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HelpRe: Honest Question About Cultural Appropriation and Names
in reply to a message by RuralRuna
Using a name ethnically and culturally different from your own culture is complex especially for people that have an ethnically diverse heritage and live in a multi-cultural society. Appropriation is "to take or make use of without authority or right," so the question becomes what gives someone the right and who grants authority. If someone comes to America from Vietnam and chooses to give their child a Biblical Hebrew derived name that is common in western countries, then most people aren't going to bat an eye. However, if I, a non-Vietnamese person who does not live in or plan to move to Vietnam, were to randomly use a Vietnamese name, then people would consider it very out of place and justly so. Perhaps it might be more helpful to think in terms of suitability rather than just about appropriation. Does this name reflect the child's heritage, the community where she will grow up, and the culture in which she will be raised?
With the name Maiara, it might make a difference if the couple lived in or were from Brazil and had a connection with the Tupi people. The couple could be of predominately European heritage (like Portuguese) and still have a Tupi ancestor or a family friend that was Tupi that they had asked to honor with their child's name.
Unless the woman telling the couple is part of the Tupi people in Brazil, it seems officious for her to authoritatively make blanket statements on how the name should be used. She has every right to inform the couple that the name use could be considered appropriative, and it would be kind of her to provide some information on the name and/or culture if she wants to. If she starts going on and on about the Tupi people's perspective when she isn't Tupi and literally has no idea what they would think about this couple or the name, then she would also be in danger of being appropriative. There is no pan "Indigenous People," and they are not all part of the same community. If the woman saying not to use the name is Tupi, then the couple would be unwise and arrogant not to take her words into consideration.
With the name Maiara, it might make a difference if the couple lived in or were from Brazil and had a connection with the Tupi people. The couple could be of predominately European heritage (like Portuguese) and still have a Tupi ancestor or a family friend that was Tupi that they had asked to honor with their child's name.
Unless the woman telling the couple is part of the Tupi people in Brazil, it seems officious for her to authoritatively make blanket statements on how the name should be used. She has every right to inform the couple that the name use could be considered appropriative, and it would be kind of her to provide some information on the name and/or culture if she wants to. If she starts going on and on about the Tupi people's perspective when she isn't Tupi and literally has no idea what they would think about this couple or the name, then she would also be in danger of being appropriative. There is no pan "Indigenous People," and they are not all part of the same community. If the woman saying not to use the name is Tupi, then the couple would be unwise and arrogant not to take her words into consideration.
This message was edited 4/7/2021, 8:26 AM
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Maiara is a top 100 name in Portugal (so is Mayara) and I somehow doubt that most of the people who used it have Tupi ancestry. Still you will find this name a lot within that country and it seems to be considered completely normal there. Of course Brazil and Portugal are connected in many ways but I still don't think Tupi ancestry is common. I personally don't think you have to worry or ask permission if the name is clearly in popular use.
This message was edited 4/7/2021, 8:05 AM
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