Appropriation or Appreciation?

To have the opportunity to travel the world and experience all the wonderful cultures out there is an amazing thing. You leave the comfort of your own home and everything that is familiar to you, and thousands of miles later you're somewhere new, where the people speak a different language, eat different food – and wear different clothes. 

Wearing the traditional outfit of the country you travel to is by no means a prerequisite, especially if you are travelling for a short period of time, which would most likely be referred to as cultural appropriation, a term that typically has negative connotations. However, if you move to another country to live there for an extended amount of time, would it not be logical to embrace the local culture in order to fit in? There are, of course, many facets to this concept of appropriation vs. assimilation. Incorporating foreign culture into your own life  strengthens the relationship you have with local people. When an expatriate dresses in a sari or salwar kameez while going about their daily routine, it demonstrates an sense of compliance and respect for our culture. There are no laws stating that people who come to Bangladesh must dress in our clothing, and yet people do it of their own accord, knowing that they have the freedom to do so. Of course it is important to take into consideration the religious values of the country you are in. It would be inappropriate – although not prohibited – to wear revealing clothing in a country with a large Muslim population. It is a matter of respect and sensitive awareness above than anything else. 

Textbook definitions of appropriation and assimilation can be cumbersome, and in order to simplify it, we must look at the key difference between the two: context. Nowadays in Bangladesh many women wear the tip as nothing more than a fashion accessory when dressing up for special occasions such as weddings, despite it historically having a vast deal of cultural and religious significance for Indian women. When we see women wearing tips here, we do not see them being accused of cultural appropriation, because they are part of South Asia, and part of the same ethnic minority. However, a teenage girl wearing a bindi some 5000 miles away in America as part of her ensemble for a music festival can be construed as being offensive. Why? Because the context is removed, and therefore it becomes appropriation. It is not seen as a case of appreciating Indian culture, but rather taking a part of it to suit one's needs. Traditionally, the sari not only symbolised status and origin, depending on the style and the way it is worn, but it is also the epitome of femininity in the way it is draped around the body, accentuating the female figure. To live in Bangladesh and wear the sari as a mark of acceptance and inclusion is extremely different to wearing the sari as a fashion statement simply because it looks cool, while having no ties to the culture it comes from. 

There is a danger of viewing traditional outfits from around the world as being costumes, due to their colourful and elaborate nature. Costumes reinforce stereotypes – we associate colourful feathery headdresses, also known as war bonnets, with Native American culture and although they are worn mainly for ceremonial occasions nowadays, they are still seen as items of great spiritual importance. Despite this, many people wear these headdresses as part of their Halloween outfits, which most people deem as being extremely insensitive and is cited as an example of cultural appropriation.

Similarly, the colour of the Bhutanese kabney, or scarf, represents the rank of the person wearing it. An ordinary citizen would not be seen wearing a scarf any colour other than white, while the colour red is reserved for male members of the royal family. If you are going to dress up in traditional Bhutanese clothing, it's important to bear these things in mind lest you offend anyone. Costumes imply that these outfits are merely things to dress up in, and detract from the significance that they carry. How can you place saris and salwar kameezes in the same category as clown outfits and other items of clothing used for fancy dress? The latter can be referred to as costumes, and rightly so. Not traditional clothes. These are a part of our cultural identity, and should be worn by people willing to adopt that same identity and incorporate it into their own. 

Cultural assimilation has several potential drawbacks in that communities strive to stay true to their cultural identities. Traditions become endangered due to assimilation in favour of newer ones in order to be able to merge into the majority. It is our duty to welcome people from other countries and educate them about our culture, rather than look down on them for trying to fit in. As multicultural as the world is right now, we still have so much to learn about the customs and traditions of other countries. It is imperative that we learn to appreciate the differences in a way that unites us, instead of appropriating and marginalising other cultures. 

By Zahrah Haider