Commodification, the Arts,

1
Commodification, the Arts, Native American
Identity

• Katherine Gehin
• Lin Wu

2
Cultural Importance of Native American Art

• Expression of unique cultural identity
• Distinctions through various designs, textiles,
  techniques, and symbolisms.
• Has both utilitarian and aesthetic functions
• Served the needs of daily activities
• Represents social and religious beliefs
• Contributes to modern economic sustainment

3
Branches of Native Arts

• Pottery
• Jewelry
• Paintings
• Weavings
• Basketry
• Sculptures
• Carvings

4
Functions of Native Arts Then and Now

• Native American women are well-known for their
  weavings, baskets and pottery arts. Originally
  these items were simple tools of everyday life,
  but today are appreciated as the art and
  artifacts of an ancient culture by tourists and
  collectors.

5
Laws and Organizations

• Various acts of legislations, associations, and
  political agendas aim to protect Native Americans
  and the authenticity of their cultural arts
  while promoting a successful economic environment
  without jeopardizing their identity.
• Native American socio-cultural revival movement
  (New Deal Program)
• The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB), U.S.
  Department of Interior
• Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990
• California Indian Basketweavers Association
  (CIBA) founded in 1992

6
Native American Socio-cultural Revival Movements

• Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal program was geared
  to help those people most affected by the Great
  Depression.
• Indians benefited greatly from the 11 billion
  spent on such programs as
• Works Progress Administration
• National Recovery Act
• Indian Reorganization Act.

• This 1921 photograph, taken at Campobello, in New
  Brunswick, Canada, shows Roosevelt meeting with
  Governor Neptune, an Iroquois chief.

7
Works Progress Administration

• The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was
  created by executive order in 1935, and in its
  eight years of existence it funded projects all
  across the country.
• Not only was America's infrastructure (roads,
  bridges, land management, etc.) affected, but
  thousands of art-related projects were
  undertaken.
• Under the WPA, Indians were given unprecedented
  autonomy over their own programs.
• Shown here is an Indian instructor teaching
  beadwork to Paiute girls at a school in Nevada,
  around 1940.

8
Indian Arts and Crafts Board

• IACB promotes the economic development of
  American Indians and Alaska Natives of federally
  recognized Tribes through the expansion of the
  Indian arts and crafts market.
• Provides promotional opportunities, general
  business advice, and information on the Indian
  Arts and Crafts Act to Native American artists,
  craftspeople, businesses, museums, and cultural
  centers of federally recognized tribes.
• Oversees the execution of the Indian Arts and
  Crafts Act.

Created under the act by Congress, but
independent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was
the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. The board not
only encourage d traditional Indian crafts
production but also established markets, museums,
and shops to acquaint the public with the beauty
and quality of Indian crafts. (1937)
9
Commodification the Arts

• Over the past few decades there has proven to be
  an increased interest in the romanticized idea of
  the Native American and their culture.
• This has resulted in the commodification of
  Indian identity, culture and their arts.

10
Market Forces

• With the commodification and growing interest in
  Native American Indians and their arts, this
  established a high market value for these items.
• This economic factor has created great incentives
  for the creation of unauthentic, mass produced,
  and forged items produced by non-Indians.

11
Forgeries of Native Arts

• In todays world, the increased selling and
  marketing of unauthentic Native arts poses a very
  serious problem for the many recognized Native
  American artisans who strongly rely on the
  selling of there handmade products as a means of
  income.
• Pan-Indianism Powwows, tourist centers, internet
• Forgeries also manifest a negative
  stereotype towards Native Americans and the
  integrity, purity, and antiquity
  of their culture and arts.

12
The Solution to the Problem?The Indian Arts
Crafts Act

• In response to this ever growing issue, a piece
  of legislation was passed in 1990 known as, The
  Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which aimed to
  protect certified Indian artisans in the
  marketing, selling, and production of their
  handmade, authentic cultural arts.

13
Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990The Turning
Point for Native Artisans

• States that it is illegal to offer or display for
  sale, or sell any art or craft product in a
  manner that falsely suggests it is Indian
  produced, an Indian product, or the product of a
  particular Indian tribe.
• Law covers all Indian and Indian-style
  traditional and contemporary arts and crafts
  produced after 1935.
• Protects certified Indian artisans.

14
The Indian Arts Crafts Act and Native American
Identity

• However, as with any complex issue, additional
  concerns and matters needed to be addressed.
• In order for this act to be effective, a clear
  distinction needed to be established which stated
  who was, and was not an Indian.
• It was now a question of Native American identity
  and who would be granted this protection and how
  would it be decided.

15
Who is an Indian? Protection According to the
Indian Arts Crafts Act

• Indian
• Defined as a member of a federally or officially
  State recognized tribe, or certified Indian
  artisan.
• Certified Indian Artisan
• Defined as an individual who is certified by the
  governing body of an Indian tribe as a non-member
  Indian artisan.

16
North American Indian Tribal Map
17
Violations Enforcement

• Civil Criminal Penalties
• For the first time violation of the act, an
  individual can face civil or criminal penalties
  up to a 250,000 fine or a five year prison term
  and up to 1,000,000 in fines if a business is
  prosecuted.
• Consumer Complaints
• Anyone can file a written complaint with the
  Indian Arts and Crafts Board to which further
  investigation and possible prosecution may occur.

18
EffectivenessIs this Act Making a Difference?

• Law covers all Indian and Indian-style
  traditional and contemporary arts and crafts
  produced after 1935.
• Although the Acts intentions are beneficial, it
  is very hard to regulate and enforce a matter of
  this magnitude. Additional amendments of the Act
  have been recently made to help compensate for
  the difficulty of its execution.
• Also, not enough attention and/or funds are being
  pushed towards the resolution of this problem.
• However, in response to this act, other groups
  have organized and are now aiding Native
  Americans with the restoration and protection of
  their cultural arts
• California Indian Basket Weavers Association

19
California Indian Basketweavers Association

• CIBA was founded in 1992, and now has around 800
  members.
• Their mission is to preserve, promote, and
  perpetuate California Indian basket-weaving
  traditions while providing a healthy physical,
  social, spiritual, and economic environment for
  basket-weavers.
• Formed largely out of a need to protect plant
  species used by Californian Indian basket
  weavers.

20
Summary

• Although legislative acts have been established
  to prevent the unauthorized marketing and selling
  of Indian arts and crafts products, this practice
  still occurs.
• Only with increased funding and attention can
  pieces of legislation such as the Indian Arts and
  Crafts Act of 1990 be truly effective and
  efficient.
• Fortunately, Native arts are thriving because of
  encouragement from tribal leaders, support from
  various art programs, and the enthusiasm and
  pride of Native American artists themselves.
  Although it is a slow process, the new
  generations are learning from their elders the
  values and traditions meaningful to
  their ancestors. The revival of Native
  American arts helps to ensure their survival.

21
Bibliography

• http//www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/baskets/subpage
  .cfm?subpageintro
• www.ciba.org
• http//www.doi.gov/iacb/
• http//www.acfnewsource.org/religion/sacred_basket
  .html
• The Commodification of Indian Identity, by George
  Castile, (article)
• The Portal Case Authenticity, Tourism,
  Traditions, and the Law, by Deirdre
  Evans-Pritchard, (article)
• The Legal Aspects of Indian Affairs from 1887 to
  1957 , by Theodore H. Haas, (article)