For decades, Halloween was a predominantly Caucasian holiday filled with outfits that ranged from horror to depicting cultures in some less than favorable ways. Among some advocates in Canada, the depiction of indigenous culture in Halloween costumes is an offence. Then, there are others who are saying that to say such a thing might be taking things a bridge too far. As one of Canada’s go-to sources for Halloween decorations, costumes, and party supplies, this conversation is a passionate one for us. Here’s where we’re coming from.
Halloween is not an opportunity to explore different ethnicities or cultures. That’s not what Halloween is about. Halloween has always been about having fun, sharing in fun with friends, and in adopting looks that we may not otherwise have the courage to attempt. Some of us go sexy, others go horror, some go funny, and some go political. There’s a lot of different Halloween costumes available to purchase from the Living.ca store and none of them are inherently offensive or insulting. That said, the days of buying ethnic Halloween costumes is over. ‘Indian Halloween costumes’ should not be a thing anymore. Despite that, we still receive requests for them.
Browsing the racks at popular Halloween stores like Party City, you’ll find outfits such as ‘native Princess’. Though there may not be anything in the costume itself considered offensive, the adopting of one’s culture by another is an offensive act. Tensions between indigenous Canadians and non-indigenous Canadians have always been tight. Furthermore, services for indigenous territories has always been in need of improvement. For a white Canadian to adopt an indigenous look for even a day, it is an insult. Though it might not be to the person wearing the costume, if you’re insulting an entire people or hurting the feelings of an entire people, you know it might be time for a change.
Selling Halloween costumes is what we do best. Living.ca has an exclusive Halloween sale on costumes, décor, and so much more, including a ‘free shipping’ coupon on any order above $9.99. If you’re looking to pick up a good quality Halloween costume, Living.ca is something to consider. Though some of our costumes are clichés, we don’t believe in depicting indigenous stereotypes. For things like headdresses and tomahawks, that’s not our jam. Go elsewhere for that stuff or, even better, don’t shop for it at all. Shop all your favourite Halloween costumes at Living.ca and see the lowest prices in Canada.
