A world famous fashion designer may be copying our traditions. Kate Spade has come under fire for ‘cultural appropriation’ for Indigenous ribbon skirt look-alike. For some native people, the skirts represent a connection to Mother Earth, and some wear their skirts during ceremonies and powwows, or as formal regalia. Noah Pino, a beader and textile artist, noticed his phone was blowing up last week with messages from dozens of people saying the same thing: his 2021 ribbon skirt design looks strikingly similar to a new release from Kate Spade. Kate Spade’s Sunday Stripe Organza Midi Skirt — which retails for $328 — is a mid-length satiny-skirt with boldly-colored stripes that vary in width. Many saw similarities with the skirt, Pino’s design and ribbon skirts more generally — a traditional garment worn by some Indigenous Peoples in North America. Users said as much in the comments on Kate Spade’s social media posts, accusing the brand of stealing the design from an Indigenous artist, cultural appropriation and asking for the skirt and the posts to be removed. TikTokkers also made videos criticizing the design.
Like other communities across the United States, American Indians and Alaska Natives living in tribal areas anxiously awaited supplies of masks, gloves and other vital personal protective equipment during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But unlike other U.S. states and municipalities, Indian Country did not have access to a stockpile of their own reserves, creating a shortage of much-needed Personal Protection Equipment, greatly inhibiting their initial pandemic response. For a community that was disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, access to critical medical supplies during emergencies is one of the major concerns for the new director of the Indian Health Service.. Last fall, IHS veteran Roselyn Tso became the agency’s new director — the first Navajo Nation citizen to assume the role. Since Tso’s appointment, historic progress has been made; in December, advance appropriations were awarded to IHS in the omnibus spending package approved by Congress. This provision ensures that the agency has basic certainty of funding, protecting IHS services from disruption and paving the way for future change.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.
