How I hope 2019 unfolds: A quick success in San Diego

Last week I was in Pacific Beach with my partner, and we stopped by a bar/restaurant called “Crushed” to grab a drink. I got up to go to the restroom, and in the hallway was confronted by a large mural of a headdress. It was painted facing a mirror, with words in reverse, so bar patrons could take mirror selfies that looked like they were wearing the warbonnet. I rolled my eyes, walked back to my table, grabbed my phone, and snapped the above photo.

While we finished our drinks I composed a quick caption on Instagram, trying to educate the bar on why the mural was inappropriate. I said:

Hey @crushedpb, this really isn’t ok. Warbonnets are sacred to several Native nations and are something that has to be earned. They are symbols of great respect and honor, and aren’t dress up or fantasy objects. When they’re used out of context in this way, it’s disrespectful to the real, living cultures that still use these headdresses in ceremony and community. Native peoples aren’t photo props, stereotypes, or IG cliches. I hope you’ll consider painting this over. ❤️

We went on with our night and I didn’t really think much of it. I’ve been doing this work for eight years at this point, and it’s rare for anyone to respond with anything but defensiveness and doubling down. Sure enough, an hour or so later, the bar responded with:

“The purpose is not to offend anyone”

I hopped back into the comments, which by this time were already numbering in the hundreds (always in awe of the power of the Native Approps community), and typed back:

“No one (or very few people) sets out to offend. Unfortunately, this is hurtful to me and other Native folks who might come in your bar. Despite the intent, it’s the impact that matters. If you need more info or would like to talk more, my contact info is on my site. I know your mantra is “you are loved,” but with this on the wall you’re saying that “you” doesn’t include the peoples whose land you’re on.”

Again, thought that was that. Then, the next morning, I woke up to this photo from Crushed in my messages:

I couldn’t believe it. They painted it over! Less than 24 hours after the initial Instagram post, someone from the restaurant was over at the store with a bucket of paint removing the headdress. I was shocked, and grateful. This is never the response to these kinds of interactions, or if it is, it usually takes hours and hours of labor to get folks to this point. They didn’t even ask me for more info, just went ahead and did the right thing. I wish everyone would react the same way to being called in. Amazing.

The artist himself is another story, and I won’t even take the time to tag him here. You can go investigate yourself if you’re interested–he has another painting called “smokeahontas” but his friends were violently defending his work in the comments. I hope he takes the time to learn, eventually.

So I just wanted to share this quick story so we can start 2019 on a high note, realizing that there are folks in the business world who want to do the right thing, and are willing to react and act when necessary. I’m going to naively and optimistically and completely unrealistically hope, but still hope, that this is setting a tone for the next year, and maybe this will be the year of actually listening to Indigenous folks, and making positive change.

Happy New Year, and huge wado to Crushed Pacific Beach for doing the right thing.

In case after all these years you still need the breakdown of why the misuse of headdresses is a problem, 3 posts/open letters that sum it up:

• But why can’t I wear a hipster headdress
• Dear Christina Fallin
• Letter to my local YMCA Indian guides