Debate Emerges After Native American Woman Tells Black Woman to ‘Keep Hands Off Our Culture’

When a Native American woman slammed a Black woman’s appropriation of her culture, Black Twitter users immediately took issue with the memo.

The back-and-forth began when a woman named Cheyanne tweeted a PSA Monday, Aug. 7 slamming a photo of rapper Omerettà The Great posing in a costume likened to Pocahontas.

If you aren’t Native, keep your hands off our culture! We rock our regalia beautifully every single day. pic.twitter.com/s3MQE8TLyI

— ?cheyanne? (@N8VChey) August 7, 2017

Our sexual assault rates are some of the highest, a lot of this is caused by our Native women being sexualized. https://t.co/LjKhVWsVlZ

— ?cheyanne? (@N8VChey) August 7, 2017

5. Yes she is a beautiful Black woman. No she is not the Black Pocahontas. pic.twitter.com/Avp2mBkqW9

— ?cheyanne? (@N8VChey) August 7, 2017

The subject of cultural appropriation is typically hurled at white people from nonwhite people, as has been the case in several situations involving the Kardashian-Jenner clan. However, Cheyanne pointed out that cultural appropriation can strictly involve nonwhite groups, too.

any of you- including Black folks and poc can be problematic and anti native and I’ll call you out just like I would a white person.

— ?cheyanne? (@N8VChey) August 7, 2017

Several pointed out that Afro Indigenous people, individuals with mixed Black and Native American ancestry, have existed in the U.S.

There was black people here before Africans and natives mixed which created afro-indigenous and I get what your saying just dropping facts

— Ahmed Nur (@Northside_Ahmed) August 9, 2017

early indigenous Americans were actually black. Amaru Khans

— Ari Lanard (@FillUp_Jay_Fry) August 7, 2017

There are black native Americans too so what’s the problem. While I don’t agree with the “Pocahontas” label…still…

— NOLA Belle (@NOLABelle83) August 8, 2017

One accused Cheyenne of being anti-Black.

You do NOT get to decide what is anti black or not. If you don’t like BW, just say it. No need to bash this girl for wearing a disney outfit

— $$$ (@13signsofastro) August 7, 2017

Where’s ya rant about this GIRL YOU SLEEP TO THE WHITE PASSING NATIVES HUH?! https://t.co/qlJzl9yvEI

— $$$ (@13signsofastro) August 9, 2017

Others agreed with Cheyenne’s message.

Black folk need not to be simple minded. This is offensive & I thought it before I even opened it. Y’all gotta respect other ppl culture too

— Mel Lynn. (@girl__melaniee) August 9, 2017

Thank you for breaking this down and educating that culture appropriating doesn’t just happen in the black community.(I’m also black)

— ? (@arianascondoms) August 8, 2017

A very well written thread girl! Cultural appropriation is wrong no matter who does it.

— nessa (@nubapril) August 8, 2017

Meanwhile, Omerettà indicated she was unbothered by the uproar by posting these responses.

Headass???? https://t.co/9oxjxzbpzm

— Omerettà The Great (@omeretta4l) August 9, 2017

Girl stfu it’s a picture if you don’t like da shit block her and keep it pushing, you look stupid

— ? (@darealchoppo) August 9, 2017