BTS’s youngest Jungkook is the last member to release “Artist-Made Collection”.
Jungkook’s products certainly do not disappoint. ARMYs love both his self-designed items “ARMYST ZIP-UP HOODY” and “MIKROKOSMOS MOOD LAMP”.
However, the video and images used to promote “MIKROKOSMOS MOOD LAMP” received mixed reactions among ARMYs.
They are amazed at the product design… But many people have expressed anger at the images included in the film as well as promotional images for Jungkook’s products, calling it “cultural appropriation” ( Cultural Appropriation).
Specifically, in the advertising images and films, there are “indoor tents”, thereby giving the feeling of “camping under the stars”.
But many Indigenous ARMYs point out that this is no ordinary tent.
In particular, this tent is in the teepee style (also known as tepee and tipi), which according to Wikipedia “is distinguished from other cone tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure”.
So, based on that analysis, the structure used in HYBE MERCH’s advertisement is exactly that.
This structure consists of 13 stakes ranging in length from 4.5m to 5.4m which, after being tied together at the small ends, are raised vertically by a helix to overcome the stakes above the tether.
They are then separated at the large ends and adjusted on the ground to the rim of a circle usually 3m in diameter.
Several unwashed and tanned buffalo hides, sewn together in an adjustable form, are drawn around and tied together, as pictured.
The bottom edges are fixed to the ground with tent pegs. At the top there is an additional piece of leather that is adjusted for the collar, so that it can be opened upwind to facilitate the escape of smoke.
A low opening is left for a doorway, which is covered with a layer of excess skin that is used as a drop of water.
The fire pit and the bed arrangement are the same as in the Ojibwa motel, grass is used instead of spruce or blood sycamore branches” – according to Lewis H. Morgan.
This type of tent originates from the native countries. The name “teepee” derives specifically from Lakota (also known as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux).
Historically, the tepee was used by a number of indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies in North America, notably the 7 tribes of the Sioux, among the Iowa, Otoe, and Pawnee peoples and among the Blackfeet, Crow, Assiniboines, Arapaho and Plains Cree.
Teepee is also traditional on the other side of the Rocky Mountains by tribes such as the Yakama and Cayuse.
They are still used in many of these communities, although now mainly for ceremonial purposes rather than daily living.
While Native American cultures and civilizations and First Nation governments (first nations in Canada and Indigenous Australians) from other regions used other styles of homes (pueblos, wigwams and longhouse), tepee is often stereotypically and inaccurately associated with all Native Americans in the United States and Aboriginal Canadians”—Lewis H. Morgan & National Museum of American Indians via Wikipedia.
And according to Indian Country Today : “Seven illuminated teepees will be raised at the southern end of Peets Hill in Bozeman, Montana on October 8-18 in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day.”
Marlee Jo, a native ARMY quoted HYBE MERCH’s original post on tweet. In it, she accused the company of “cultural appropriation”.
Other native ARMYs realize that for many it has been overlooked and they question how many perceive why it is inappropriate and wrong to use teepees.
They argue that this is why entertainment companies think they can continue to use “cultural appropriation” in concepts.
Some non-native ARMYs defended HYBE’s choice to use teepees.
One user who later deleted their comment said “this is common in Korea, this is just a tent… it’s not that deep”.
They even use a teepee-style dog house as an example. They argue that the use of teepee advertising is so common these days that you can use it outside of its cultural context.
Many ARMYs were shocked by this logic. They emphasized that it was more than just “a tent”.
In fact, this symbol is very sacred in the indigenous culture. Everything has meaning and should be respected.
The floor of the teepee represents the earth on which we live, the walls represent the sky, and the poles represent the trails extending from the earth to the spirit world (Dakota teachings).
“Teepee holds special significance among the many different Aboriginal nations and cultures across North America” – BikeHike.
“That is the problem. This shouldn’t be normalized in Korea because it’s not a tent, it’s a teepee. Teepee is not a tent. Don’t tell a local something from their culture,” wrote one fan.
Certainly, when someone tries to explain the cultural significance of something and how its misuse affects them negatively, their voice is not only heard, but amplified instead. for being ignored or not respected.
For many years, the natives were left speechless. In fact, they need to be enhanced and learned from.
