tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post947331963319861243..comments2024-03-01T00:15:25.848-08:00Comments on Made By Meg: Why I Won't Be 'Going Tribal' This SummerMeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-81384901479735728712014-11-06T15:55:30.045-08:002014-11-06T15:55:30.045-08:00That's interesting about the term "nude&q...That's interesting about the term "nude" - I think that makes a lot of sense!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-48681155422106730392014-11-06T15:46:56.072-08:002014-11-06T15:46:56.072-08:00Wow! This is one of the most interesting and relev...Wow! This is one of the most interesting and relevant posts I've read in a long time and I thank you for it!<br />This "ethic" catchall for any intricately printed fabric is inaccurate and lazy and there is nothing wrong with having a little knowledge. There is in fashion a tendency to either lump everything deemed "foreign, non-white or exotic" together or go the other way and pretend they don't exist - a good example is calling items "nude" ensuring that anyone whos skin doesn't match that feels ignored.Miss Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01411582479818113011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-23360920136995303942014-07-14T08:11:11.762-07:002014-07-14T08:11:11.762-07:00Thanks for your thoughtful comment! My primary iss...Thanks for your thoughtful comment! My primary issue is with the fabric designers, who should be taking time and effort to document their inspiration and use appropriate terminology and not blatantly appropriate from other cultures without thought to origin or significance, just because it's "trendy." And there are historical and racist implications to using terms like "tribal," whether we like it or not.<br /><br />For fabric shopping, I see no reason why a store shouldn't have an international or imports section where you can find everything from African wax prints to Mexican weavings. And a quick look at some popular online retailers shows that many already separate out sections for batiks, ikat fabric, etc. <br /><br />If you're looking for that specific, geometric style print like the one illustrated here that is so trendy right now, the term tribal isn't even especially helpful, as a whole range of very different designs and dying techniques come up when I google that term. I'm so glad we're talking about this, so that we can figure out how to navigate these different styles together.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-3682775649942937912014-07-14T07:49:45.090-07:002014-07-14T07:49:45.090-07:00I'm certainly not an authority on this, but th...I'm certainly not an authority on this, but the legal reason is that the Navajo have trademarked their name as a way to product their cultural art. So in this case it would be akin to using the "Nike" name or logo.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-32832532522628049172014-07-14T07:00:58.805-07:002014-07-14T07:00:58.805-07:00This may be all very well and good in a store. Bu...This may be all very well and good in a store. But these labels do have a purpose. In the vast expanse of the internet I may be trying to find a "tribal" or "ethnic" print to buy. Google search can help me with this. I can't imagine having to research all the different types of prints, pick a specific band, and then punch that into Google...and then hope that the internet purveyor has decided to use the same word as me! This sounds completely frustrating. I also imagine most fabric store owners would shudder at that thought at doing that much research to sell a print. I'm not sure why its important to be that specific. As you saw from some comments above, if you call it a "Navajo print", they expect it to now be from the Navajo nation. Which would not be true. So if you are too specific you are misrepresenting and presenting a lousy search term, and if you are to generic you have somehow taken away credit from a culture. How about the people who are interested in where these prints came from look it up like you did. That satisfies the small subsection of people who would be upset about this issue, but allows others to find what they need on the internet.Rainpatterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311078936448749356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-60870632257891466322014-07-13T22:28:14.890-07:002014-07-13T22:28:14.890-07:00I'm not sure why the only reason to label some...I'm not sure why the only reason to label something Navajo is if its a product of the Navajo nation. Its a descriptor. If a print is something that is similar or reminiscent of Navajo art or prints, then it would helpful as a search term. There are books that are written on the Navajo, Navajo books, but that doesn't mean they come from the Navajo nation. Rainpatterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311078936448749356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-6051719675193551072014-07-07T08:54:02.660-07:002014-07-07T08:54:02.660-07:00Oh my gosh THANK YOU for this post. I thought I wa...Oh my gosh THANK YOU for this post. I thought I was the only person offended by fabric companies' vague and misplaced pattern names, but of course that is never the case. And thank you for adding some resources for pattern identification!Nicole_boldgoodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17643301180839131736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-10885499441208983342014-06-30T14:09:16.696-07:002014-06-30T14:09:16.696-07:00You make a really good point... I'm off to edu...You make a really good point... I'm off to educate myself using the helpful links you provided. