When do you own a story? Interaction or Appropriation in Religious Art and Practice
Who owns a story? Is it the culture where we find the early versions, or the country that gives it prominence today? Using the Hindu story of “the churning of the ocean of milk,” which is minor in India where it originated but a major focus of art in Cambodia, I raise questions about cultural interaction and ownership. These issues, I will argue, are applicable to other areas such as yoga in America, and particularly relevant in times of ownership battles over music, art, and issues of nationalistic pride.
Robert A. Jones '59 Conference Room