"CULTURAL APPROPIATION: BAGKOK'S MEXICAN GANGSTERS CASE"
Note:
In our last class we read about Cultural Appropiation.
According the reading -Subculture- (pag 50, 51 and 52 textbook) cultural appropiation seems to be the adoption of elements of one culture (culture in general meaning) by members of different cultural group for commercial purposes.
Now it's time to verify that definition and for that I will make a comparison exercise based on bagkok's mexican gangsters.
This analysis starts from the fact that mexican style belong to a recognized subculture with their own elements.
GUIDING QUESITONS
1. According to the previous definition. Could be considered bangkok's mexican gangsters like a cultural appropiation case?
BAGKOK'S MEXICAN GANGSTERS
A new fashion in Bangkok, Thailand is making its way on the streets. This is an incredible tendency to dress and act like what some have called a mexican gangster based on mexican style.
For some reason, men of all classes, ages and professions are dressing, combing and even tattooing as what they call mexican gangsters. They go out in groups using guadalupanos or holy death tattoos, thick chains with crosses, shirts and trousers enormes. However, this look is not associated with any economic or cultural position.
These guys are dedicated to all sorts of things. There are mexican gangsters cops, university teacher and other. The true is that the groups are small and sparse, but their presence is really striking. They emerged as groups of fans in Latin Spanish hip-hop that's why they adopt this peculiar style. They meet to be "gangsters heart" after leaving their various jobs.
CONCLUSION
1. I don't know what specific culture or subculture they are based on because they only have vídeos support. In one hand, I consider that hip hop does not implie a speific mexican style. In other hand, if they are based on in mexican gangsters we must ask ourselves the following: could be considered mexican gangsters style like a culture or subculture?
2. According with the meaning of cultural appropiation, bangkok's mexican gangsters cannot be considerd like cultural appropiation case because they don't use it for commercial purposes.
3. I consider that cultural appropiation definition given in the textbook is fine but we should skip "for commercial purpose" because that is the result of a sales strategy.
