Oksana Domnina Maxim Shabalin Aboriginal Dance Offensive? (VIDEO)

It does not matter that they may or may not "mean" to offend anyone by this. They did it. end of story.  They are stereotyping aboriginal dance and their outfits are just plain offensive. They should be ashamed of themselves. I feel as though this is a continuation of the white person tapping into "honoring" aboriginal traditions theme. I am a Native American person (cherokee) this is offensive to me as an indigenous person and I am sure that there are many aboriginals who are not happy about this performance

I think this story of "offense" is a joke and it is caused by a lack of education and normal tolerance of Aboriginal leaders who're voicing their complaints. Artists can use any authentic/original material and reinterpret it. What if Russian authorities will get furious every time when Russian music or dancing are used and "stolen"?! Look at such complaints like "both skaters are wearing brown body suits to make their skin appear darker". No matter what they would wear, they always could be accused on offense. For instance, if they wear green or orange body suits, then they could be accused to use "provocative" colors which are not genuine aboriginal.

 The whole thing certainly brings up questions on what cultural identity is... who can access it, and for what purpose.

@ Rachel-As a "white person", I'm offended by your use of "our" language. Please refrain using it, try "Cherokee" or "Tsalagi", as it would be more proper for a person of Cherokee heritage. Thank You.

OMG!!!!! Stop it! I don't think they wanted to offend australian aborigens! That is just the way they interpreted the music and the dance!!!! You can't do it 100% right! Do you think that other skaters interpred their dances in the way these nations perceive it??? Of course not!!!!!! The whole world uses Russian music, image ... and their interpretation is wrong! Believe me!!!! But NO ONE ACCUSES the world!!!! And it's just NOT FAIR that Domnina and Shabalin have to fully change their music and costumes!!!!Other skaters are just afraid of Russia, judges don't like Russia, no one wants to give them medals!AND THAT IS THE MAIN EXPLANATION!!!!!!!!

"Other skaters are just afraid of Russia, judges don't like Russia, no one wants to give them medals!AND THAT IS THE MAIN EXPLANATION!!!!!!!!" That has got to be one of the most ignorant things I have ever read. Are you unaware that Russian has won ever ice dancing Olympic gold, save twice, since the sport was inducted in to the Games? I won't even tap into the pairs record that Russian held up until this year, nor the numerous medals in singles skating events. As far as the program in question, I find it a little too much. It's my hope they didn't actually pay someone to come up with that costume idea. It's just tacky- no way around it. Do I believe they're intention was to insult the Aboriginal people? Absolutely not. Quite frankly, I am infuriated that people would take offense to what may simply be a pair attempting to bring some focus to a remarkable people. But I suppose no one thinks of it that way. I guess it's easier to accuse someone of mocking a culture, than to believe they are simply performing a culturally-influenced dance. There's too much going on in the world to worry about what style of dance a pair chooses to skate to- especially if no harm was meant by it. 

Any other ethnic group will not make such a fuss about how their dances and colture were performed.  Some cultures like to complain about things. Give it a rest aboriginals. Enjoy the fact that they even added a dance from your culture and enjoy the moment with out criticism. Thank you

Whatever Russians do in unique, artistic and talented way, it will be criticized by the Westerners because of a cold war stink they cannot and will not be rid off. No one in the West needs strong and powerful Russia and Russians, and I feel sorry for them. Generations after generations were raised in hate for Russia and Russians, they still think that  a Russian has two horns and three legs. 

I found this couple's dance to be very offensive as a Native American Indigenous Tribal member. I think people need to educate themselves in regards to cultural sensitivity. How would certain races of people feel if this were a black, asian, hispanic or white performing a cultural dance and proclaimed it to be a artistic tribute to a people? Frankly speaking, it is an outrage and a lack of better judgement on the parts of the Olympic officials and this couple. I pity and pray for those who are ignorant and culturally insensitive.

I think the Aboriginals should feel honored that a world-class team respects their culture enough to make a serious performance out of it. Any Aboriginal that is offended by another nation's top athletes portraying their culture by attempting to look like them, or represent their traditional dress, needs to reevalute which side is the racist, discriminatory one. Non-Aboriginals that think this this offensive to a culture that they themselves are not a part of need to stop speaking for other people, and stop letting their beliefs be influenced by the "cool" way of thought. If Aboriginals want to be recognized as a valid, unique nation, they need to stop acting like spoiled children.

I can't believe all the racist apologism that happens any time someone -- in this case two skaters -- gets called out for blatantly appropriating cultural traditions THEY DO NOT OWN. And what's sad is, they don't even do it well.

