I give it a ZERO b/c I'm not down with cultural appropriation & blatant racism.

Where's the Cat Sistine Chapel or the Cat Twin Towers??

Lighten up dude

Seriously, it's just something fun for kitties. Why do people have to ruin posts with things like that? Ugh. I give it a 10, I think it's adorable.

Is it intended to be destroyed (and bought repeatedly), or do cats not decimate cardboard like they do in my imagination?

All those cats have this face >:<

XD

http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/12/random-appropriation-of-day-native.html

Our bunny has one of these! It's a big step up from the cardboard box he used to hide under.

I agree with the first comment, especially after seeing that the designers are from St-Hilaire. One of the reasons I'll never move home to Quebec is the staggering levels of cultural ignorance and outright racism, especially against Native people. The rest of Canada isn't perfect by any means but nothing like Quebec.

It's a cute little playhouse but I can't enjoy it knowing where it comes from.

I agree can be offensive. It is pretty common to act like Native American's are cartoon characters or don't really exist anymore. Anyway the cat would just destroy it in no time.

Word re: cultural appropriation. Boo. Zero stars.

I have one of these, and my cat Zilpha really enjoys it. She's not much of a cardboard destroyer, however.

Mostly, she likes to hide in it and have me roll/toss small toys past the entrance, so she can pop out like a jack in the box to snag them.

She also likes to sleep outside of it with her feet lounging on it.

It's much more attractive to have around than an old Amazon box, I don't feel like I have to put it away when company comes over.

This same company also makes a little
"cardboard Canadian cabin."

Yes, if you can imagine visiting a gift shop on reservation, and feel fine buying a bird cage stand shaped like twin towers ('cosmo chic for chirpie') crafted by native american artisans, then it's deffo a good 2-way connection.

To all seeing racism in this, I respect your opinion, but Im am a native myself and the
boyfriend of one of Loyal Luxe's designers. I was there when this product idea came and never felt offended. I participated in the development of this project and proud to say that this product reflects that natives are truly a part of Quebec
cultural identity.

I'm with you Tewasha. It's an attractive piece that reflects the compelling aesthetic accomplishments of this cultural heritage. Not sure how this translates into racism.

As an architectural structure, the teepee is one to be emulated. It's sturdy and portable and can be erected with limited skill and tools. So I see no reason not to use it in another context. That's like saying it's racist against the English to have a Victorian styled birdhouse. I highly recommend looking up the definition of racism/racial discrimination folks. Get a grip!

How come nobody cries racism or mis-appropriation when it is "white" or European cultures being emulated?

As an African-American I am infinitely more offended at the constant knee-jerk "protective hand on your shoulder" reaction to ANY use of non-white culture. It is disgustingly patronizing.

Is anything non-white/Euro not worthy of becoming mainstream? We are all equal people. Why should some cultures be more sheltered than others?

I guess ranch-style dog houses need to be destroyed ASAP so as not to potentially offend suburbia residents.

And I want someone to explain exactly how this is racism? How?

LittleMissSunshine, it's not about cultural protection. It's about centuries of racism and injustice that make certain issues not up-for-grabs. Certainly Native American culture has been appropriated enough in the name of mainstreaming to white interests. I agree with other posters that this is unnecessary and kinda racist. Also, seconding the person who quoted Native Appropriations. She'll speak to a lot of your confusion about the issue, should you seek to pursue it.

I love it - and yes, my kitties would totally deserve a kitty Sistine chapped or Alhambra.

chapel even :-)

archivist, thank you for your response.
However, I fail to see how the structure of one's house is an "issue." It's a fact that Native American history has fused with present Canadian culture. Yes, they are appropriating (as is the anthropological reaction of multiple cultures existing in the same society). I am sure there are natives who have appropriated back. The key is to be savvy about the difference between appropriation and MIS-appropriation.
I think they have provided a very reasonable explanation for their use of this teepee.

I understand and completely agree that certain aspects of a people's culture are worthy of treading lightly because of lingering historical sensitivity related to that topic, but too often well-meaning people (both within that culture and outside) go overboard with that idea and instead of applying it to specific instances, they make the mistake of applying this protectiveness to the people themselves and everything associated with those people.

