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Public Service Announcement: STOP SAYING NAMASTE.
Today, I had yet another guy try to pick me up with the opening salvo of "Namaste".
The fact that we were in a crowded shopping mall is probably what saved him from being viciously savaged by an angry Sri Lankan girl who is absolutely sick of having people greet her with that.
If you see a white person, any white person, are you going to assume they're German and start a conversation with "Guten Tag"? Or French and say "Bonjour!" to them? No. So why see nothing except my skin color and think that I'll appreciate 'Namaste' as being your token proof of 'knowing my culture'?
Namaste is a Sanskrit term, used most commonly by Hindus and Nepalese for as a greeting. Sanskrit is a root language, like Latin.
How many of you go around greeting all white people with a Latin phrase or word?
India's huge. India has a lot more than just Hindus in it. So even if someone is from India, there's no reason to assume that 'Namaste' is the right greeting to use -- Muslims, for example, have their own greeting, which goes along the lines of 'salaam alaykum'.
I am Sri Lankan. Sri Lanka is an entirely different country to India, and we have very few Hindus. The majority of the country is Buddhist, and I have never ever heard anyone in Sri Lanka use 'Namaste'. Sri Lankans say "Ayubowan" (pronounced 'eye-oh-bo-wung', with wung rhyming with lung)
Cultural appropriation is one of those complicated things I haven't sorted out my feelings about, but I know exactly what I feel when people try to apply other people's culture to me, assuming based off nothing more than my looks that I am belong with that group.
So here's something that I can't believe I have to state explicitly: Not all brown-skinned people are Indian Hindus or from Nepal. Though I doubt that people associate 'namaste' with Nepal. However, if you're greeting them with Namaste, you're implying you believe they belong to that particular social caste/class and will therefore understand it, and give you brownie points for having tried to speak their language.
Here's a quick geography lesson for you. Asia is a huge continent. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka all fall under what I'm talking about when I say South Asian. East Asian, for me, is usually China, Taiwan, Japan, Tibet, North Korea and South Korea. And South East Asian is Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore. Russia's a whole different story. That's a lot of countries already and I know I'm missing some.
Unless you actually know where someone is from, don't assume they're from whichever country is most in the news. Playing the odds is a great way to offend people and quite frankly, it's unnecessary. A friend of mine said: "It's like greeting everyone you've been told isn't a black American with 'What's up mon' as if all other Blacks are automatically Jamaican. Or automatically African."
Next time you see an East Asian or South East Asian person and want to spew "kawaii desu arigato!!!!" at them, or think you've spotted an Indian whom you can show off to with "Namaste!", don't. Just don't.
Go start up a movement to promote Klingon being taught in public schools instead. Or Vulcan. Or Bajoran. Or Romulan. Whatever floats your boat.
Just please, please, PLEASE stop it with the cultural misappropriation.
~Fickle, who is still brown but still not Indian.
The fact that we were in a crowded shopping mall is probably what saved him from being viciously savaged by an angry Sri Lankan girl who is absolutely sick of having people greet her with that.
If you see a white person, any white person, are you going to assume they're German and start a conversation with "Guten Tag"? Or French and say "Bonjour!" to them? No. So why see nothing except my skin color and think that I'll appreciate 'Namaste' as being your token proof of 'knowing my culture'?
Namaste is a Sanskrit term, used most commonly by Hindus and Nepalese for as a greeting. Sanskrit is a root language, like Latin.
How many of you go around greeting all white people with a Latin phrase or word?
India's huge. India has a lot more than just Hindus in it. So even if someone is from India, there's no reason to assume that 'Namaste' is the right greeting to use -- Muslims, for example, have their own greeting, which goes along the lines of 'salaam alaykum'.
I am Sri Lankan. Sri Lanka is an entirely different country to India, and we have very few Hindus. The majority of the country is Buddhist, and I have never ever heard anyone in Sri Lanka use 'Namaste'. Sri Lankans say "Ayubowan" (pronounced 'eye-oh-bo-wung', with wung rhyming with lung)
Cultural appropriation is one of those complicated things I haven't sorted out my feelings about, but I know exactly what I feel when people try to apply other people's culture to me, assuming based off nothing more than my looks that I am belong with that group.
