Geographical Indications Act and Cultural Appropriation in Northeast India: Scope and Analysis

Cultural appropriation is not a new phenomenon, but it has become a serious threat to the culture and identity of a particular group of people, including the tribals in Northeast India. The Act of using traditional designs without acknowledging the source is another way of ignoring the existence of the people to whom they belong. In this day and age where technology has taken over even the smallest detail of our day to day lives, the Act of misappropriation has gained momentum. There are several ways to protect the rights of an individual under intellectual property law, but there is no law to protect the rights of the community. The most plausible way to protect the cultural heritage belonging to a particular community is through the Geographical Indications Act. This article is an attempt to analyse the meaning of cultural appropriation and its impact on the lives of tribals in Northeast India. It will highlight the importance of the GI Act with a particular focus on traditional designs from Northeast India and whether the Act is sufficient to deal with the phenomenon of cultural appropriation taking place in Northeast India.