As part of the South Asian population in this country, there may be many times during which you are told that your culture is unworthy of appreciation or that there is nothing about it to hold in high regard. However, because of the amount of non-South Asian people that believe it is “stylish” or will make them appear “foreign” or “exotic” if they bare a bindi or apply mehndi when it is considered inappropriate or unnecessary to do so, we all know that is just not true. In actuality, there are myriad reasons to value your roots. I could name 101 things I love about my culture, but here’s being brown in a nutshell:
1. The Facial Features
It’s no joke that ever since ‘the Kim Kardashian look’ has come into existence, pretty much the entire universe has wanted to achieve it. I wish there were a way to celebrate our olive skin, silky black hair, and thick eyebrows without them being fetishized. The universe can glorify all these things, but not our almond-shaped eyes, our prominent noses, or our “sideburns.” Regardless, they are all lovely features and I love mine and I hope all the other lovely brown girls and boys in the world love theirs too.
2. The Clothing
One of the absolute most aesthetically pleasing elements of South Asian culture is the attire. Whether the circumstances call for “womenswear” such as a lehenga, sari, or salwar kameez, or “menswear” such as a jodhpuri, kurta pajama, or sherwani, there is no denying that these are fierce, intricate, and daring articles of clothing that compare to no others.
3. The Food
Perhaps something South Asia is best known for would be its use of delicious spices, tasty dishes, and eclectic cuisine. Who doesn’t love a good plate of biryani or roti with chicken curry? (Sorry, West Indians – it’s chicken curry, not curry chicken.) Not to mention appetizers and street snacks like samosas and panipuri or sweets like jalebis and ras malai alone will have your mouth watering.
4. The Music
Afghan, Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Indian, Maldivian, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan music are all incredibly distinctive in their own way and incredibly deserving of recognition. Some of the most popular genres are Bollywood and Punjabi music, which – admittedly – are some of my personal favorites. Ah, how I long to be in a music video with the dreamy Shah Rukh Khan… even if I do have to lip-sync. Oh well, a girl can dream.
5. The Films
6. The Dances
7. The Art
Art, literature, and philosophy dominate South Asian culture and have contributed significantly to our way of life and value system on a global scale. Much of it – portrayed primarily from Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Jain viewpoints – is reflective of the belief systems and thought processes of the countries from which they originate. It doesn’t get more beautiful than a culture that can embrace such profuse religions and additionally create art from it.
8. The Accomplishments
The complete movement is also one that has been instrumental in society since the dawn of time. South Asia – particularly India – has proven that by making major developments in fields like math, science, and technology. The entire subcontinent has endured many rise and fall cycles, struggled to seek independence from one another, and found difficulty in maintaining its position in the world; but the people from there never cease their efforts to accomplish as much as they can to the best of their abilities.
9. The Social Life
Ever since I was little, I have loved attending cultural fairs and social gatherings that would allow me to wear the kind of clothes I liked and eat the kind of food I liked and hear the kind of music I liked. As the children of immigrants, we often times apply so much pressure to the idea of assimilating and conforming to American ideals that we tend to easily overlook or neglect all that our predecessors have worked extremely hard to build for us. These have always been an opportunity to be ourselves and assume the truest and purest form of our cultural roles in every way possible.
10. The Community Itself
On the rare occasions that we are one big family, we are one hell of a family. In case it hasn’t already become clear just how good South Asians truly are at throwing parties (don't even get me started on weddings), the identity we all share with each other also helps us to establish a close-knit community and look past some of our differences so that at the end of the day, we can bond over all of the things that make us so extraordinarily unique.
That is not to say that the South Asian community does not still need a lot of work or does not still have a long way to go. There is a pattern of ignorance and internalized hatred among my people that I simply cannot avoid and an abundance of issues that must be addressed and eradicated. But with the continuation of this unity, I have faith that change and progress can occur and we can dismantle such mindsets in order to preserve all of the positive aspects of my beautiful culture. One thing is for certain: I love being brown and I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.
