The website of artist, activist and educator Louie Gong.
Today I'm giving a shout out to Eighth Generation, an ethical business which was created as a response to cultural appropriation. Their moto is "Inspired Natives, Not "Native-Inspired." They are the first native owned company to make wool blankets. #INSPIREDNATIVES
Here is some of the background on Eighth Generation's origins. "Louie Gong has grown increasingly frustrated with “Native-inspired” clothing and other products produced by large companies. He believes each "Native-inspired" product represents not only a missed opportunity for talented Native artists to build knowledge through collaboration, it also presents a tangible barrier to Native arts entrepreneurs who must compete for a spot on shelves already dominated by non-Native companies producing product featuring appropriated art. At the same time, socially conscious consumers who appreciate Native themes and aesthetics -- and tribal communities themselves -- are consuming these products without conscious awareness of how their patronage either supports or undermines the work of indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.
Above all, Louie Gong values action over talk. While Native people have become very adept at the important work of calling out cultural appropriation and misrepresentation, the war cannot be won until we can point to alternatives. Eighth Generation wants to play a proactive role in creating those alternatives."