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Comment by jomar | Hacker News Reader

I don't know, and you don't know either.

The grandparent post was wondering what the issue is, and my post described what IMHO is the main potential issue.

You have your opinion on to what degree this might be a problematic instance of cultural appropriation, and I have my opinion (which I haven't stated).

But the point is that the opinion that matters is that of Iroquois people and other descendants and (cultural) inheritants of the person whose name is being used. (Not that they are obliged to have an opinion on this, or to speak with a single voice on this matter.)

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Okay. It's absolutely true that neither of us knows. But considering, as you say, that the affected minority probably won't ever step forward with a unified opinion, what is the appropriate course of action? Should we stay away from using any words that someone else might possibly have interpretive precedence over?

I find this all incredibly hard to navigate. I also feel that language in general and naming things in particular would suffer from strictly not being able to reuse concepts or names from cultures we are not part of.

> I don't know, and you don't know either.

And at the same time you say.

> you might ask what link he has to Hiawatha and what justification he has for using the name and laying claim, in whatever small way, to a piece of the original Hiawatha's prestige.

> The term to research is cultural appropriation.

You've already decided that:

- it's cultural appropriation

- the person has no right to use the name

I wonder, are you of Iroquis descent? If not, what right do you have to claim their cultural appropriation on their behalf?

Also, what are your views on such projects as Apache Kafka or apache Chukwa?

I have decided no such thing, and in fact my point is that in this case my own opinion is pretty much immaterial.

But it is important for people like you and me to be aware of the concept and issue in general.

> But it is important for people like you

Ah yes. People "like me" (a Jew from Moldova, born in the USSR, who lived 7 years in Turkey, and has now lived 10 years in Sweden) have to be taught about some concepts like "cultural appropriation" by people who claim to be offended on behalf of cultures they've never been part of.

Dude, you seem to be very keen to put words into other people's mouths. Perhaps you should reflect upon that.

Let me quote your words to you:

--- start quote ---

So you might ask what link he has to Hiawatha and what justification he has for using the name and laying claim, in whatever small way, to a piece of the original Hiawatha's prestige. [ questioning people's motives, being offended on behalf of Iroquis people -- d. ]

The term to research is cultural appropriation. [ assuming your opponent is ignorant of this -- d. ]

You have your opinion on to what degree this might be a problematic instance of cultural appropriation, and I have my opinion (which I haven't stated). [ as we see above, the opinion has been clearly stated -- d. ]

But it is important for people like you [ assuming I know nothing/little/not enough about cultural appropriation -- d. ] and me to be aware of the concept and issue in general

--- end quote ---

I don't have to put words in your mouth. You're speaking loud and clear. Perhaps you should reflect upon that.

We've yet to hear your views on views on such projects as Apache Kafka and Apache Chukwa.

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