', Frausto wrote: 'Some symbols that you took have a deep meaning for this culture, whose language has no linguistic kinship with any other language in the world. Are Ponchos Cultural? - Bliss Tulle Susan Scafidi, the director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University, described it as "taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission." He has a good reason to do it. The 520 woollen cape from the Paris fashion house was accused of plagiarising indigenous patterns without an offer of compensation for the tribal people which inspired it. Worry not, most (as a polite way of saying 99%) argentines don't give a fuck about it, I grew up watching cowboy films with Clint Eastwood rocking a badass poncho and a sheepskin vest iirc (on the dollars trilogy), and never thought much about it. Dr. Kelly H. Chong, professor and chairperson in the department of sociology at the University of Kansas, spoke to Bustle over email about what cultural appropriation is and the consequences. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Ponchos are a traditional clothing item that originated in South America, but are now commonly associated with Mexican culture. The trick to life: don't be a fucking asshole . As long as you know your reasons for needing a poncho, you'll be able to pick the right one regardless of style. In addition, ponchos are often decorated with intricate embroidery and beadwork, making them a great way to express ones individual style. On the one hand, some argue that wearing a poncho does not have any racial implications, but on the other, many people argue that the wearing of a poncho can be seen as a form of cultural appropriation. Absolutely! To avoid cultural appropriation, it is important to be aware of the history and context of the culture you are borrowing from, and to always seek permission and recognition from those directly involved with it. You talk for example about the poncho.