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The Bobba Controversy: When Does Cultural Appreciation Become Appropriation?

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By TaiwanPlus

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A recent viral incident on Canada’s Dragons’ Den where Marvel actor Simu Liu called out a company for “cultural appropriation” of bubble tea has sparked debate on appreciating and appropriating a culture. From boba to yoga, henna to hip hop, we hear opinions from Taiwan, California and the U.K. about the fine line between appropriation and appreciation. Featuring: Rina Arya, Professor & Head of the School of Arts at the Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education at Hull University, Hao-Li Lin, Asssociate Professor of Anthropology at National Tsing Hua University, and Olivia Chen, Cofounder of Twrl Milk Tea