Indigenous Engineering Inclusion Tips - Inclusion Minutes Insight #3

Halloween is a fun time of year to dress up and be someone else, but there are times when what we chose to wear can be harmful to others. Every year the conversation comes up about cultural appropriation, and this year is no different. Recent news about photos that have surfaced of the Prime Minister in blackface and brownface have moved the conversation forward. I have had many discussions online and with friends on where the line is. Is it inappropriate to dress as “Poca-hottie” (a “sexy Pocahontas costume that some Halloween stores have sold in the past) but ok to dress a child in the Disney version of the Pocahontas costume? Here is a good article I found with some helpful tips. As always, I say always err on the side of respect. Chances are, if you are wondering if the costume is inappropriate, it probably is. If your child wants to dress as something that may be viewed as cultural appropriation, why not use it as a teachable moment for them and explain why they have to pick something else?