Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation: How to Do Better

With generations of consistent movement of people all around the globe and the ever-increasing globalization of society comes the transference of goods, foods, traditions, languages, music, and people. Cultures morph, combust, and combine. Almost every ritual, practice, and beloved tradition you have ever (or never) heard of comes from another. There is a sweetness and connection that comes from, say, lighting a candle in honor of your ancestors just as they did for theirs many generations ago, even if you don’t do it exactly the same way as they did. We can appreciate and honor the intention behind original traditions, while still making them our own for modern contexts.