Is an Indian Wedding with a White Bride Cultural Appropriation?
When my husband suggested I wear traditional Indian clothes during our first trip to his hometown in India, I felt extremely uncomfortable.
As an art therapist, I am keenly aware of cultural appropriation. Good ol’ Wikipedia explains, “Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity.”
For example, when non-indigenous people wear clothes designed for indigenous spiritual ceremonies.
I try to be especially aware of this as an art therapist. I don’t want to be taking something from another culture that was designed with a specific purpose and using it solely for my own artistic desires.
For example, I don’t invite clients to make dream catchers. I understand they were originally made with a spiritual purpose and I do not want to dilute it, or disrespect the cultures that use them.
The same goes with wearing hairstyles and clothing from cultures that are not my own.
So you can see why I was uncomfortable when my husband suggested I wear Punjabi clothes (this is the region of India that he is from).
I asked, “Won’t people be upset if they see me wearing them?”
He quickly replied, “No.”
I didn’t believe him. I wanted a woman’s perspective and later asked his sister. She laughed at my question and exclaimed, “Jackie, everyone will love it!”
The idea that Indians would love me, a white individual, dressing in their traditional attire was so far from culture and identity politics in the United States.
All you have to do is check out the news, like this article about Beyonce being accused of cultural appropriation at an Indian wedding.
I chose to believe my Indian family though, and wore traditional attire at the wedding events I attended. My sister-in-law helped me purchase appropriate attire.
It went just as they told me — everyone appreciated me wearing traditional attire.
When I returned to India a year later for my own wedding, I also chose to wear traditional attire.
Not only did I wear it for all of my wedding events, I also wore Punjabi suits (a more casual attire) on the days I was just hanging out or going around the city.
Someone might see pictures of me and assert I’m just another white person culturally appropriating.
That’s a reality I have to accept.
But my own reality is far from it.
Thank you for reading. If you’d like to read more, you can sign up for my FUNletter or check out my books.
