Letter to the Editor

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anjali-joshi/why-a-bindi-is-not-an-exa_b_5150693.html

A breath of fresh air

Tyler Williams

5 October 2014

I must admit that before reading your article I had an opposite view on the matter of the cultural appropriation of the bindi. While I still agree that there are many examples of cultural appropriation in society today I realize now that a bindi may not fall under this category.

The point you made about the knowledge of bindis among Hindu women is what really grabbed my attention. The fact that none of the 50 you asked could explain its significance really shows how this once strong symbol of culture has faded over the years.

Your article was the first one I've been able to find that expresses this view on the matter and it's refreshing to read something other than the usual rant about cultural appropriation. You bring up many interesting points that other articles have coincidentally forgotten about. In my opinion it seems a bit hypocritical to accuse another culture of turning the bindi into a fashion accessory when that has already been done by the original culture. It seems to me that in some cases people see an opportunity to complain and jump at the chance to make someone else look bad.

You also brought up a point that a highly agreed with which was "I (an Indian) sit here, eating my sushi dinner (Japanese) and drinking tea (Chinese), wearing denim jeans (American), and overhearing Brahm's Lullaby (German) from the baby's room, I can't help but think what's the big deal?".  In a world where so many cultures are mixed together it can sometimes be hard to draw the line between what is acceptable and what is not.  Also like you stated I definitely agree that cultural appropriation is a big deal when it strips the object of its significance but as you said this has already been done by some of those of the original bindi-wearing culture.  How can was be expected to respect the significance of the bindi when you can't even tell me what's significant about it?

Also I'd like to mention the idea of who determines what is acceptable and what is not in terms of cultural appropriation. By this I mean, while you may say you have no problem with a white girl wearing a bindi, other people out there have a much different view. So I'll leave you with the complicated question of who makes the decision of whether it's okay or not?

Honestly though as someone who is not a part of the bindi-wearing culture I realize that I may not have a full understanding of the topic. As always when it comes to these disputes over what is and what isn't cultural appropriation it is important to consult those whose culture you want to borrow from. If they say "Sure go ahead and wear that bindi!" then feel free to wear one. At the same time I think that if someone expresses that this bothers them then you should respect their wishes and realize that in the end it's their culture, not yours.

Tyler Williams