The 1904 St. Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St.

Louis was one of the last great fairs from the Golden
Age of world expositions. It was a celebration of the centennial of the 1803 purchase of the Louisiana
Territory from France, which represented the first major expansion of American Territory. The fair
opened a year late because of shortage or not enough funds resulted to unfinished structures that will
be use for the said fair. The St. Louis Exposition was planned to be the biggest fair in the United States of
America history: celebration of exploration and conquest. The one who initiated to commemorate and
celebrate the Louisiana Purchase with this biggest world fair, was the former mayor of St. Louis- David
Roland Francis. The said world fair was an exposition to bring together desperate exhibitions from
countries, states, provinces and manufacturers to show the latest items that they want to promote
about their location or company. For that to possibly happen, the administrators of the fair built palaces
for the places of the arts to be exhibit. There are twelve palaces that were built for specific kind of art
and innovations to be exhibited. There are the following: Palace of Agriculture, Palace of Education and
Social Economy, Palace of Fine Arts, Palace of Forestry Fish and Game, Palace of Horticulture, Palace of
Liberal Arts, Palace of Manufacturers, Palace of Mines and Metallurgy, Palace of Transportation, Palace
of Aryan Industry, Place of Electricity and Palace of Machinery. Also, the building of United States
Government was also built in the world fair. But what becomes the talk of all time after the said world
fair was what happened in The Pike where it was part of the fair concentering fall to four general
themes: Foreign Lands, Museum, Performance and Rides. Where this palace The Pike was criticized by a
lot of experts as the time goes by and found a lot of cultural appropriations and inhumane deeds to
some races. The St. Louisiana Exposition World’s Fair ended on December 01, 1904. It was a seven
month-long fair that started on April 30, 1904. Joined or participated by nineteen-millions of people
coming from around the world.

The 1904 St. Louisiana Exposition World’s Fair was an exposition to bring together desperate exhibitions
from countries, states, provinces and manufacturers to show the latest items that they want to promote
about their location or company. For that to possibly happen, the administrators of the said fair, built
palaces for the places of the arts to be exhibit. There are twelve palaces that were built for specific kind
of art and innovations to be exhibited. There are the following: Palace of Agriculture, Palace of
Education and Social Economy, Palace of Fine Arts, Palace of Forestry Fish and Game, Palace of
Horticulture, Palace of Liberal Arts, Palace of Manufacturers, Palace of Mines and Metallurgy, Palace of
Transportation, Palace of Aryan Industry, Place of Electricity and Palace of Machinery. Also, the building
of United States Government was also built in the world fair. But what becomes the talk of all time after
the said world fair was what happened in The Pike where it was part of the fair concentering fall to four
general themes: Foreign Lands, Museum, Performance and Rides. The purpose of the exhibits is to show
to the people of St. Louis and other visitors the came from other parts of the world to see the latest
technologies, innovations, and place that they haven’t visited for example is the country of our own,
Philippines. However, they also exhibited unique practices of other cultures and other natives which led
to some deeper issues that leave scars to other cultures. The administrators also added that the exhibits
were for promotional purpose of the manufacturers so everyone would have the opportunity to see the
new innovations and technologies invented from other parts of the world.
The Igorots were the most primitive of the tribes brought from our country- Philippines to the St.
Louisiana Exposition World’s Fair to showcase or exhibit one of our nation’s culture to the world. The
administrators of the fair built a native house which is commonly the houses of the Igorots here in our
country, and they were also forced to wear their tribal costumes for seven months long, enduring heat
and cold, and sudden changes of the weather. Also, when the fair administrators found out that the
Igorots eat dogs only during special occasions, they forced the Igorots to eat dogs every day during the
said event because it made “good press”. The choice of the tribal communities led to extensive media
coverage, and perhaps as a result the Igorot village was one of the most popular at the fair. In response
to charges that this coverage was exploitative, a report to the Exposition Board stated, "It is not true
that the savages have been unduly exploited at the expense of the more dignified exhibits, but no
amount of emphasis on commercial exhibits, constabulary drills and Scouts parades has distracted
attention from the 'dog eaters' and 'head-hunters'." The Philippine exhibition at the St. Louis World's
Fair was the product of many voices. The dominant one spoke of the rich potential of America's newest
colony and the important role civilization would play in the development of this distant land. But other
voices wanted simply to show how other cultures live and to "promote peace and good will." Audiences
certainly did come to see these "others," and heard all these voices. And undoubtedly some came to
stand for a moment in the dawn of the new century to reflect on the new status of America in the world.
Organizers of the fair had encouraged this.

The St. Louisiana Exposition World’s Fair 1904 had become the talk of all time because of a lot of
observations by the media and experts that there are practices that constitutes cultural appropriation.
As for example, Samuel Phillips Verner was hired by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition to go to Africa
and bring back human specimens for display. Phillip bought Ota Benga out of slavery. He gathered small
men called “pygmies” who are from different tribes. Verner was considered as their acquisition “a find”
he claimed they would soon be extinct. Next is what happened to the pike together with their
prejudices. The story of Ota Benga, a human put on display at the St. Louis World’s Fair- is
heartbreaking. He was a Congolese, Mbuti pygmi displayed on the Anthropology Village, he has pointed
teeth like a crocodile. New York Science Society treated him inhumane for he was investigated and
experimented. He was forced to live in a monkey cage in Bronx Zoo. Because of frustration and
depression from the people of society and their prejudices, Benga committed suicide and died at the age
of 32. There are a lot of practices that can be considered as cultural appropriation that had happened
during the said fair. Even though the official policy of the fair is to welcome all, but as you will see, policy
and practice are two different things.