I think that by copping out and essentially calling this dance "non-specifically aboriginal" as seen in the statement above is actually more offensive than actually learning a specific aboriginal dance and making the costumes fit that culture.  Seriously, the dark body stockings are tacky and offensive, and the fact that there are tons of trinkets on the market that are also not specifically aboriginal is no excuse for perpetuating the stereotypes.  I do not think that they were trying to be offensive, but lumping all aboriginal cultures together to represent them en mass is patently offensive, as if they are all the same.  Davis and White went to great lengths to learn traditional Indian dancing and make sure the mudras and costumes were correct and authentic, and thus, no one has complained.  I think the Russians would have faced a lot less static if they had done their homework and made sure the dance and costumes were respectful to the Australian Aborigianl culture.  They could then at least fall back on authenticity, even if the Australian Aborigines felt exploited (which they might not have, had the performance been more authentic).  But seriously, dark body stockings, random painting, hanging leaves????   Clearly, no one with any sense thought this through.

Ok, frankly I was not personally offended by the basic performance itself.  I do think the costumes were really rather ugly.  I didn't detect malice in their design so much as they just seemed thrown together by 1st graders and poorly planned.  Then again I don't know how many Aborigines are still running around in loincloths and leaves.  Maybe that was a source of discontent.  They could have pulled the same costume concept off much more elegantly , I thought, but that is just my eye for detail and a matter of personal taste.  All that said, what actually offends me more is people's insensitivity to what others may be feeling.  I'm not of Aboriginal decent and I'm not ridiculous enough to pretend to know all there is to know about their cultural experience or just why they may have taken offense to this performance/presentation, but I have enough respect to accept that, for reasons justafiable to them...they did.  Just because you don't see the offense in something does not mean that it isn't, or that you should blatantly disregard the feeling of the "offended" as trivial or oversensitive. Intention is an equally lame excuse.  If you accidentally tripped and pushed someone causing them injury would you be any less sorry for it?  I didn't mean to hurt you, so therefore I shouldn't have to apologize for it?  Really?  It's invalidating and that is the bigger tragedy here.  Considering the limit of some people's scope, let's just assume we don't understand every single thing beyond the tips of our noses that other people might be feeling, so that when we step on toes, maybe sometimes the bigger thing to do is just say "sorry" and shut up already. Try to be more careful in the future, that's all. It only makes things worse to debate the validity of the feelings others may have when the possible limits of our own may hinder us truly having a way of fully comprehending.  No two people's life experiences are the same so it stands to reason that in turn their interpretations of seemingly innocent things will sometimes differ too.  Let's not criminalize them for being upset. Interestingly not one person here bothered to ask the question "what did they find offensive?"  Because God forbid we learn anything. Try for once to be empathetic and see the other side of it. The answers to that question might surprise and enlighten some of us.  I also think its foolhardy and only serves to incite hostility to make gross generalizations that "black skin is thin" or that ANY group should just be grateful to even be acknowledged. Geez, arrogant much? We're walking upright and eating with forks but it seems that sadly our archaic thinking missed the evolutionary boat and is still pretty comfortably living in a cave.

I thought their dance was beautiful, creative and did not show any disrespect to anyone. As a person with brown skin, I didn't find it offensive. When you feel proud and confident of yourself, your culture, and your person it is less likely that you will be on the defensive and looking for offense where none is intended.

i have to agree with getoveryourselves, what he or she said is true. even though sometimes an apology wont make things much better, but it definitely shows that you are a bigger person. just because you dont find something offending, doesnt mean the person sitting next to you wont.   (personally i found it very entertaining but thats just my opinion. )

This is a form of art. Whoever is offended should get over it.

Is there any thing that anyone can do today without someone getting offended.I didn't care for the routine but to make it a case for international news is just plain silly.We all need to get something better to do with our lives than criticize everyone.

Russians were better in the past, it is just not the same, sad to see their declination in the Olympics.

They should have consulted on the dance's content with Aborigine elders. You know, the 70-year-old guys who were born in 1940, before Captain Cook arrived. These elders are experts on Aboriginal culture. They learned all about it from the 1952 edition of Encyclopedia Britannia, which they read on their breaks from their jobs making cowboy hats for Akubra.

Which group of Aboriginals are they trying to portray in that dance?  If they are generalizing, which Linichuk just admitted, then that's where the problem begins.  That sounds more like a mixture of moves and gestures thrown together to create an "aboriginal" dance.  Which group of Aboriginals are being "honoured?"  All?  Impossible.  There are so many aboriginal groups all over the 7 continents, each with their own spiritual beliefs, customs and culture.  Again, generalizing is the problem. 

I honestly think the issue is less about then intending to offend and more so that they were offensively ignorant. It literally takes less than a few minutes to google or youtube 'Aboriginies' and get more information than these two skaters seem to have put to use for their performance and costume. I'm sure anyone would be irritated if their culture was so poorly represented in this event. I'm just speaking as an Australian, not of aboriginal descent - I just find it embarrassing. By representing ANY culture you have to pay your respects to it. Watching the video, you can see pretty clearly they did not go to any effort to do anything NEAR to what aboriginals have worn, how they have danced, what music they played.. when I first watched it I thought it was meant to be the stone age. Not to mention they were really toeing the line with the extremely controversial issues recently surrounding the 'blackface' look.It's easy for them to say that they didn't mean any harm.. but I mean, ignorance really is no excuse.