glockgal:

deadlyaceofspades:

6 MINUTES INTO EPISODE FIFTEEN SEASON ONE FROM Avatar: The Last Airbender HAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO REACT IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT AN ITEM IS APPROPRIATING THE CULTURE! Bato, a family friend of Katara and Sokka, told Aang that he shouldn’t wear that because it’s used for ceremonial purposes. Aang takes it off and puts it back. So next time someone tells you it’s appropriating their sacred culture, like a war bonnet or a bindi, please stop wearing it.

What’s especially neat about this episode is that the underlying theme is that Aang feels ignored and left-out when Sokka and Katara reunite with members of their tribe, so he’s tries these awkward ways (like putting on the headdress) to be included etc. But he fails, because he’s not Water tribe.

The lesson learned in the end wasn’t that Katara and Sokka then had to rush to reassure Aang that they loved him. Instead, Aang learned that he values the friendships he has with Sokka and Katara, and he can respectfully step back when they want to connect with their people. It’s not about them purposely not including Aang.

(And that’s like just one interpretation of this episode, but there are many more, from different viewpoints. Aang feeling lonely because he’s lost is entire nation, for one)