So here's something that I can't believe I have to state explicitly: Not all brown-skinned people are Indian Hindus or from Nepal. Though I doubt that people associate 'namaste' with Nepal. However, if you're greeting them with Namaste, you're implying you believe they belong to that particular social caste/class and will therefore understand it, and give you brownie points for having tried to speak their language.
Here's a quick geography lesson for you. Asia is a huge continent. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka all fall under what I'm talking about when I say South Asian. East Asian, for me, is usually China, Taiwan, Japan, Tibet, North Korea and South Korea. And South East Asian is Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore. Russia's a whole different story. That's a lot of countries already and I know I'm missing some.
Unless you actually know where someone is from, don't assume they're from whichever country is most in the news. Playing the odds is a great way to offend people and quite frankly, it's unnecessary. A friend of mine said: "It's like greeting everyone you've been told isn't a black American with 'What's up mon' as if all other Blacks are automatically Jamaican. Or automatically African."
Next time you see an East Asian or South East Asian person and want to spew "kawaii desu arigato!!!!" at them, or think you've spotted an Indian whom you can show off to with "Namaste!", don't. Just don't.
Go start up a movement to promote Klingon being taught in public schools instead. Or Vulcan. Or Bajoran. Or Romulan. Whatever floats your boat.
Just please, please, PLEASE stop it with the cultural misappropriation.
~Fickle, who is still brown but still not Indian.
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<-- uses "namaste" in theology discussions
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That aside, it's still an incredibly weird thing to do/say, just because it's not necessarily a greeting that'll be understood by the person it's being aimed at, and it's got a specific cultural context, especially for people who are from that region. Like me -- if you say it to me, my reaction is to be offended that you're conflating Indians and Sri Lankans, even though you're doing it with full knowledge that I'm Sri Lankan and I know that. Someone who has a very specific sense of cultural identity doesn't appreciate having something from another culture applied to them.
Friend suggested that it's like "if someone says they're Pagan, assuming that 'Blessed Be' is the appropriate greeting, when they might follow a Nordic Tradition for all you know." Since I'm an atheist, I don't really get what that means, but I'm assuming it's bad and shows disrespect for the fact that there's more diversity within a certain culture than just the people who say 'Blessed Be'.
I stay out of theology discussions, so I have no idea if it's appropriate there or not. XD But in general passing, if you're going to just greet someone with "Namaste", I'd say it's best to check first that they're Hindu or Nepalese -- or, considering its current appropriation, a white yoga fan. XD
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I try to not be rude. Sometimes I fail. *wristslap*
I really do appreciate your patience with explaining, especially since, well, hi, look at the context in which you made this post. *hugs*
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You weren't being rude on purpose. As soon as you had it explained to why it's not a good idea, you got it and decided to change your ways. Which is GOOD. Yay! One less person using it carelessly! Because I have to admit, the extent to which yoga's popularized 'Namaste' makes me wince at times, especially when 'Namaste' gets directed at me. XD
*hugs back* Nighty-night!
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(Also, the only person I've ever said "Salve" to is my high school Latin teacher and fellow classmates. XD)
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(edit: durr, nevermind, LJ is just being dumb.)
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(In that context, it's fine. XD If you're taking Hindi lessons, feel free to greet everyone in your class with 'Namaste'. Just please refrain from inflicting it on hapless brown-skinned people. ^_~)
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But no really you are abosoultey correct about this being offensive and dumb.
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Yeah. Seriously. Plenty of people rant about fangirl Japanese but fortunately for me, people don't use it around me IRL. What I get subjected to instead is 'Namaste'. Argh!
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I don't think it's funny at all. If you're too lazy to remember the freaking lastname, but too cool to freaking ask me about it, then lemme know so I can gave you some derogatory nickname back.
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What about those phrases (such as "Bonjour!" or "Ciao!" or even "Hola!") that are said with the very obvious knowledge that you are not French or Italian - etc.
I know that assuming one thing - such as what was done with you - is very different, but I am curious about this sort of situation as well -- for you personally, is that bad?
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(re-comment, because I had just woke up. Also, was worried that by my giving a short reply, I may have come off as rude and I wanted to apologize for that as well - in case that I was.)
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*hugs* S'okay, Danikins. ♥ Thanks for making me think.
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*snugs* Yay. <3 you Ficklekins.