In another class I am writing a paper about the Cowichan sweaters that were manufactured by The Bay for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The sweaters that were made by The Bay looked like the original Cowichan sweaters and were hand made from the same kind of wool, but the Cowichan people were not involved in their manufacture nor were they given any kind of compensation or recognition for the sweaters that were sold for $350 each at the Bay.
The Cowichan People have been making versions of this sweater since before Contact with European colonialists.
My paper tries to problematize this cultural appropriation. But as I was working on it today I coundl't help but think (and I guess this is my question to all of you): is this just another form of remix? is it the same as Girl Talk using bits and pieces of different songs to make something new? Does the culture and history attached to the Cowichan sweaters make a difference?
They have similar sweaters at Aritiza as well with the TNA logo on them.. as well as 'knockoff' ones available at Bluenotes. I wasn't aware that these types of sweaters were thaaat popular.. Anyway, I'm not sure that these sweaters can be considered a form of remix. When I think of remix I think of music, videos, etc.. but I think that when it comes to clothing, its just a matter of redesigning. Although, the definition of remix is extremely broad.. so I think that is a very good question. Hmm..
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