CULTURAL APPROPRIATION
For those unfamiliar with this term, the Oxford Dictionary defines cultural appropriation as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” These adoptions may be clothing styles or items such as headdresses, aspects of traditional rituals or ceremonies such as songs, tatoos, or even movement modalities such as yoga.
What makes cultural appropriation different to cultural exchange (which is normal in our interconnected world) is that there is an element of a power dynamic in which a dominant culture takes from one it has oppressed for its own advantage (money, fashion, status etc), which the other culture specifically finds offensive or exploitative.
Medicine Festival offers a safe place to have these important and relevant conversations, and to learn exactly why we must honor other cultures, and do all we can to educate ourselves about the struggles they face and do what we can to be allies and supportive where needed with regards to raising awareness when tackling cultural appropriation and systemic racism.
HOW WE WORK WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
We provide an online and in-person platform for people to learn from indigenous leaders from all around the world, because we fully realise that they are the ones protecting the biodiversity of our whole planet. Indigenous people are often the worst hit by climate change and natural disasters, and without them, we face an immeasurable loss of our collective understanding of how to live in harmony with nature, of protecting our forests and waters, and understanding the importance of keeping earth’s natural resources in the ground, not to mention the cultural importance of the spiritual earth-based wisdom they carry.
We are co-hosting a special event on August 9th on the UN’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with our partner Aniwa, featuring esteemed indigenous leaders from the Mayan, Yoreme, Dine, Yaqui/Apache, Huni Kuin, Ashaninka, Yawanawa, Hopi/Tewa and Dogon tribes to celebrate the languages, traditional songs and culture of these tribes and raise money for their community projects.
ACCESSIBILITY
- Our site has road access to its centre, so we can arrange for you to have vehicle access where needed to the heart of the action and also to the campsite.
- We have a disabled toilet and shower in the campsite.
- Although we do not have an Accessible Viewing Area for the stages our Area Guardians will make sure you are taken care of and have a good sight line to the entertainment.
- If you need an assistant to come with you to the festival we can arrange a Personal Assistant ticket.
- We can provide large print sitemaps and schedules should you need one.
Do note that there will not be metal tracks for wheelchairs to get around, and some of the ground is rough field and some paths are a bit uneven.