#1 Before we dive right in, give our listeners a little bit of background on your background and your origin story with Jul designs. [2:39]
#2 Let’s start with your definition of what is cultural appropriation. [5:36]
#3 Give our listeners an example of cultural appropriation that is clearly damaging. [7:50]
#4 In your article you also talk about the clothing company Zara being criticized for appropriation without attribution. What does that mean? [10:15]
#5 How do you know when you are appropriating another culture? How would you advise a business like that who really wants to do the right thing and had no idea they were offending anyone? [12:55]
#6 You have so many great gems in this article and one of them is “I believe it’s possible, intentionally and consciously, to craft an ethical practice of fusion. I believe it is incumbent upon us all to foster a kind of creative freedom through exchange and incorporation as collaboration rather than appropriation as exploitation.” I think your own business Jul Designs is a shining example of this philosophy in action. Would you expand on that? [15:13]
#7 I know that you have a collaborative partner, Agus Astradhi. Tell us about his role in Jul Designs? [17:05]
#8 You write “I have identified five key concepts that I think can guide us in opening alternative and ethical spaces in which the great diversity of creatives can engage ideas, traditions, and techniques not indigenous to themselves: Acknowledgement, Collaboration, Compensation, Education, and Impact.” I really want to unpack this further… Walk us through your thinking here? [23:59]
#9 And what if a maker wants to name something –like a knitting pattern for example– inspired by another culture and they DON’T meet the criteria for all 5 concepts, do they need to choose another name and steer clear of offending anyone? Give us some practical tips for people struggling with direction here? [28:54]
#10 On your blog you have a fantastic entry called the “Biography of a shawl pin” and you go into a lot of depth explaining Jul’s fair trade practices. Can you share with our audience what that is and why it’s so important to you? [34:30]
#11 So I always ask my guests a quirky question and since you’re so heavily involved in the Balinese and Indonesian cultures I wonder if you can share something about their culture that American’s would find fascinating? [40:40]
WELCOME TO EPISODE #67 OF BUSINESS OF CRAFT