It's like saying everything that your culture creates or partakes in should be eternally viewed by the world's eye as something historically tragic...your culture is historically tragic....YOU are historically tragic, and therefore untouchable.

Be care not to use a culture's history as a means to alter your actions towards that culture and their people or to interpret them in a different manner than you would anyone else.

Racism does not always come in the form of mal intent, and I consider this idea that someone or something should be uniformly treated differently because of their background to more of a racist ideology than the subject of this post.

And I looked at the link to that blog and the first thing I noticed was that the author of the blog used a Japanese form of poetry (a haiku) to introduce herself as Cherokee. Jessayin ;)

"Yes, if you can imagine visiting a gift shop on reservation, and feel fine buying a bird cage stand shaped like twin towers ('cosmo chic for chirpie') crafted by native american artisans, then it's deffo a good 2-way connection"

Well, of course. Because using generic housing structure created from "collective imagination" is EXACTLY like using a specific building that will be forever a clear symbol of tragic injustice.

You proved my point about how fighting for the wrong thing only weakens the argument towards more worthy issues.

What, no Peepee Teepee comment (Google it...)?

I'm completely with littlemisssunshine on this... Thank you for pointing it out.

NO WAY!!! I've been telling my husband for months I want to make a teepee for our dog! This only solidifies my desire to follow through. So fun!

Whoa! Heated debate. I've see little Airstream dog houses among other things... I don't see this as racism. If anything a form of flattery to copy and have their culture in your home.

I thought the preferred word was "tipi" and that it was a Great Plains structure from the Lakota tribes. (Not sure how widespread into Canada the tribes were...)

I don't care for "cute" ethnic designs, no matter what culture they come from. I think this is not an object I'd want in my decor, less from any political correctness than because I, frankly, think it's tacky. (Your mileage may vary!)

My cats get normal cardboard boxes for a few days when something is shipped to us, then the box goes to recycling and they live without until the next time.

i'm so sick of this hyper pc white guilt mentality. i refuse to be held responsible or made to feel shameful for the mistakes of my forefathers.

blatant racism? please, get a grip.

i could understand crying foul if it was a native inspired cat casino or some other structure inspired to further a negative stereotype.

what about those dog igloos and the designers behind them or the people who purchase them? propagation of a racist agenda toward eskimos? highly doubt it.

$24 cat teepee

vs.

an authentic, handmade navajo rug, a piece of art worth hundreds if not thousands -- and rightly so, only to end up on the floor and walked on by someone of privilege or who's upwardly mobile.

i know what i find more offensive.

along with your knee jerk reactions, throwing around a serious term -- calling these awesome designers racists without consideration to the thought and intention behind their design.

i'll be buying one for my rabbit.

Racism?!?! C'mon people, why do nowadays we are trying to get rid of such thing as racism do people try to find it everywhere... this is NOT racism! Go march on the streets against racism instead on bashing designers that are trying to build something fun and original. Take a chill pill!

By the way, Quebecers are know to be very open-minded about other cultures and stating that all people of one particular culture has an identical way of thinking or/and acting is a bit racist no?

La grenouille, your comment is offending for people from Quebec like myself and I have to disagree with your point of view. Putting everybody from a province, country or culture in the same basket is what I call racism.

My cats have one of these Teepee and they are really enjoying it + it looks great in my living room!

Thanks Loyal Luxe for your creativity.

Ergh, not interested in putting something like this in my home. I can understand it's extreme cuteness but I personally say no to any cultural appropriations.

la grenouille I grew up in Quebec and to suggest it is a place of cultural ignorance and racism especially against native people is absurd. In all my years living there I have NEVER seen or felt the hatred you describe in Quebec. Your views of this province are in itself ignorant and unfounded.

Ermm, I'm sorry everyone, aren't you all taking this a little bit too seriously ? I think it's a fun project.. and you don't have to buy it or make it by the way if you don't want to!
On a completely other note I find it a bit unnerving that an obviously talented and pretty young woman wears an enormeous tattoo above a delicate voile blouse - not sure if I will ever get used to this fashion of tattooing.

I think this is adorable. Bring on the cat sistine chapel if you like too.I'd think that would be just as cute. In fact, if there were a whole series of them.
I don't think anything racist was meant by it at all. Sometimes people just see racism in every little thing.

