNative American or from any culture that has spirit animals. I wasvery proud of it, as it has been going for 7 years or somethinglike that, and had over 200,000 takers.

I have left the description up, so that people who click on itcan read my reasons for taking it down. It is my hope that, sinceso many took the test, many will see that message. The mostimportant part:

The discrepancy between our fascination withnative cultures and our disrespect for their descendants today istruly disconcerting. Their struggles are just as real as thecultural traditions that fascinate us.

This is the truth. There are far more people out there who likefeather earrings, headdresses, moccasins, spirit animals, and otheraspects of various Native American cultures and tribes than peoplewho care or know anything about Native history, genocide, andcontinued mistreatment. This must change.

Just deleted the Spirit Animal test after 7 years
feather earrings, headdresses, moccasins, and spirit animals. right. so. fast-forward 1000 years and assign some sort of cultural significance to crocs and sunglasses. "why don't those people honor these cultural icons?!?!?! plus i am from new zealand which is thousands of miles away"

A former user commented on Feb 18, 2012

An image of sitakali Sure thing. If, you know, our (industrialized western) culture ever goes through the most massive genocide the planet has ever seen, plus being put in state-sanctioned Third-World ghettos, and then having everything that is part of our culture fetishized and used for material gain without any acknowledgement of the struggles of that culture. Then yeah, sure. And, if you read my profile, you'd know I'm from the US. Good day to you sir, and I look forward to more well-informed responses.

sitakali commented on Feb 18, 2012

An image of ichauch2006 Thanks a lot for that post. Oddly enough I have never before connected the two topics (exploitation of natives and fascination with their culture). Come to think of it, I know of a similar issue with colonialism: there, also an exotic and fascination "other" was created at the same time the colonized people were exploited.

ichauch2006 commented on Feb 18, 2012

An image of sitakali Yeah, I never knew about it until this year. But it is an odd connection, isn't it? But if you think about it, it's intensely condescending. "Aww, look at the cute, now almost non-existent cultures. They were so special and in touch with NATURE!" And the fact that many of those interested in native cultures don't give two shits about the tragedies that continue to befall them, really tells you something.

sitakali commented on Feb 18, 2012