Mumbai under siege

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

However, I do always enjoy a good discussion about culture, Raita, Salsa, and Wonder Bread. Not to mention, an opportunity to get surly early in the morning.

Surly to bed, surly to rise.

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, sorry I brought it up, but that conversation with the other person got me to thinking - and fit the wild-tangent subject matter of this thread. LSPE had "others" sparking her thoughts, too. It's just that we don't know them.

I didn't want to pass those thoughts off as my own, since they are not. But, yeah, I handled it hamhandedly as usual. Though I'm not sure how I could have pretended they were outside of our acquaintance yet commenting on aspects of the Bollywood party.



In any event, I'm still unclear about the racial stereotyping line. I try to get a tan most summers, sometimes even augmenting that effort with artificial agents! Why, then, should I hold back from that when it would accentuate a costume? Certainly, if I were going "Bollywood" for Halloween, I wouldn't hesitate to darken my skin. But for a New Years party costume ... is that kind of thing in poor taste? If so, why?


Oh, my giant ethical dillema!

[Not Afraid]

Well, NYE is not necessarily a "costume" party (as opposed to Halloween which is most certainly costume oriented). You can and may decide to dress along with the theme, but it certainly is not a requirement - just something that would be fun if you so choose. Personally, I've always wanted several type of Indian clothing and have now given myself a valid excuse to buy them. But, me wanting space print pajamas is how we ended up with a space theme last year.

[€uroMeinke]

I don't know - the tan thing just strikes me as goofy. I mean the pallet of "Indian" skin tones is nearly as broad as our own and certainly to be overshadowed compared to the variety and vibrancy of fabrics that might be employed. Of course contemporary Bollywood aren't stuck in India anymore. The last one we saw was set in Australia.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Certainly, if I were going "Bollywood" for Halloween, I wouldn't hesitate to darken my skin.

Again, I'm kinda surprised by this. If you want to go as a "Bollywood star" you dress the part, but to actually darken your skin and go as an "Indian person", that's a whole other story.

[CoasterMatt]

Somebody in this thread mentioned something about "crossing a line", and my ears started ringing

I'm not a particular fan of Bollywood, but a Bollywood themed party sounds like fun times - maybe you guys could do some kind of fundraising for victims of the Mumbai terror attacks?

[Stan4dSteph]

Originally Posted by CoasterMatt

...maybe you guys could do some kind of fundraising for victims of the Mumbai terror attacks?

I was thinking the same thing. You could collect and donate to the International Red Cross.

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

...my acquaintances who started the argument feel very strongly that ANY wearing/using/decorating with another culture is appropriation and harmful to the culture in question. I don't agree.

Just curious as to whether or not those acquaintances celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday? Did they have pumpkins or dried corn decorating the tables? Did they eat corn, pumpkin, turkey, leeks? I mean, the colonists joined with the Wampanoag Indians in a feast giving thanks for a bountiful harvest-- something Indian cultures were doing for centuries before the English arrived.

I just find it interesting that "offense" is reduced when something has become more commonplace and has "history" behind it, even when it continues to employ "offensive" elements (i.e. appropriating aspects of another culture).

Oh, and I'm 1/4 Cherokee (my grandmother was full blooded). I'm not offended...except by all of the people who take offense in my ancestor's "name"-- even when the offended party remains, in fact, unoffended. (And yeah, I know...some Indian groups get offended by Thanksgiving. Whatever.)

Did that make sense?

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Oh, and everyone who lives in North America must immediately revert to the ways of the American Indian. Blue Corn anyone? Of, is that inappropriate because I have no Native American blood in me - only Native American blood on my hands.

:throws up blood hands in disbelief:

I will don my feathered headdress and commence a war dance immediately.




There...now you all can say, "I'm friends with an Indian/Native American (whichever one floats your boat)..."

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

However .... the slant-eye thing got to me - because I think my uber-pale vampire complexion is going to look stupid in Indian Garb, and I was actually thinking of darkening my skin with tanning agents for Bollywood night. Uh-oh. Is this a step too far in the wrong direction?

I find it interesting that you would consider doing that for this event which is not a "costume party" yet, on Halloween you dressed as Jimi Hendrix and didn't darken your skin.


Could it be that you're just trying to stir the proverbial pot? Couldn't be!

[€uroMeinke]

I was going to suggest some shoe black so ISM could be culturally appropriate as Al Jolson goes to India to make a Bombay Talkie