Navigating Appropriation, Collaboration, and Intellectual Property in the Art World
Appropriation of Indigenous art is rampant. In the essays by Christi Belcourt, Carmen Robertson and Lucinda Turner, we can see how these issues are addressed by individuals, industry, and institutions. Among other things, these essays explore the differences between directly copying works and the appropriation of styles and motifs. This distinction is a fundamental component in how we think about providing effective protection to the artists.
In Christi Belcourt’s case, we learn of her struggles to remove products from websites that have misappropriated her designs on clothing sold around the world. However, we also learn of collaboration with the fashion industry to reproduce her works in a way that is not only appropriate, but which is acceptable to her. Christi also brings to light the uneasy question of misappropriation between Indigenous Peoples themselves.
Carmen Robertson points out that the “market is flooded with forgeries” of Norval Morrisseau. Her essay tells us about a comprehensive research project hosted by Carleton University that will document for the first time Morrisseau’s works from the first thirty-five years of his art career. The project also explores the traditions and culture that influenced the genius of his works.
Lucinda Turner’s essay provides an insight into the massive production of fake and stolen Northwest Coast Indigenous Art, ceremonial artifacts and clothing via the internet, in souvenir shops, flea markets and art galleries. Her essay speaks to the extent of copyright infringement and the need for legislative change.
Kidojigabwimigiton, kidja mamowi odimamidiyatc apitc anishnabe atok khja kishkitok.
Kawin awik oda kishka minjasin anishnabe ehja kendik. Christi Belcourt, Carmen Robertson mamowi Lucinda Turner odojibiginiya kidomigini, niwabidanana adi enabijitowatc pejik awin ehnendiminjin koni ehnendinanonik Kodigini disk kegoni, odojibiginiyawa ikidomigini ehgi ndikendimowatc eh kekinabidjigadenik ododimitawinya ejinaktowatc. Wedi pikan ka inatagok, kotabidin kidja inendagok kidja atowik kidja kinendagot ehja kishitok.
Christi Belcourt enendik omiziniginikak, kigi kendananan egi animinik kidja akosdok kagi ojibigadenik anotc ka inendimnanonik, kagi ojitok kidja adwetc abiganshini okitkimik. Acitc dish, kigikendananan kidja mamowi odimtamayik, ka ojitcigadenik koki omizinigin, koni odikidowin kawin neta miya kidji ijinagonik anish win miya kidja ikiditc ehnendik. Christi actic ki ikado omiziniginikak anishnaben agwa miya kinabijitowatc winwa tibinweh.
Carmen Robertson actic ki ikado ehgi kimodnanonik ka ojitcigadenik, koni Norval Morrisseau ka ijinkasinjin. Odatsokan omiziniginikak egi kitcha nidinimowatc mamowi Carlton University kinamagemigwamik, kidja animodagonik Morrisseau omizinigan kagi tijikik nisomdin acitc nanin tisobon minigik ehgi tijikik kidja ojitok, minigik ka madizitc. Ogimikan ododimitawin kak agoneni kagi odja ojibegetc, kjagi inendik.
Lucinda Turner omizinigan ka inendik ka odja kimodinanonik anishnabe ehja kendik koni ehja kishkitok, ka ija tebwetic, kegoni ka pigosendimowatc kegoni, kina awesh kija atcigadenni. Ikido actic omiziniginikak agwa kidja keknotchigadenik acitc kitchi ogmanodagin kidja meshkodonik omiziniginikak kewin.
Aen Paminikayk Katawa Awpachihtawin, En partineuz Weechayhtoowin akwa Ka tipayituhk Miyikosiwinin ooma En tayr Li art
Katawa awpachihtawin ouschi Lii Pramyii Nawsyoon art isti mishowayitay. Didawn oohin en pchit istwayr ouschi Christi Belcourt, Carmen Robertson akwa Lucinda Turner, ki wawpastaynaw tawnshi ishi li troub ka peekishkwachikatayk ouschi li moond, ita ka oushchikatayk kaykway, akwa a l’ikol. Avek kootaaka kaykwawy, oohin en pchit istwayr kanawahpaashchikaatew aen jeufarawns awntor deu dret akouta paray kaw-oushihtawk louvrazh akwa ooma katawa awpachihtawin ouschi la mayaenrs akwa itashinihikataywin. Ooma jeufarawns akwawnima kischee aenportaan enn seksyoon didawn tawnishi ishi ka chimawkatayhtamihk ouschi aen miyikiyahk kaw-atoushkaymakuhk pishkawpashtamowin ishi lee portray kawshoupaykakem.
Didawn Christi Belcourt nakatoohkaywin, ki kishkayhtaynaw oushci soon kwawtakistawin aen kaychikouna ooshchikatewin ouschi websites aykwawnihi kipachi-awpachihtawin soon itashinihikataywina ouschi li bitaen kaw-atawwawkayw mishiway itay. Mawka, kiyanawn meena kishkayhtaynaw ouschi en partineuz weechayhtoowin avek ooma la fasoon ita ka oushchikatayk kaykway kawhkeehtwawmi aen oushtawhk soon louvrazh didawn ishi aykwawnima namoo wiya pikou kwarik, mawka akwawnima nou kwayesh itootakihk ishi wiya. Christi meena wawpastahiwayw ooma aen ket kesyoon ouschi kipachi-awpachihtawin awntor deu Lii Pramyii Nawsyoon Li moond wiyawow pikou.