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-64135569826818834792014-06-14T19:56:03.656-07:002014-06-14T19:56:03.656-07:00Yes, I agree; we CAN do better & we should exp...Yes, I agree; we CAN do better & we should expect it of ourselves. Cultural appropriation is *gonna* happen since imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery and gorgeous prints & designs are gorgeous, but there's no need for white or western privilege to just lump everything into an "other"category; it's lazy. sloppy, entitled & rude. BRAVO!helenkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16885523787103369661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-890824907356346022014-06-12T18:42:33.639-07:002014-06-12T18:42:33.639-07:00thank you so much! I have been wondering what an a...thank you so much! I have been wondering what an actual Ikat fabric is and what it's about, and holding off on using a wax print because I wanted to know its story. Thanks for articulating this and even better, for providing resources to educate ourselves. <3Rebecca Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00863197151008269354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-35211685534015824232014-06-12T17:35:35.669-07:002014-06-12T17:35:35.669-07:00Oh man, love this post. I refuse to buy any fabric...Oh man, love this post. I refuse to buy any fabric labelled "tribal" or "ethnic", just because it makes my skin crawl! Gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306054198401843077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-10513953188898894402014-06-12T16:27:19.836-07:002014-06-12T16:27:19.836-07:00Great post! I think we have the same issue with ab...Great post! I think we have the same issue with aboriginal art in Australia - it all gets lumped into a very generic group when really we should be identifying the particular groups who have very different artistic styles. <br /><br />I struck the issue of needing to match garment to fabric a few years ago when a friend gave me some Indonesian fabrics - all fine till she mentioned in passing that these particular fabrics were used for men's shirts, and I realised that if I turned them into women's clothes I was going to offend a whole lot of people!Gabriellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06178734550537562868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-58151746747412410302014-06-12T16:21:02.594-07:002014-06-12T16:21:02.594-07:00I think that's a great description!I think that's a great description!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-40007169709954587222014-06-12T14:33:14.760-07:002014-06-12T14:33:14.760-07:00Brava!!!!! Thank you for this timely post. I wear ...Brava!!!!! Thank you for this timely post. I wear gele (ghaylay) not a turban all of the time. Saying Dutch wax prints is more specific. There are many fabrics that from various countries in Afrika. Some that come to mind are kitenga, bogolanfini, adire, ask oke. As sewists we can enjoy them all, but one must keep in mind and respect the cultural aspect of these beautiful textiles. Auset's Stitched Treasureshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10924962703801889913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-76511487414129087632014-06-12T13:41:55.774-07:002014-06-12T13:41:55.774-07:00Hey, thanks for the comment! I thought about this ...Hey, thanks for the comment! I thought about this a bit, too...<br /><br />A great example of a generic "tribal" print is featured as the photo in this post. I agree that it would be difficult to name because, as in this case, it seems like the manufacturers are attempting to reproduce or 'knock-off' specific regional designs in order to get in on the "tribal" trend (the one pictured here seems to resemble a Chinle pattern, but not quite).<br /><br />Whether you feel comfortable using what I would perhaps call a Chinle "inspired" or "knock-off" print is of course up to you. I think in some cases "inspired" art and fabric can be a sort of conversation with the original artist and lead to fabulous new art (see Pablo Picasso's Las Meninas), while other times "knock-off" fabric is a blatant ripoff that can have cultural and legal ramifications (see Navajo print or fake designer bags). Some questions to consider may be - what is the inspiration for this print? What is the artist adding to the original design by using or altering it? This post (and comments) from Male Pattern Boldness may apply here: http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-ethics-of-home-sewn-designer-knock.html.<br /><br />There are also a lot of cool "geometric" prints popping up this season, which I would consider the "tribal" fabric to be a subset of. Some of these geometric designs strike me as a more creative and artistic way to engage with nature, history, and artists without appropriating protected designs. I like this feathers design in grey and white: http://alisonglass.com/blog/2013/05/introducing-sun-print/Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-73650033969898141642014-06-12T13:07:38.924-07:002014-06-12T13:07:38.924-07:00Thank you for posting this along with links so we ...Thank you for posting this along with links so we can learn more. I already knew the names for batik, ikat, shibori, and sashiko (and I love all of these!), but the rest I didn't know - and there is a lot out there! I love prints and colours, and I love the whole Anthropologie aesthetic, but I've always felt uncomfortable not knowing the origins of a print and the fact that companies are always appropriating and profiting from other (often disadvantaged) cultures. That said, Erin brings up a good point - what do we call the prints that are not straight up copies? Art evolves and changes constantly as people re-imagine life. In my mind, I think of the prints that don't fit as "organic geometric", but I don't know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-57238827438545062702014-06-12T12:04:57.566-07:002014-06-12T12:04:57.566-07:00Very good points and interesting information.
