Tell Urban Outfitters Pull Offensive "Navajo" Line from Stores

[educatedindian]

A petition that was passed on to me. Pls sign below and pass on if you agree.

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Native Americans around the country are outraged at the new line of "Navajo" clothing and accessories at Urban Outfitters.

The offensive -- and wildly inauthentic -- products include a  "Navajo fabric wrapped flask" (alcohol-related deaths are four times the national average in Native American communities) and the "Navajo Hipster Panty," along with feather dreamcatchers, dresses, and the like.

Tiffanie Wilson, a member of the Blackfoot nation, was shocked when saw the crude replicas of Native American heritage being hawked, so she started a petition on Change.org to stop Urban Outfitters from mocking Native American culture for the sake of "fashion" and profit.

Sign Tiffanie's petition calling on Urban Outfitters to pull their offensive "Navajo" clothing and accessories line now.

This exploitation of Navajo culture isn’t just tacky and disrespectful -- multiple media outlets are reporting that it may be illegal under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 which bans selling "any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced [or] an Indian product."

Still, Urban Outfitters has said it has no intention of pulling the line. But public pressure is having an impact: Just this morning, Urban Outfitters removed the word "Navajo" from descriptions of the product line on its American website. No such measure has been taken on the European website, however, and -- most importantly -- the items are still for sale.

Will you stand with Tiffanie in telling Urban Outfitters that it's not OK to exploit Native American culture to make a buck or make a fashion statement? Sign Tiffanie's petition to get Urban Outfitters to stop selling their "Navajo" line now:

http://www.change.org/petitions/ceo-urban-outfitters-remove-the-navajo-collection-from-stores

[ShadowDancer]

Urban Outfitters changed their site after the Navajo pressed their copyright. However, they only changed the names of the items to not be in violation of trademark, not because of misuse of culture.  I have been following the story on the blog site, Jezebel, for over a week.   They have numerous links to associated images from the UO site and to other articles.

Update: The Navajo Nation Department of Justice released a statement, which reads in part:

    The Urban Outfitters Corporation's recent removal of the Navajo name from its online marketing and retailing are positive actions that are more consistent with the corporation's responsibilities than previously demonstrated. If the company has also ceased using the Navajo name in conjunction with its merchandise in its retail stores and print-media advertising, these are encouraging steps by the company towards amicably resolving this matter.

The statement also says that the tribe "appreciates actions such as those recently taken by Urban Outfitters, and encourages other companies to take similarly responsible measures in the future."

Also covered in the Washington Post.

“When products that have absolutely no connection to the Navajo Nation, its entities, its people, and their products are marketed and retailed under the guise that they are Navajo in origin, the Navajo Nation does not regard this as benign or trivial,” said Brian Lewis, an attorney for the tribe. “It takes appropriate action to maintain distinctiveness and clarity of valid name association in the market and society.”

Interestingly, in the Washington Post story there is reference to people licensing the name in order to market skincare products and clothing in return for a cut of the profits.  I have no idea the level of tackiness associated with their products or if it compares the the dreck at Urban Outfitters.

Jezebel also has an article regarding the Navajo trend in a number of lady magazines recently published and the absurdity.  They point out that:

The unemployment rate in the Navajo Nation is around 42%; the median family income is $22,392; and 43% of its residents live below the poverty rate. Not very luxe.