Cultural appropriation or cultural misappropriation refers to situations when a cultural group feels that some aspect of their cultural group identity has been used, typically in a commercial setting, by someone outside the cultural group. There are several instances of cultural appropriation that have led to public backlash. These range from the trademark registration of the Hawaiian words, Aloha Poke, to fashion house Luis Vuitton’s use of the African Maasai name and traditional colors for one of its fashion lines

Cultural appreciation is engaging creatively but respectfully with the traditional artwork, traditional knowledge and symbols from from other cultures. Sometimes, things that are intended a cultural appreciation can become a distraction.

Dems wearing Kente. Was it appreciation? Or did people get distracted by the fact that they were wearing Ghana’s kente cloth? Kente cloth, which is from the Asante region of Ghana, is protected under Ghanaian law as part of the cultural heritage of the Ghanaian people.  In the United States, kente cloth has become a symbol of Black pride. It may have been intended as a positive gesture when Democratic members of Congress knelt down for eight minutes of silence to honor the memory of George Floyd, who had been slain by police officers in Minnesota. My mother thought it was a nice sentiment. Not everyone agreed.

The seemingly well-intentioned message of support was overshadowed by the public discussion about whether the Kente cloth strips over their shoulders seemed like a moment cultural appropriation. See, for example, the BBC and New Yorker news items about the Dems wearing Kente. For brands, this kind of distraction can become costly.