In high school, we would have all-school weekly assemblies (a little excessive, I know, tell me about it). However, there was one which I was always excited for: the Diwali assembly and presentation. It was vibrant, colorful and — my favorite part — it included delicious samosas.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere. One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually represents the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. To celebrate Diwali night in mid-October/mid-November, participants shine lights on housetops, outside of windows and doors and around temples and other buildings in the communities where the festival is observed.
It is often viewed as one of the happiest holidays. In preparation for the celebration, gifts are exchanged, decorations hung and seasonal specialties of food may be prepared. One popular dish often enjoyed during Diwali is the samosa. Served fried or baked, savory in flavor and triangular in shape, samosas typically contain potatoes, vegetables and meat. They can be compared to a mini chicken pot pie, for those who are not familiar.
Last weekend while I was home for fall break, my sister, who now attends the same high school as I did, was beginning preparation for the Diwali assembly, where she had a speaking role. She excitedly told my mother, “I don’t have to wear a uniform if I wear you know…like Indian stuff. I know it is short notice but maybe you could buy me something?”
My mom started searching the web muttering to herself, “Where do you find clothes like that?” I immediately interjected, “Well you don’t want to just buy the first ‘Indian looking’ thing you see online. You don’t want to be culturally insensitive.” Both my mom and sister nodded in agreement, my sister ultimately deciding to wear her uniform plaid skirt and polo shirt.
I am going to pause right here.
Now. Rewind back to my comment to my mother and sister. “You don’t want to be culturally insensitive.” This sentence is rather short and sweet, not much to it, so why is it that more people don’t say this as well?
Halloween is around the corner, and I am certain college students throughout the nation have partied throughout “Hallo-weekend.” With the fun of this holiday, I am sure the ever-so-present debate about cultural appropriation and culturally insensitive costume themes and party ideas will arise yet again.
We see this almost every year on our campus. Sometimes, the debate is not even related to Halloween celebrations — such as when Delta Sigma Phi found themselves in hot water because of an Egyptian-themed party this summer. In the past another fraternity’s “hood ratchet” party invitation went viral, gaining national attention for its controversy. “Rappers, twerkers, gangsters (no Bloods allowed), thugs, basketball players, bad bitches” were invited. This provoked the birth of the Being Black at Michigan movement, uniting the Black community through the use of social media to promote activism, awareness and social change on campus.
These “mistakes” are not just limited to young people on college campuses, as celebrities often make public apologies for poor selections in costumes or commentary. Let’s not forget when Prince Harry wore a Nazi costume to a party in 2005 or when Katy Perry dressed as a geisha during a 2013 MTV Video Music Awards performance. Even more recently, Kendall Jenner starred in a Pepsi advertisement which seemingly degraded the Black Lives Matter movement. This prompts me to ask my question again: How is it that more people cannot ask or at least acknowledge the question, “Could this be culturally insensitive?”
In high school, I loved the Diwali assembly not just because I was able to eat samosas and get out of class. I was able to learn and immerse myself in a different culture. Not to use it as a trend or a joke, a costume or party idea, but to understand and educate myself on the various different cultures and backgrounds my peers at school came from.
Halloween is fun. I do not mean for this piece to diminish that. I love seeing all the different creative costumes, and I am a huge fan of themed parties. However, it is also important to remember that someone’s heritage, the color of their skin, their religion or their culture are NOT costumes. They are NOT party ideas. Because after Oct. 31, when you take the costume off, the person you stole it from will carry on living as they do.
Stephanie Mullings can be reached at srmulli@umich.edu.