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A Dallas-based company that sells redesigned mahjong tiles has apologized after being accused of cultural appropriation by social media users.
The Mahjong line – founded in November by Kate LaGere and two friends – has replaced some traditional Chinese characters and symbols with images of cherries and lightning on brightly colored tiles.
However, many people were particularly troubled by the company’s website, where the founders explained how they were inspired to give the ancient Chinese game a “respectful refresh.”
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Although the page has since changed, a screenshot was posted to Twitter on Monday evening.
“On a quest to buy her first set of Mahjong, Kate discovered that the traditional tile artwork, while beautiful, was all the same – and didn’t reflect the fun of playing with her friends,” said the website. according to the screenshot. “And nothing came close to reflecting his style.”
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The Twitter user who posted the screenshot also included a comment on its own.
“My culture is one of the oldest civilizations in the world,” he wrote. “It is the product of thousands of years of tradition and history. My culture [is] not a cheap coloring book that can be filled out and “made pretty” by privileged teen standards. “
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Another Twitter user directly accused the company’s founders of cultural appropriation.
“What is happening?” the person tweeted. “Colonizers Annie, Bianca and Kate have discovered a new and improved tile set, once known as mahjong, but which now reflects their individual style and enjoyment. This is a classic example of #cultural appropriation so happy 2021.
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On Tuesday, The Mahjong Line posted an apology on its website and social media platforms, saying the founders created the company “with pure intentions and a shared love for the game of American Mahjong, which carries a rich history. here in the United States “.
A Dallas-based company that sells redesigned mahjong tiles has apologized after being accused of cultural appropriation by social media users. (iStock)
The company has said it wants to be a part of the evolution of American mahjong tiles “in the most respectful and authentic way possible.”
“While our intention is to inspire and engage with a new generation of American mahjong players, we recognize our failure to pay proper homage to the game’s Chinese heritage,” the company said. “Using words like ‘refresh’ has been hurtful to many and we are deeply sorry.”
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In an emailed statement to Fox News, founder LaGere said the company will strive to ensure that “the rich history and cultural significance of the game is properly represented in our promotion and description of the game.”
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“We stand behind our products and are proud to be one of many companies offering a wide range of tiles and accessories for the game of American mahjong,” said LaGere. “That being said, we take full responsibility that in our quest to introduce new tiles, we have unwittingly recreated an experience shared by many Asian Americans of cultural erasure and we are working to correct this error.
“This will be an ongoing process that will take some time as we continue to develop and roll out new policies in line with our goals of developing as entrepreneurs in this space,” LaGere added later.
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