"When you explore other cultures, it usually goes without saying that IF you want to participate in another person's culture, you respect and participate. An example might be an American Indian ceremony on a reservation. Several years ago, two young non-Native women were invited to a death ceremony of a relative. The women were friends of the deceased. It was a hot summer day and the house, where the ceremony was held, was not air-conditioned. They arrived in shorts and rather fitted, low-cut tops.
They were politely asked to cover their bare legs and tops. They were a little �put out� at the request, but they complied. It was respecting the ceremonies and ways of these people.
One of the spiritual leaders at the ceremony said this about the incident: This is one of the reasons why they don't invite non-Natives to ceremonies. They gawk rather than participate, and this is disrespectful."
Get the Story:Dorreen Yellow Bird: When it can, Western culture should accommodate veil (The Grand Forks Herald 10/26)
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