Irrationalist, no one is asking for proprietary rights in any formal sense. But aboriginals DO have a right to speak out and argue that non-natives should keep their mitts off their stories. It's their political, cultural opinion and they are entitled to it. Argue with the substance of that opinion and consider deleting your racist aside about the 'civilized world.' Your false, paternalistic argument ignores that people have always argued about who gets to say what in art and in what way. Women authors were once derided, black writers too of course, and militaristic victors get to write the history books AND the culture stuff too until oppressed populations write back. Your view that it's all supposed to be an apolitical sharing party is naive. And btw, culturally oblivious appropriation writers do not 'build on common knowledge'--the point the column makes is that they distort, marginalize, and insult. Watch the documentary Reel Indian and check your privilege. I did. It didn't hurt.