Shoma Uno: 2014-2024 | Page 453 | Golden Skate

Shoma Uno: 2014-2024

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Oh my gosh his costume, I just can't ... there's no word for it. IDK if I like it or hate it with a passion :laugh2:

Come on JP media, we need videos
 
I'm into the idea of the headband. That shirt is real ugly tho. Shoma is ready to go to hippie festival :rock:
 
The new costume is weird, indeed 😂😂. I laughed out load but somehow i still loved it. maybe because i get the feeling shoma really happy with this ex n i love him seeing him in different kind of costumes (even it really really weird):love:

Btw, (oot) did shoma somehow get endorsement from "Diesel" or what? because the t-shirts he wore lately are Diesel. :shrug:
 
It's wild and eccentric, but I think it is precisely what they wanted to achieve in this program. The costume accentuates the 'ethno' side of music, so they're just (creatively) playing with various features of the native Americal (Indian) outfit: feathers, fringe, etc. May seem too much when looking closely at a photo, but I doubt it looks excessive for those watching live (sometimes the same holds true for his choreo, btw -- excessive expressivity if one looks on TV, but just about right for creating a 'big gesture' live).
 
I think we may now start thinking about Shoma's 'Indian' nicknames. I just looked here (names starting with 'A') and already liked Shoma "Abooksigun [Wildcat]" Uno. :rofl:

Edit: Well, Shoma "Ciqala [Little One]" Uno is an obvious choice. :laugh2:
 
I think we may now start thinking about Shoma's 'Indian' nicknames. I just looked here (names starting with 'A') and already liked Shoma "Abooksigun [Wildcat]" Uno. :rofl:

Edit: Well, Shoma "Ciqala [Little One]" Uno is an obvious choice. :laugh2:

Um, I’m trying to be kind here, but unless you are from an indigenous nation or group yourself, you should think twice before making indigenous cultures into a punchline. Note I’m asking you to simply think about treating the cultures of marginalized groups that you are not a part of with empathy and respect. Note that there is history of colonization and representation that should inspire outsiders to educate themselves before turning to any attempted humor.

Much as I’d love to think Shoma’s doing a clever satire of a white dude ineptly imitating indigenous cultures, I’d be gobsmacked if he understood why using a white guy’s weak attempt at imitating indigenous music to make a buck and wearing what looks like to be a visual distillation of the music would be frowned upon. I’m just hoping Shae-Lynn , who is Canadian and therefore should know better, didn’t compound things by making the choreography into more “redface” fakery. I’m willing to give this ex a chance, but experience has taught me to be wary.

And yes there are plenty of indigenous musicians out there who a skater could seek to collaborate with: Lilia Downs, Ulali, ATribe Called Red, etc. I don’t know much about Ainu cultures and therefore musicians but perhaps Shoma could have worked with one of them, for example.
 
Um, I’m trying to be kind here, but unless you are from an indigenous nation or group yourself, you should think twice before making indigenous cultures into a punchline. Note I’m asking you to simply think about treating the cultures of marginalized groups that you are not a part of with empathy and respect. Note that there is history of colonization and representation that should inspire outsiders to educate themselves before turning to any attempted humor.

Much as I’d love to think Shoma’s doing a clever satire of a white dude ineptly imitating indigenous cultures, I’d be gobsmacked if he understood why using a white guy’s weak attempt at imitating indigenous music to make a buck and wearing what looks like to be a visual distillation of the music would be frowned upon. I’m just hoping Shae-Lynn , who is Canadian and therefore should know better, didn’t compound things by making the choreography into more “redface” fakery. I’m willing to give this ex a chance, but experience has taught me to be wary.

And yes there are plenty of indigenous musicians out there who a skater could seek to collaborate with: Lilia Downs, Ulali, ATribe Called Red, etc. I don’t know much about Ainu cultures and therefore musicians but perhaps Shoma could have worked with one of them, for example.

I am not sure what you're talking about here, tbh: as for me, I am treating this culture with respect (my choice of smileys in the post you're responding to was not meant to 'mock' cultures, of course -- I actually find these nicknames astonishingly beautiful, -- only to accentuate how fitting and hilarious these names are in relation to Shoma, particularly 'Little One'). And I am sure Shoma and Shae-Lynn are doing the same. The costume is simply a stylization with some native American (Indian) features, where do you sense 'mockery' here? Or 'clever satire'? Or where exactly Shoma 'ineptly imitates indigenous cultures'? We did not even see the choreo yet, but I am sure there's no mockery there as well. Besides, I would not even focus too much on this 'ethno' side of music and choreo and call it 'imitation' -- 'symbolic representation' maybe, but definitely not an attempt to imitate, let alone 'mock', an indigenous culture.
If they wanted to create an 'imitation', of course they would work with indigenous artists and try to go deeper in this direction, but I doubt that's the point of this program. Hence the music choice.
 
My sense is that this program is more or less like going to an ethnic-themed club party dressed as an 'Indian', that's it. (Is it disrespectful to Batman or Superman to wear the Batman/Superman costume when you go to a party? I doubt it.) In this case the music will fit this idea nicely, because it's clubby and yet with some stylized ethnic features. I highly doubt Sho and Shae-Lynn were really interested in creating an authentically 'Indian' program and imitating indigenous music and dance cultures.
 
I am not sure what you're talking about here, tbh: as for me, I am treating this culture with respect (my choice of smileys in the post you're responding to was not meant to 'mock' cultures, of course -- I actually find these nicknames astonishingly beautiful, -- only to accentuate how fitting and hilarious these names are in relation to Shoma, particularly 'Little One'). And I am sure Shoma and Shae-Lynn are doing the same. The costume is simply a stylization with some native American (Indian) features, where do you sense 'mockery' here? Or 'clever satire'? Or where exactly Shoma 'ineptly imitates indigenous cultures'? We did not even see the choreo yet, but I am sure there's no mockery there as well. Besides, I would not even focus too much on this 'ethno' side of music and choreo and call it 'imitation' -- 'symbolic representation' maybe, but definitely not an attempt to imitate, let alone 'mock', an indigenous culture.
If they wanted to create an 'imitation', of course they would work with indigenous artists and try to go deeper in this direction, but I doubt that's the point of this program. Hence the music choice.

As to not clog this ff up with a long essay about the history of redface, the history of colonialism in the Americas, the cultural subjugation and erasure of indigenous cultures including languages until late in the 20th century, and forcible cultural appropriation I suggest that anyone who wants to act respectfully go and do research. Lots of info out there.

Imagine your language was taken to the brink of extinction thanks to war, ethnic cleansing, and the residential school system. You are struggling to keep that language alive despite all that cultural and social destruction. Then a random cultural outsider feels it’s funny/cute to assign an “Indian” nickname to another cultural outsider who is engaging in redface. Casual misappropriation of words by someone who is not from societies still reeling from the effects of not being able to practice their own language, wear their traditional clothing and hairstyles, and engage in their own rituals and lifeways because they were supposed to be stamped out for good. That is why it cuts deep.

I love Shoma, but already it looks like from his costume and his music choice that he’s engaging in redface. I don’t doubt that he means well and is ignorant of the history of the Americas, but that doesn’t make the redface any more palatable. He comes from a position of privilege and power relative to indigenous individuals and hopefully he will learn from someone why this exhibition doesn’t look to be a great choice from that perspective. I see no reason why I can’t both admire his positive actions as well as note when he acts in a way that has negative impacts. I want him to learn and grow, and he is more than capable of doing so.
 
As to not clog this ff up with a long essay about the history of redface, the history of colonialism in the Americas, the cultural subjugation and erasure of indigenous cultures including languages until late in the 20th century, and forcible cultural appropriation I suggest that anyone who wants to act respectfully go and do research. Lots of info out there.

Imagine your language was taken to the brink of extinction thanks to war, ethnic cleansing, and the residential school system. You are struggling to keep that language alive despite all that cultural and social destruction. Then a random cultural outsider feels it’s funny/cute to assign an “Indian” nickname to another cultural outsider who is engaging in redface. Casual misappropriation of words by someone who is not from societies still reeling from the effects of not being able to practice their own language, wear their traditional clothing and hairstyles, and engage in their own rituals and lifeways because they were supposed to be stamped out for good. That is why it cuts deep.

I love Shoma, but already it looks like from his costume and his music choice that he’s engaging in redface. I don’t doubt that he means well and is ignorant of the history of the Americas, but that doesn’t make the redface any more palatable. He comes from a position of privilege and power relative to indigenous individuals and hopefully he will learn from someone why this exhibition doesn’t look to be a great choice from that perspective. I see no reason why I can’t both admire his positive actions as well as note when he acts in a way that has negative impacts. I want him to learn and grow, and he is more than capable of doing so.

I know quite a bit about history, no need to teach (or pretend not to teach) me here. I just don't see any relation between this troubled and tragic history of a culture and its language and my own (or Shoma's, or anyone else's) use of some of the elements of this culture or language. If one goes to a party dressed as an 'Indian', does that mean he disrespects the culture? If, say, an American actor plays an 'Indian' in a movie, is that deeply hurting for you, too? What if this American actor plays a French person -- should that be bashed as a 'cultural appropriation', too? (or is it less troubling because of history of that nation?) Does using elements of 'Indian' music equal 'disrespect'? I think, that's a lot of people you wish to call disrespectful here only because they used (not 'made fun of', but simply used) some ethnic elements for their own purposes.
Disrespect is disrespect -- it's when you abuse someone or something, taking the position of power, not when you respectfully use elements of a certain culture in your own creative way (which is what many artists did and will continue to do in the future).
 
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