Carmen Robertson la pwaent aykwawnihi oohin “en magazaen isti ishkipayw avek kimmotiwin” ouschi Norval Morrisseau. Soon en pchit istwayr ki weestakam ouschi mitouni kwayesh natoonikewina aen koonploon michiminikatayw ouschi Carleton University aykwawnima ka weestamakayw pour ooma nishtam Morrisseau soon louvrazh ouschi oohin nishtam traantsaenk aen naw ouschi soon art atoushkaywin. Ooma aen koonploon meena kanawahpaashchikaatew oohin nakaayashkumowina akwa aykishchiitaymoowin aykwawnima moushistawhk ooma li talaan ouschi soon louvrazh.
Lucinda Turner soon en pchit istwayr geemiyikiw aen nishtoohtamowin didawn ooma li groo ooshchikatewin ouschi nootawpway akwa kimmotiwin Northwest Coast Lii Pramyii Nawsyoon Art, aen seremounee vre vyay akwa li bitaen shawpoo internet, didawn aen souveniir li stor, flea en magazaens akwa li art galleries. Soon en pchit istwayr peekishkwatam ishi ikooyikohk ouschi taapishkoot paray peekounikaywin akwa saprawn chi ayaahk pour lii lway di piyii mayshkoohtaashtawin.
ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᐅᕕᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᓪᓗ ᑐᑭᓕᐅᖅᑎᐅᓂᕗᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᕐᓂᒡᓗ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᕙᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.
ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᒐᑎᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᑦ ᓇᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᐳᖅ. ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᓐᓂ ᑯᕆᔅᑎ ᐱᐊᓪᑰᕐ, ᑲᐅᒪᓐ ᕋᐳᑦᓴᓐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓗᓯᓐᑕ ᑐᕐᓄᑉ, ᑕᑯᑎᑕᐅᕗᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓱᒪᓘᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᖕᒥᒍᑦ, ᐊᖏᔫᑎᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᖃᕐᕕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᓂᐊᕈᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖃᑕᓐᖏᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᔾᔪᐊᖅᑎᐅᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᒐᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓇᓂᕆᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᖅᓯᖅᑐᐃᓂᕆᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ.ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᓂᖅ ᑐᖓᕕᓪᓚᕆᐊᓘᕗᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓄᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᖃᓲᖑᖕᒪᖔᑕ ᐊᑑᑎᖃᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᓐᓂᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖅ ᓴᓇᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.
ᑯᕆᔅᑎ ᐱᐅᓪᑰᑉ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓂᓕ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᕗᒍᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᕈᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒃᓴᖃᕐᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᐲᔭᐃᒐᓱᐊᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ. ᖃᐅᔨᓂᐊᕐᒥᔪᒍᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᕆᔨᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᑲᐃᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᒃᑕᐅᖏᓗᑎᒃ. ᑯᕆᔅᑎᑕᐅᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᖃᑦᑕᒥᔪᖅ ᐊᐱᖁᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᕆᖏᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᖃᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃᑕᐅᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᑐᖃᐃᔪᓂ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ.
ᑲᐅᒪᓐ ᕌᐳᑦᓴᓐ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑎᕗᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓂᖓ “ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᖃᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᐃᔾᔪᐊᖅᓯᓯᒪᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᑐᑦ” ᑕᐃᑦᓱᒪ ᐊᓪᓚᐅᑉ ᓄᐊᕗᓪ ᒧᕆᓲᑉ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᓐᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᑎᔭᐅᕗᒍᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑐᔪᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᕈᓪᑕᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕆᓂᖅᐹᖓᓐᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦᑎᐊᕆᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᒧᐊᕆᓲᑉ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᒥ 35-ᓂ ᐊᕐᕋᒎᓯᒪᔪᓂ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓂᖓᓂᑕᐅᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕋᓱᐊᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᑐᖓᕕᒋᓪᓗᓂᒋᑦ ᐱᐅᔪᕐᔪᐊᕌᓗᖕᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕐᓂᖅ.
ᓗᓯᓐᑕ ᑑᓅᑉ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᓯᕚᓪᓕᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᐊᓘᓕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓪᓚᕆᐅᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᒡᓕᒑᖑᓯᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᖅᐸᓯᖓᑕ ᐱᖓᖕᓇᖅᐸᓯᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᑦ, ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᒋᔭᑐᖃᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖁᑎᒋᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᐅᕈᓯᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᑕᒫᓃ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᐅᔪᑦ, ᑎᑭᓯᒪᔪᓄᓪᓗ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᐊᓄᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᖕᓂ, ᐊᑐᐊᓂᒃᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᑭᓐᓂᖅᓴᓂ ᓂᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓕᐊᖑᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᕐᕕᐊᓗᖕᓂ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖕᓂᓗ. ᐅᓂᒃᑖᖅᖏᓐᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓄᑎᒋ ᐃᔾᔪᐊᖅᑕᐅᑕᐃᓕᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓱᕋᐃᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᖓᓂᖓ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ.