Haute Coutwerk

What would you do if you saw your child twerking?: EXACTLY why Afro people are over our cultures being appropriated. Answer by Zara Chiron:

OH MY GOD. Okay, this is one of the reasons why certain people from certain cultures do not like to see parts of their culture(s) being appropriated by other people. Because things like this happen. “Twerking,” “Wining,” “Decale” ‘Quadradinho" - whatever you want to call it depending on what Afro subculture you’re from is just basic African movement that can be found ALL over the African continent.

This way of moving from the core and hips has been on the African continent FOREVER!

On the African continent - people actually DANCE! As in “twerk” or however you want to call it, but it is just dancing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=styBH1Y8lDI The African slaves taken to the Americans and the Islands retained some of that movement with them which is why you find it amongst ‘blacks’ in the USA.

In Africa MEN and WOMEN, plus CHILDREN and even GRANDPARENTS 'twerk.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ppMgB8p_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2OwWY2XFXY

Within the (real and original) African culture(s) 'twerking’ is not vulgar or sexual.

The way it has been (negatively) appropriated and presented, voie totally vulgarised in the mainstream USA media by this particular white pop star Miley Cyrus (and others like her)  has been very off-putting to a lot of Africans and Afro people everywhere. And this question is an example of why.

Here are more examples of various types of “twerking” by various types of Afro people - CHILDREN included: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QJ6KYWF1QU See 1.26, 3.39, 3.50 4.15 for African children “twerking” (gasp!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VguBiEzCvRU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUcvOHK8lNQI dare anyone to say Miley Cyrus is the “twerking Queen” after you see how it is REALLY done - with no vulgarity just pure African essence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YU9Hy52jCg 8, and 8.30 marks for a guy “twerking” his butt off in the true African traditional sense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fIzasVGSck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTmNndWNeIk I find it bothersome that this entire thread discusses “twerking” like it is some inherently negative or inappropriate way of moving. One needs to understand the origins of the dance movement itself within its ORIGINAL culture before making such sweeping generalisations about its (foreign) appropriated expression.

To close, just think about this: There are many who view it as inappropriate for little girls in the USA and Europe to be wearing bikinis on the beach. To many of you, it is not a big deal and I am not saying I have an opinion about that either way. I am just sharing that to help you put things in perspective when considering differing cultural paradigms. I don’t expect this answer to be well-received since I know I am on Quora - a USA centric platform, but I feel the need to put out some truth about a certain aspect of my culture as an African woman.