CABAR.asia
How Global Brands Appropriate National Ornaments of Central Asian Countries
It seems like few people in Central Asian states have ever heard about cultural appropriation. Being pleased with the fact that ethnic motifs and national fabrics are being sold in global mass markets and stimulate global fashion designers, governments of regional countries forget that it does not do any good to the countries and their cultures, experts say.
In recent years, ethnic motifs and traditional national patterns of Central Asian states inspire designers and couturieres of worldwide brands to create new collections. Praising contrast colour layouts, a rave of colour, natural and ecological structures of cloth, ethnic style, which remains trending eternally, not always and not all designers specify the origin of such motifs.
Usually, national patterns, fabrics and traditional clothing are more liked in western countries. In the last decade, worldwide brands have often used national fabrics, such as adras, ikat, as well as Central Asian national patterns in their new collections.
Usually, national patterns, fabrics and traditional clothing are more liked in western countries. In the last decade, worldwide brands have often used national fabrics, such as adras, ikat, as well as Central Asian national patterns in their new collections.
Very often worldwide brands do not mention the culture and origin of ethnic fabrics and patterns when creating clothing lines.
Cultural appropriation is borrowing or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture. But, unlike cultural assimilation, this is a negative phenomenon because borrowing takes place in the colonial manner: elements of the culture are copied by members of the dominant culture and used beyond their original cultural context.
The creativity of Elvis Presley is usually referred to as the example of cultural appropriation. In the beginning of his career, he performed the song, Hound Dog, which made him top all charts, became his hallmark and made him a wealthy man. The problem is that the song was previously performed by the African-American singer Big Mama Thornton. The song was rather successful for her (it was one of the most famous songs by Big Mama), yet Presley received key benefits of Hound Dog.
If we look at it from the point of view of Central Asian reality, the yurt that is a home to many generations of nomads has become the clothing and accessories store in the mountains of Switzerland at the suggestion of elite designers. At the end of 2022, a fashion house in the mountains of Switzerland in the resort of St. Moritz opened a pop-up store in the form of a yurt - a traditional home for nomads.
The creativity of Elvis Presley is usually referred to as the example of cultural appropriation. In the beginning of his career, he performed the song, Hound Dog, which made him top all charts, became his hallmark and made him a wealthy man. The problem is that the song was previously performed by the African-American singer Big Mama Thornton. The song was rather successful for her (it was one of the most famous songs by Big Mama), yet Presley received key benefits of Hound Dog.
If we look at it from the point of view of Central Asian reality, the yurt that is a home to many generations of nomads has become the clothing and accessories store in the mountains of Switzerland at the suggestion of elite designers. At the end of 2022, a fashion house in the mountains of Switzerland in the resort of St. Moritz opened a pop-up store in the form of a yurt - a traditional home for nomads.
Heritage and the Present
Adapting Traditions
Reviving National Motifs
Traditions as the Basis for Business
Kazakhstan has the Concept on protection and development of intangible cultural heritage. Its main task, in simple words, is to cherish, nurture and popularise the intangible cultural heritage of the people of Kazakhstan.
"National ornaments, patterns are seen as the objects that have material value, but techniques of their creation are seen as the intangible cultural heritage," said representatives of the ministry of culture and sport of Kazakhstan.
Simply said, authorities of Kazakhstan stand for free distribution of patterns, ornaments and other intangible cultural heritage of Kazakhstan across the world.
But people in the country are stricter on this issue. If a person or a company decides to use the sign, which is the cultural and historical heritage, as a trademark, they should first negotiate it with state bodies. However, it does not guarantee that they would be allowed to "appropriate" this sign.
Noting positive aspects in the promotion of national traditional patterns in global fashion, Central Asian experts also specify negative aspects.
"National ornaments, patterns are seen as the objects that have material value, but techniques of their creation are seen as the intangible cultural heritage," said representatives of the ministry of culture and sport of Kazakhstan.
