[Column] Cultural Appropriation

For a generation that has a devil may care attitude, we’re awfully offended by the most trivial things. Cultural appropriation is an idea delicately sandwiched between notions of political correctness, community and belonging.

Cultural appropriation refers to ‘adoption of elements of a minority culture by a member of a dominant culture’. It has its roots relating to colonialism and representation of marginalised communities. But to me, it seems like it espouses the idea that cultural exchanges haven’t benefited society at all. It also furthers the perception that there is a ‘dominant’ culture.

A culture is something that evolves and represents social behaviour and norms. It does not have ‘intellectual property’. Looking at history, all culture is ‘appropriated’. It is how culture spreads across communities. There is an impulse to trade, share, amend, adopt that has lead us to become who we are. The Greeks came up with the idea of democracy. Now, India is one of the largest democracies in the world. Jacob Davis, a tailor, was asked by a customer to make a pair of strong working pants for her husband who was a woodcutter. Currently, millions wear jeans as part of their daily life.  The Silk route enriched, socially and economically, the lives of people by adopting elements of one another’s cultures.

I could give you several other examples from history which would now cause an uproar among the professionally outraged. It lets us believe that we are caged within the identities that we are born with, the one bestowed upon us by the previous generation, that we are locked forever into the moment.

As long as the element in contention isn’t misrepresented, is treated with respect and is used appropriately, I don’t see why it should be cause for an issue. Indulging in identity politics is pointless. Being part of a larger community may provide you with a sense of belonging, but it is not your identity. Being you is your identity. An American wearing a qipao is not cultural appropriation. Selena Gomez wearing a ‘bindi’ is not cultural appropriation. I’d rather call it cultural appreciation. I am not going to cry foul if someone who isn’t Indian wears a saree.

There is a lot of injustice in the world. There are things that require discussion, attention, things that effect people and are of actual societal importance. Cultural appropriation isn’t one of them.

Padmini Manivannan is a Masters student studying Signals and Systems at TU Delft and hails from Chennai, India. She loves doodling in her free time.

Padmini Manivannan / Columnist