Gov. Fallin's daughter defends headdress photo

[The Straight Story]

The daughter of Oklahoma's governor is defending a photo of herself wearing a Native American headdress, though the picture was removed from social media sites after criticism that it was insensitive.

Christina Fallin, who is not Native American, wears a red-and-white feathered headdress in the picture posted Thursday on her band's Facebook page along with the words "appropriate culturation." The photo was later taken down from there and from her Instagram account, and replaced with a statement saying she wore it with the "deepest respect" and asking people to forgive her for wearing beautiful things.

"Growing up in Oklahoma, we have come into contact with Native American culture institutionally our whole lives — something we are eternally grateful for," Fallin, 26, said in the statement. "With age, we feel a deeper and deeper connection to the Native American culture that has surrounded us. Though it may not have been our own, this aesthetic has affected us emotionally in a very real and very meaningful way."

Headdresses, historically worn by Native American war chiefs and warriors who received feathers for heroic deeds, are considered sacred items and are still used for some ceremonies. Retailer Victoria's Secret and the band No Doubt have apologized in recent years for using Native American dress as fashion statements.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/gov-fallin-s-daughter-defends-headdress-photo/article_93965ac6-a60b-11e3-97d5-0017a43b2370.html

[MineralMan]

1. Oh, yes. Clearly the young woman is expressing her

deep connection to the Native American culture in that photo. Yes, indeed.

Platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Yup, that's a reflection of that culture, for sure. Look at me! Look at me!

[Scootaloo]

2. Pretty much the equivalent of wearing medals and ribbons without having served

[Cofitachequi]

26. No.

Not at all.

[MO_Moderate]

3. That's a beautiful picture

[LittleBlue]

4. Meh

I was expecting something offensive. That picture is pretty.

[upaloopa]

5. So when I was in scouts way back in the 50's and

60's we were dishonoring Native Americans by making and wearing Native American artifacts?
If yes it's good to know so when I look back on my childhood I can now feel a sense of guilt and shame.

[LanternWaste]

10. No more and no less than Caucasian Texans who wear sombreros and ponchos to Halloween parties...

"we were dishonoring Native Americans by making and wearing..."

No more and no less than Caucasian Texans who wear sombreros and ponchos to Halloween parties...

(insert distinction without a difference here)

[upaloopa]

11. So I don't get the idea behind the OP

Who was she dishonoring?

[upaloopa]

12. Maybe when I go to Taco Bell I am dishonoring real

Mexican food preparers.

[bigwillq]

6. Beautiful pic.

Cool headdress.

[Rex]

7. A native american headdress with the German cross on it?

Strange.

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. I learned something interesting the last time we visited the Houston Museum of

Natural History. Many of the symbols used in Nazi Germany were taken from Native American cultures and even further back. We saw several blankets from the late 1800s with swastikas on them, only it was considered lucky. "Wheel of Life" Here is young Jackie Kennedy in a swastika dress:

[Wounded Bear]

15. If you can get some original prints from the 1930's and before...

The swastika showed up in quite a few movies because of that.

It is only after Hitler that it became a symbol of evil.

IIRC, use of it also goes way back in European and Asian history as well.

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. The history is amazing.

In Hinduism, it was considered a symbol of good luck.

[SQUEE]

25. New Mexico NG 45th Infantry Division wore it..

Prior to WWII, it was a sun Symbol and good luck charm from the Hopis

[yawnmaster]

16. A number of things now have a stigma because of the nazis...

Use of the ancient symbol because it was adopted as the swastica.
Naming ones kid Adolph.
The Charlie Chaplin mustache.
To name a few.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. Yup. A shame.

[Rex]

17. WOW! Thank you for that history lesson.

I had no idea! Will have to read more about it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. It was fascinating. You're welcome.

I had never known the history and was super-stunned to see those blankets.

[Rex]

24. I'm shocked really, I LOVE learning something new.

It helps keep the brain rot away!

[SQUEE]

23. NOT a Cross patee,

though at a glance it does resmble a Maltese cross.

I loved studying heraldry as a kid, back when I thought knights were noble and true of heart...

[sufrommich]

8. This is a perfect example of using other

people's culture as costume. Given that Oklahoma is so closely associated with the removal of native people from their original homes,it's stunningly tone deaf

[Blue_In_AK]

9. A lot of people up here wear kuspuks and traditional parkas

and no one bats an eyelash, but I'm not sure how Oklahoma's native people feel about this headdress. I guess if they're upset, then she is right to apologize and delete.

[KatyaR]

13. This is the woman who did a sexy photo shoot

in front of and inside the governor's mansion.

She's not the brightest bulb in the package.

[yawnmaster]

18. A nice picture... The words originally with it are probably a bit insensitive...

It's not appropriating culture, it is taking beautiful things from a culture and using them for other purposes.

[avebury]

20. Typical Christina Fallin stunt

She is not the brightest bulb in the room and is known for doing a lot of attention getting stunts. She is definitely a wild child who has already gone through 2 marriages and divorces in record time. Wedding no. 1 was in Ireland. I can't even begin to guess what that cost the Oklahoma taxpayers with her mother having to take her security and so on. I don't think it occurs to her that her actions don't do a lot for her mother's attempt to cultivate a family value image. She is not someone to take seriously.