Sitting
predominantly white seminars has taught me one thing and that is – I have
culture. Sometimes the only naturally dark skinned person is the room I have
this unique privilege of having a culture, tradition, history, dress. To some extent,
we Indians do play the ‘unique diverse and spiritual culture card’ very well,
however it is the same culture that makes us savages.
I am often meant
to say something contradictory in these seminars to validate that I have
culture. What is culture? Why don’t white people need it? How is it they don’t
have it? I am always amazed at the silliness of this lack of self awareness. The
only position I can hope to have is one of authenticity to my culture. The term
itself is loosely thrown about. everything a person of colour does is
understood to be culture and also it’s most authentic expression. We are no
longer trapped by ideas of savagery but by culture. White people no longer need
to be trapped by this part of their identity they have the freedom of choice.
Choosing from a buffet table that is culture they are still the conquerors.
Even the freedom
to choose is a cultural identity is culture itself. If white wasn’t a colour,
if English wasn’t a language, if shirts and skirts weren’t clothes, if jacket
potatoes weren’t food then white people don’t have culture. But as we do know
every human group has a tendency to form its own norms culture is inescapable.
No comments:
Post a Comment