so i don’t think a lot of people really understand how often south asian culture is misinterpreted and appropriated so i’m making a post about it right here.
- any mention of third eyes
- any mention of chakras
- people wearing bindis when they shouldn’t be
- fucking “om” or “aum” tattoos or appliques on things like yoga pants. do you know how fucking disrespectful it is to put a symbol that is so important to my religion and culture on the ass of some white chick’s yoga pants
- people wearing maang tikka when they shouldn’t be
- anklets with bells on them are very important to the dance culture of south asia and it’s disrespectful to wear them outside of a traditional dance setting
feel free to add any more that i missed because i’m fucking tired
this is okay to rb if you’re not south asian. in fact it’s encouraged that you reblog this post, regardless of your race
- wearing henna/mehendi with religious designs without being aware of the religious and cultural significance
- assuming every south asian wears a turban??? like those are specific to a certain religion/culture
- not knowing what “namaste” even means but saying it anyway
- or alternatively, messing it up. aka “namaslay” “namaste away from me”
Genuine question, do you ever feel it’s acceptable for non-south Asian people to incorporate any of these things if they’ve researched and are aware and respectful of the origins? As in, cultural appreciation? Or would you rather we simply avoid these traditions altogether?
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teakepp 