Simply said, authorities of Kazakhstan stand for free distribution of patterns, ornaments and other intangible cultural heritage of Kazakhstan across the world.
But people in the country are stricter on this issue. If a person or a company decides to use the sign, which is the cultural and historical heritage, as a trademark, they should first negotiate it with state bodies. However, it does not guarantee that they would be allowed to "appropriate" this sign.
Noting positive aspects in the promotion of national traditional patterns in global fashion, Central Asian experts also specify negative aspects.
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"It is good that our fabrics and patterns often appear in global fashion. It is the merit of our designers and, of course, foreigners, visitors to our country, who buy our national clothing. But it is wrong that worldwide brands in European countries do not indicate the origin of our patterns when creating their collections. It does not contribute to promotion of our culture and its recognition"
However, according to Natalia Sultanova, chair of the Union of Designers of Kyrgyzstan, it is virtually impossible to make any complaints against worldwide brands.
"It's unreal to do something even in court," she said. "Courts dismiss such complaints because almost every model has image transformation or stylisation, which makes it hard to prove anything."
According to the ministry of culture of Kyrgyzstan, it is not possible to require worldwide brands to specify the authorship of the Kyrgyz culture.
"It's unreal to do something even in court," she said. "Courts dismiss such complaints because almost every model has image transformation or stylisation, which makes it hard to prove anything."
According to the ministry of culture of Kyrgyzstan, it is not possible to require worldwide brands to specify the authorship of the Kyrgyz culture.
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"National patterns are folk art and all knowledge and skills have been passed down from generation to generation. The patterns belong to the people and we cannot ban brands from using them in their works."
In 2018, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included 'chakan', a type of the national embroidery art of Tajikistan, into the list of intangible cultural heritage.
As to the remaining ornaments, the country has not turned them into a separate brand yet, said Abdulfattakh Amini, head of the Research Institute of Culture and Information of the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan. It means that it cannot make complaints, and others can use them freely.
"Currently, the authorities do not have any valid document confirming that these patterns are the ownership of Tajiks. The only thing that confirms the Tajik heritage is the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which can be taken as the basis and is available in Tajik and English," the expert said.
According to him, the UNESCO Convention 2003 reads that every state party has a right to declare any findings on their territory as a part of their culture.
Using national motifs in the world fashion may create the basis for bigger recognition of the country's cultural heritage, yet can cause the loss of the original meaning and significance of motifs. Tajikistan-based culture expert Dzhonibek Asroriyon is concerned about the use of national motifs by worldwide brands only for promotional and commercial purposes without regard to the cultural significance of those symbols.
Uzbekistan also does not have the practice of protecting national patterns from appropriation. According to the ministry of culture, they do not deal with this issue so far. Experts emphasise the failure to regulate the legal use of national cultural attractions, namely, patterns and fabrics.
"Currently, the authorities do not have any valid document confirming that these patterns are the ownership of Tajiks. The only thing that confirms the Tajik heritage is the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which can be taken as the basis and is available in Tajik and English," the expert said.
According to him, the UNESCO Convention 2003 reads that every state party has a right to declare any findings on their territory as a part of their culture.
Using national motifs in the world fashion may create the basis for bigger recognition of the country's cultural heritage, yet can cause the loss of the original meaning and significance of motifs. Tajikistan-based culture expert Dzhonibek Asroriyon is concerned about the use of national motifs by worldwide brands only for promotional and commercial purposes without regard to the cultural significance of those symbols.
Uzbekistan also does not have the practice of protecting national patterns from appropriation. According to the ministry of culture, they do not deal with this issue so far. Experts emphasise the failure to regulate the legal use of national cultural attractions, namely, patterns and fabrics.
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"It could produce extra financial and other revenues to the national budget. But our people believe that the use of our patterns by worldwide brands should make us proud and respectful."
