Was Columbus a Criminal?

Figure 1: Columbus & Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria.

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. 

This little rhyme is very commonly used in elementary classrooms all around the country. Everyone was taught that good 'ole Christopher Columbus discovered the country we live in today. Christopher Columbus's arrival in the U.S. sparked a turning point in American history. For hundreds of years before Columbus's arrival, Native American's lived peacefully in many tribes throughout the Americas. They forged their lives from the land and had a full and rich culture.

A Turning Point

Figure 2: Native American Woman's Dress.

When Columbus arrived in America's he began a process known as colonization. Colonization is when someone goes to a new place and begins to establish control over the people who already live there. When Columbus first started colonizing America, one of the first things he did was take hundreds of thousands of cultural artifacts from the Native Americans and sold it back in Europe (1). Cultural artifacts are special artifacts that tell you about the culture of the creator. Christopher Columbus taking Native Americans' cultural artifacts is an example of Cultural Appropriation. Cultural Appropriation is when a member of a bigger culture (Columbus and his helpers) takes cultural aspects, like artifacts, from a smaller culture (Native Americans) (1). 

A Broader Definition

When Columbus and his helpers took artifacts from the Native American's they weren't just committing cultural appropriation. They were also culturally exploiting the Native Americans. Cultural Exploitation is when someone commits cultural appropriation but they are doing so without asking or compensating the smaller culture. Cultural exploitation is the main factor of cultural appropriation. Most times when cultural appropriation happens, cultural exploitation is happening as well. Sometimes cultural appropriation isn't seen as being such a bad thing. 

Respecting the Culture?

Sometimes cultural appropriation wears a mask of positivity. Occasionally the people who commit cultural appropriation try to show others that they are respecting or supporting the minority culture. In contrast to the colonial times with Columbus, more recently Native American's have faced this masked kind of cultural appropriation. Nowadays people aren't directly stealing Native Americans' artifacts, rather stealing their culture. 

If you want to learn more about how minority's see cultural appropriation watch this video:

References

Figure 1. [Untitled image of ships and Christopher Columbus] [digital image]. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.ancientpages.com/2016/07/30/on-this-day-in-history-columbus-reached-honduras-with-his-ships-on-july-30-1502/

Figure 2. Gilette, J. [Untitled image of Woman’s Native American dress] [digital image]. (2005). Retrieved from https://www.rd.com/culture/native-american-artifacts/

(1) Issit, M. (2018). Cultural Appropriation: Overview. Points of View: Cultural Appropriation. Retrieved from http://proxy- bloomu.klnpa.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=132310155&site=eds-live&scope=site