To ...Very good points and interesting information.<br /><br />To broaden the discussion:<br /><br />I totally understand (and agree) why it's important to note sources if there are sources and give respect to the specific culture or artists that were responsible for those sources.<br /><br />I would point out that there are many prints out there that don't actually have anything to do with a specific culture or history, they are just bold, geometric prints. "Tribal print" is a culturally pervasive aesthetic so an artist doesn't need to consult any source material to come up with a design that fits in the same category. So what do we call such prints?<br /><br />(Not trying to challenge you or disagree in any way, just throwing out some further discussion points.)Seamstress Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17468363734999412359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-78932564592309159472014-06-12T10:41:15.852-07:002014-06-12T10:41:15.852-07:00Thanks for writing this! I've been struggling ...Thanks for writing this! I've been struggling with this, too. The more I see these types of prints in stores and around the blogosphere, the more I like them, but I've avoided buying them for the reasons discussed above. I definitely think this is an important conversation to have, thanks for writing it!Aliciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01299733384154705324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-82756281537094778852014-06-12T10:14:49.610-07:002014-06-12T10:14:49.610-07:00Yes, this is such an important point. There is so ...Yes, this is such an important point. There is so much to unpack with this terminology - thanks for adding!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455909792052564401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-50582403721315231452014-06-12T10:09:37.066-07:002014-06-12T10:09:37.066-07:00oh, the movie is, you know, and appropriately tota...oh, the movie is, you know, and appropriately totally fun, totally un PC awesome action movie. but the discussion it brought up made it all the more special, so, yay action movies! marcy harriell | oonaballoonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07586073125331744719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-47899679264352762502014-06-12T10:07:20.244-07:002014-06-12T10:07:20.244-07:00Thank you for writing this. I never know what to ...Thank you for writing this. I never know what to do when encountered with "ethnic" or "tribal" fabric. I try not to work myself into a righteous lather too frequently, but, like Mary, I've been *thisclose* to writing a strongly worded note to several stores. <br /><br />More than an issue of specificity, the word misuse of the word "tribe" has a lot of baggage, as it is supposed to imply a primitiveness or even backwardness, which gets all the more complicated when we appropriate complex, elegant designs and repackage them with the dreaded t-word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-74489324105740468772014-06-12T09:45:08.276-07:002014-06-12T09:45:08.276-07:00Aaaggh! I was intending to hit reply to say somet...Aaaggh! I was intending to hit reply to say something and then I went and deleted the comment! Anyhoo... I will sum up my thoughts again: great points, I agree with so much, since we are so freakishly detailed in the type of fabric we use let's not just use some generic terms to describe a print. Kathy {Kathy Sews}https://www.blogger.com/profile/04335924127482806057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-11044541088079507252014-06-12T09:11:09.487-07:002014-06-12T09:11:09.487-07:00Meg, thank you so much for this post! This exact i...Meg, thank you so much for this post! This exact issue has been raging in my head, but I had yet to pull the trigger on posting about it. A few weeks ago, I was *this close* to sending a note to an online fabric store, for selling a "Navajo knit." The only reason that label should be used, is if the fabric is actually a product of the Navajo Nation, which this most assuredly wasn't. Cultural misappropriation is never acceptable, even in our hobbies! You make so many excellent, thoughtful points here. Thank you!Mary Danielsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-4656224940631327392014-06-12T08:37:54.298-07:002014-06-12T08:37:54.298-07:00Excellent points, all!Excellent points, all!Just Sew Janahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02277524150606766460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813031881624424068.post-41422752218260616912014-06-12T08:28:25.883-07:002014-06-12T08:28:25.883-07:00This is great food for thought! I always appreciat...This is great food for thought! I always appreciate a gentle reminder to consider the implications of what and how I'm using words or saying things. I find it's easy to become desensitized to things over time, and being aware can go a long way!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com