Zukhra Dosmetova, candidate of architectural sciences of the K.Bekhzod National Institute of Arts and Design, also said that patterns and fabrics, which are the national heritage of Uzbekistan, could bring revenue to the country. She recommends the government to pay attention not only to protection of intellectual property, but also to encourage financially national brands that create modern collections with national identity.
According to Kyrgyzstan-based designer Tatiana Vorotnikova, clothing of worldwide brands such as Mango or Zara is comfortable and practical in daily life. And to make traditional clothing more popular, it should be transformed, made stylish and comfortable.
In turn, Nazgul Kaarova (Kyrgyzstan), founder and director of the Fashion House KESHTE, said that the state should be made responsible for control and quality, and marketing plan for creating contemporary collections of clothing with national colour should be made.
According to Kyrgyzstan-based designer Tatiana Vorotnikova, clothing of worldwide brands such as Mango or Zara is comfortable and practical in daily life. And to make traditional clothing more popular, it should be transformed, made stylish and comfortable.
In turn, Nazgul Kaarova (Kyrgyzstan), founder and director of the Fashion House KESHTE, said that the state should be made responsible for control and quality, and marketing plan for creating contemporary collections of clothing with national colour should be made.
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"And then it will become really nice, qualitative and wearable. And contemporary national clothing can gain momentum and become trendy at all times"
Specialists are concerned about the fact that traditional patterns of Central Asian countries are used as a vehicle for commerce and brand promotion.
Famous Tajik designer Khurshed Sattorov, who has devoted over twenty years of his life to this sphere, said that Tajikistan is the inefficient manager of satin clothing production, which hinders protection of national patterns. And vice versa, Uzbekistan makes every effort to produce millions of metres of fabrics that are exhibited in the worldwide fashion scene.
He suggests to revive and recover development of Tajik national patterns by relaunching silk mills, which worked in the Soviet period, together with the country's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other manufacturing plants, and start widespread production of national fabrics.
"Invite designers and offer them a good sum of money to revive national motifs and start production and marketing of these types of fabrics. Only by doing so we can claim that these patterns belong to us and we can protect our culture," Sattorov said.
Abdulfattakh Amini, director of Research Institute of Culture and Information of the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan, suggested that authorities should apply international law and cooperate with companies that use Tajik patterns, as well as publish materials explaining the history and symbolism of every pattern in order to protect copyrights.
Famous Tajik designer Khurshed Sattorov, who has devoted over twenty years of his life to this sphere, said that Tajikistan is the inefficient manager of satin clothing production, which hinders protection of national patterns. And vice versa, Uzbekistan makes every effort to produce millions of metres of fabrics that are exhibited in the worldwide fashion scene.
He suggests to revive and recover development of Tajik national patterns by relaunching silk mills, which worked in the Soviet period, together with the country's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other manufacturing plants, and start widespread production of national fabrics.
"Invite designers and offer them a good sum of money to revive national motifs and start production and marketing of these types of fabrics. Only by doing so we can claim that these patterns belong to us and we can protect our culture," Sattorov said.
Abdulfattakh Amini, director of Research Institute of Culture and Information of the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan, suggested that authorities should apply international law and cooperate with companies that use Tajik patterns, as well as publish materials explaining the history and symbolism of every pattern in order to protect copyrights.
Authors:
Aliya Zhapakova (Kazakhstan)
Aigerim Konurbaeva (Kyrgyzstan)
Farzona Umarali (Tajikistan)
Elina Beknazarova (Uzbekistan)
Louisa Atabaeva (Uzbekistan)
Aigerim Konurbaeva (Kyrgyzstan)
Farzona Umarali (Tajikistan)
Elina Beknazarova (Uzbekistan)
Louisa Atabaeva (Uzbekistan)
Editors:
Natalia Lee
Gulafshon Sokieva
Lola Olimova
Tatiana Trubacheva
Gulafshon Sokieva
Lola Olimova
Tatiana Trubacheva
Layout:
Natalia Lee
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