There seems to be no limit to the racist, stereotypical jokes made on social media about Indian foods, hygiene, music, clothing and appearances. It is rare to see my culture being appreciated online due to how over time, stereotypes have become normalized.
In recent years, however, I have noticed traditions being recognized – just under a different label. Many trends, particularly related to fashion and wellness, borrow from South Asian traditions without giving them the proper credit. Instead, their origins are rebranded and erased to fit a Western lens.
Fashion rental company Bipty, for example, posted a video describing a gauzy neck scarf as very “European summer” and “Scandinavian.” To me, it was very clearly a plain dupatta, something I have grown up seeing with cultural wear. Many online agreed, also voicing their complaints over other companies, such as Oh Polly and Reformation, marketing their clearly South Asian inspired clothing as European.
Other trends, however, often go unnoticed in their rebranding. “Golden milk” is praised for its anti-inflammatory properties, but I drink “haldi ka doodh” when I am sick. Not only is its name aestheticized, but its extra ingredients also complicate the intended properties of what is a simple, at-home remedy for sore throats.
Renaming and rebranding culture is appropriation. The true essence of traditions should not be stripped away and idealized for Western society or to become mainstream. It is seen with yoga and hair oiling, with jewelry and mehendi. Each time, the bits and pieces of South Asian culture are taken and only accepted as something worthy of following when associated with a different culture.
This association, most times, is not even by the culture claiming it is theirs. Americans are primarily the ones glamorizing European and Middle Eastern countries – so they choose to “give” them culture from the places they mock and do not appreciate. South Asian culture is only appreciated when it is attached to places already romanticized.
This pattern follows a clear double standard. For decades, South Asian Ayurvedic wellness has been labeled “dirty” and “unsanitary” – at times even, too unscientific. Traditional clothing is “too loud” and “too colorful.” When influencers and celebrities, however, preach the same methods under their rebranding, they suddenly become trends.
It is frustrating that after years of hatred from the media for our customs, they are only appreciated under different labels and attached to different places or people. It reflects a broader, institutionalized discrimination toward South Asians that has been ongoing for decades.
With Scandinavian scarves, for example, not only did they have to become renamed, but also stripped of cultural elements such as beading and colorful patterns. It seems that to be accepted, our culture needs to be “calmer,” “toned down.”
South Asian creators and brands also often do not get any profit from the virality of their traditions. Instead of the natural Ayurvedic substances being shared, European companies make synthetic, cheap versions and market it as their own for higher prices, attributing it to its cultural uniqueness.
Yoga for example, has long been transformed from its spiritual roots. It is now a billion dollar industry, where Western brands capitalize on those wanting to learn, only to prioritize flexibility over mindfulness. This overshadows the true genuinity of South Asian brands wanting to spread its benefits.
It is not that South Asians do not want to share their culture – although I cannot speak for all of them. But the traditions I have grown up practicing are important to me. When they are taken and modified so much that they barely resemble their true form, are aestheticized and renamed to appeal to a Western audience, I cannot help but want to keep it away.
Giving credit is important to every culture, not just South Asians. Rebranding follows almost any country’s traditions that are deemed undesirable to people. Appropriation is enabled by trying to create a more aesthetically pleasing version of them in terms of Western ideals. In order to reduce it, awareness is essential.
It is important to respect the context of where cultures come from and the history behind them. Traditions should not be changed when shared, and those who are inspired by them should be properly credited. My culture is not a costume.