As someone who grew up very whitewashed, I would love an "accessible" Indian grocery store that explained what things are and was laid out like mainstream grocery stores.
I'm sympathetic to those who feel a nostalgia for the old-school shops here in America. But does it have to be an either-or?
CHURCH. (Well... Church/Temple/Mosque/Gurdwara, as the case may be, given our diversity...)
Glad you made this point. By the same token, I'm not sure I believe in cultural appropriation at all, mostly because, to your point, so much of it feels performative. The dichotomy could be: mocking vs. celebrating.
Somebody (usually White) who dresses up in a sari or sherwani for Halloween, turns on the accent, and generally makes fun of us? Not OK. But anyone, regardless of race, who wears a sari/sherwani to an Indian wedding out of curiosity, support, and just generally wanting to be part of the event? Not only OK but also should be encouraged.
Else, we're merely stopping empathy in its tracks.
I might've landed a bit outside the bounds of your original point, but I appreciate that you got me thinking. Good work, Vignesh!
100% agree, it is a positive thing to have multiple forms of a culture that reflect different generations and experiences. They should be able to exist together, not be one or the other. Gatekeeping authenticity is not going to help anyone, especially now when we should be more inclusive.
Great post! Affording others the grace and patience to appreciate something you like is the first step in building a connection and a larger tent. Focusing on culture and food is a great case study of the issue but also applies politics or sports or who gets to call themselves a local of a city.
Such good questions for immigrant communities to ask! Does authenticity really have to be tied to a rigid idea of our past?
As someone who grew up very whitewashed, I would love an "accessible" Indian grocery store that explained what things are and was laid out like mainstream grocery stores.
I'm sympathetic to those who feel a nostalgia for the old-school shops here in America. But does it have to be an either-or?
For sure - why can't it be "and"!
Totally! Can it be regularly redefined...
Interesting argument. I agree…authenticity should not equate to historical visuals. Authentic is whatever is happening at that present time.
Thanks for reading
CHURCH. (Well... Church/Temple/Mosque/Gurdwara, as the case may be, given our diversity...)
Glad you made this point. By the same token, I'm not sure I believe in cultural appropriation at all, mostly because, to your point, so much of it feels performative. The dichotomy could be: mocking vs. celebrating.
Somebody (usually White) who dresses up in a sari or sherwani for Halloween, turns on the accent, and generally makes fun of us? Not OK. But anyone, regardless of race, who wears a sari/sherwani to an Indian wedding out of curiosity, support, and just generally wanting to be part of the event? Not only OK but also should be encouraged.
Else, we're merely stopping empathy in its tracks.
I might've landed a bit outside the bounds of your original point, but I appreciate that you got me thinking. Good work, Vignesh!
Definitely - the sari/sherwani distinction you bring up is a great illustration - appreciate your smart analysis, as always!
100% agree, it is a positive thing to have multiple forms of a culture that reflect different generations and experiences. They should be able to exist together, not be one or the other. Gatekeeping authenticity is not going to help anyone, especially now when we should be more inclusive.
Great post! Affording others the grace and patience to appreciate something you like is the first step in building a connection and a larger tent. Focusing on culture and food is a great case study of the issue but also applies politics or sports or who gets to call themselves a local of a city.