As I sat in awe of the gorgeous film that played on the humble laptop screen before my eyes, I caught myself growing an intense fondness for the characters that took me with them on their unique journey. The indescribably pure escapism of it was something I had not yet witnessed in a movie before – the engrossing, yet simplistic plotline outdid itself and told a far more enduring story than that of any high-budget, special effects-driven production I’ve seen. A moment in the film, however, had my eyes well up with tears; but I was taken aback for an instant, confused but utterly astonished as to how such an overwhelming euphoria of emotions of sheer elation, joy, and adoration could all be experienced simultaneously. I then contemplated that this wasn’t just some petty Netflix outing that entertained me on a temporary whim.
No, this was far different.
This was special.
However, immersing myself in this colorful cinema industry wasn’t the only manner in which I enriched my fascination with Indian culture. As much as I’d like to think otherwise, there’s far more to India than that of mustard fields oozing with romantic mandolin themes and Kumar Sanu’s resonant melodies. I aspired to educate myself on the issues that plagued the South Asian diaspora, and by doing so, I came to realize so much more about the flaws of my own culture and the negative impact it has inevitably had on the Indian mindset worldwide.
With the exception of the internet, I live in an area that is rather secluded from the beautiful diversity of the outside world. I’ve found that a few of the individuals at my school remain under the presumption that films are primarily made in Hollywood, oblivious to the reality that movies flourish tremendously in other countries. Perhaps most importantly, these individuals are ignorant in the sense that they ridicule something for being different and unconventional one moment, yet consume aspects of the culture they previously ridiculed the very next. For instance, I recall an individual offensively mimicking East Asian accents yet deciding to make plans to go out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant a few days later.
It wasn’t until I started reading about social issues concerning the South Asian community on social media platforms that I first began to recognize these subtle hints of prejudice I was (and still am) surrounded by in my daily life. How had I let myself become so accustomed to such ignorance? As I hurriedly scrolled through the written posts that popped up on my Instagram feed one solemn afternoon, my heart sank. A young Indian woman expressed her disgust at the matter at hand – photos of white women, including that of celebrity icons, appropriating culturally significant bindis, mehndi, and sarees. “I get laughed at for being different, for being Hindu. My people have been struggling to be loved, to love themselves. My ancestors spent years trying to perfect each tradition; mehndi designs holding blessings and prayers in hands but now they’re your ways of getting a non-permanent tattoo. We tried covering scars with skin lightening creams because of the hatred for our sun kissed skin. My sisters stopped wearing bindis when they were belittled to nothing but dots on foreheads but now they’re your fashion statement.” |
My head tilted in utter disbelief. But I’m not like that, I thought. I don’t mean any disrespect. I admire it more than anything. The words I had just read would repeat themselves again and again in my mind, their painful pleas continuing to haunt me. However, what seemed at first to be an issue of ownership of culture (and I mutually respect her claim, for that matter) actually ended up being more so an issue of disregard for culture. The main point this desi woman was making through her frustrated rants then stuck me – I too shared these same feelings of frustration, and I don’t even have the faintest hint of melanin in my skin. You see, for the longest time I had feared that my admiration for Indian culture would be misinterpreted as the offensive appropriation I so often heard about. Many of these ignorant individuals who donned the cultural garb as nothing more than a fashion statement payed no such heed. In other words, they merely disregard the integrity of a country's traditions and values just because their "stuff looks cool". I, for one, believe an individual should accept and admire all aspects of a culture instead of picking and choosing only certain parts. |
“Aishwarya Rai is so beautiful,” I mentioned as I pointed to a photo of her on one of the elaborate packages. I watched as the woman’s head crooked to the side ever so slightly, almost as if she was surprised that I, the only white individual (besides my mother, of course) at the small celebratory event, was casually familiar with the Bollywood actress. Even the pronunciation of her name, for that manner. “She is,” the woman responded warmly, a smile radiating her face one again as she peered down to look at the picture once more. As the words rolled off of her tongue, her hands clasped the package, making welcoming eye contact with me once more. “Do you want to wear the bindi?” |
– Even though I have grown up in an area with little diversity, I was always aware that there were other cultures that flourished tremendously in other countries. However, I never truly comprehended the vastness of culture and how it has spread itself across many areas. As I compare my current self to that of who I was nearly two years ago, I see a tremendous transformation of my self-worth and courage towards discovering new things. My desire to learn and educate others regarding Indian culture has enriched my life with new perspectives and ambitions that will stay with me for a lifetime. ♡