Our Totem: A Multimedia Project Analyzing How the Cultural Appropriation of Totem Poles Has Affected Native and Non-Native Artists in Seattle, Washington
Date
2016
Authors
Cruze, Carolyn E.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
My project consists of two parts: a website, in which I use multimedia to communicate how the cultural appropriation of totem poles has affected the Seattle art community; and an essay that details my process and the stylistic choices with regard to to the creative aspect of my project. The written component of this project also provides information about the history and evolution of totem poles; shares in-depth research on cultural appropriation defining and conceptualizing it with regard to native artwork; and discusses how native and non-native artists have responded to the introduction of totem poles in Seattle. In an increasingly globalized world, understanding the culture and traditions of different minorities and analyzing how those cultures are presented in the media is extremely important. As the media continues to leverage technology to create dynamic and global multimedia stories, journalists have the power to change how people discuss and conceptualize culture. When developing this project about the cultural appropriation of totem poles in Seattle, I drew inspiration from other successful examples of multimedia journalism to assure that I was presenting my findings in an ethical and influential way.
Description
54 pages. A thesis presented to the School of Journalism and Communication and Communication and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Fall 2016
Keywords
Totem Pole, Cultural Appropriation, Multimedia, Native Americans, Culture, Art