Going Native goes bad.

CHeck out this blog post: http://tequilasovereign.blogspot.com/2012/11/an-open-letter-to-hipster-indian-dufus.html

One of my professors recently posted this blog post about Gwen STephani and her recent apology about how she was dressed for a video shoot. The post reveals an excellent opinion about cultural respect and commercial "cool" when Gwen Stephani gets critiqued for her Native American wardrobe. Identity is not "frozen in the past to be used as a fashion accessory." I wonder... Where is the moral line drawn? Are certain things just off limits for certain people? Fashion and commercial music--culturally inspired or not--is often all about hypersexualized images... but as the author says, dont try to believe that you are being "culturally inclusive" if you are blatantly wearing a costume for the cool factor. I agree with the author, but i'm just curious how Gwen could have been dressed if she WANTED to promote inclusivity in some way? My opinion is that Gwen STephani has worked hard (maybe) to become a sex symbol. Whether she likes it or not, she is a sex symbol. So she has to understand the powers and views that will form as a result of that symbol. If she were to wear a nun costume--- a real nun costume-- it would be disrespectful because she is clearly not a real nun. So, is wearing native clothing inspired by Native American cultures simply off limits? Is it certain parts of her attire? Is it the degree to which she is pretending that she understands what she is wearing? Does she need to?

things i learned from Cape Verde. 1. Say hello to everyone. Your day will be better. 2. Be patient. 3. Strong women are a forceful engine that cannot be turned off. 4. You can have a beer before 2pm. 5. Prepare. Don't over-prepare. 6. water is sacred. 7.Give give give give. accept a favor. give give. give. karma will come. 8. cockroaches do not die. Accept them but also kill them. 9. If you act stressed, everyone around you will be stressed. If you just say hello, stress will melt away. 10. Just ask. Chances are you will be pleasantly surprised by a person's eagerness to talk, or that the person has the same question. Just ask for what you want. 11. If you have an opinion, others will have an option. Options create dialog. Dialog is good. 12. Family is everything. 13. Respect is relative. 14. Monogomy is relative.

video shoot

Springtime FIre

Disco Dust

Escort, a 17 piece disco band, plays at the Williamsburg Music Hall.


For the first time at a bar/club/concert/ANYevent, the women's bathroom line had absolutely no line. The men's line, however, swiveled and twisted snake-style around the bar. The atmosphere was one of pure motivation. As if folks around were implying a goofy high-five with their eyes, as opposed to the "up-down" classic of many female-packed venues. Inside the stall was the same, for as I sat down the stall writing was not graffiti, silly plus signs and initials, but rather, versions of the phrase, "love yourself!" I peeked under my stall to see if there was a hidden camera. The situation seemed pleasantly bizarre. As I threw on some red lipstick, the girl next to me and i laughed about the lack of line, admitting that we lingered in the bathroom mirror because we had the ridiculous chance to do so.


In the world of disco dust, the lines between old friend and new friend are faint.


Here at the escort show, it is rather impossible to roll your eyes at certain pings of--and yes I am going to say the word--hipster culture. I may have seen three or four blonde afro wigs surrounding thick black glasses. But somehow, even with the tundra hat and silken robes, the more shine, bling, flash, or furr... the better.