Seriously guys, pick your battles. Are tipis sacred or to be treated with sensitivity within those cultures? Or ate they just a style of buildings? In my country (New Zealand) people are learning to be careful and sensitive with appropriation of Maori motifs, eg, using ta moko (tattoo) designs belinging to a specific group or person, dead or alive is extremely offensive. Using the design of a sacred building like a meeting house or royal residence would be taboo, but simply using a generic style of a building - tall peaked roof with pillars and simple koru designs in front, maybe being up on stilts like a storehouse, that would be okay, kinda cute and fun, not harmful or seen as culture raiding. Simply referring to someting is not racism!

OMG it's just a teepee. . . .

I want.

You can tell from the cat's face in the first photo that he thinks this is not a good idea.

The cat knows.

Silly cat teepees aren't "racist", because they don't claim that Native Americans are any better or worse than anyone else... which is kinda the point of racism!

True, they are cultural appropriations. But so are Eiffel Tower lamps, Chinoiserie wallpaper, toy boomerangs, pizzas and naming your WASPy kids Aaron or Lydia - it's just part of living in a multicultural civilisation. Making a cat teepee is no different.

Racism?! Give me a break! Get a job or find something productive to do. You obviously have too much time on your hands.
Political/social views asside, I wouldn't pay $24 for a cardboard box no matter how cute it is. I could make one for almost nothing. How about a kitty pyramid?

One star because it's made out of cardboard. My cats are trained to shred cardboard (thanks to their turbo scratchers) and will go for any flat cardboard surface. Knock this teepee over and it would be no different.

According to people like La Grenouille, all cats or dogs house are an insult to someone. Congratulations for your brilliant point of view, I'm gonna burn my white-people-architectural-dog-house because I feel guilty about giving my dog a cute toy.

Thank you Blandwagon. What isn't<i/> appropriated nowadays?

This is just the tip of the iceburg in terms of appropriation of native american imagery lately among the young and the hip. I vote no.

what's the problem?

"appropriation of native american imagery among the young and hip"?

designers can't be inspired by cultures anymore? do we need to stick to our backgrounds to a T? brothers and sisters, don't be such haters. not sure why everyone is getting their panties in a twist over a cat's play teepee. it is fun and lighthearted and people are breeding issues out of thin air. take a f****** nap.

EVERYTHING Blandwagon said.

LOVE IT! ignore the haters, some people just don't get that a cat needs a teepee!!

I saw this post right after the one about dreamcatchers! Oh boy!

We live in a blended society and I think it's fantastic to have such access to all the rich cultures around me. This weekend, I'm looking forward to tracking down some ruins around Sedona (Hopi, Anasazi, Hohokam... probably others but I am just learning about the human history in the area). I think it's a positive thing for people to be interested in, and to have a respect for (even if might only be aesthetic, in most cases it probably goes deeper than that) the other people that we share living space with. A teepee/tipi is a symbol of the native people who were here before Europeans, and are still here. The history of how these two groups of people got along is lamentable, but it doesn't mean that it always has to be that way. I think most people hope for a better future, and maybe using native imagery in modern design is not such a bad thing. It means that the culture is being recognized and remembered. But I understand that everyone is different, and some feel differently. I respect that too.

First Nations people more often than not referred to as native. It isn't derogatory. My spouse is native First Nation and he thought the cat teepee was a great idea. Seems the only people taking this a little too serious is 'whitey".

For the life of me I can't understand how this could be racist! If you walked into a Native Canadian or American community and saw a doghouse made to look like a Victorian home, would you think they were racist? I'm so confused!!

If we like teepees does that make us racist? Whaaa---?

I think it's CUTE.

Do you people realize how successful Dogloo's have been?!? I trust you all have lodged similar complaints with their manufacturer/designer?

people make dog houses and bird houses, why not a cat house? Why not shaped like a tipi? how is this racism?

Also, why does the white people equivelant have to be twin towers? i assume youre trying to create the most offensive comparison possible. I present the following: A cat house shape like hitler's head.

pet houses shaped like contemporary american dwellings have always existed. how is this different?

ThomasP that would be freaking amazing. A cat house like Hitler's head...for little kitlers :)

you're welcome.

no a hitler head isn't a fair comparison.

a fair comparison would be...a nazi having a cat house that had a star of david on it....."oh isn't that cute"