Monday, 16 July 2012
"Multicultural" Cardiff
This past weekend, I travelled to Wales. I planned to hike up a mountain and eat some delicious food, but I didn't expect to encounter such cultural diversity. On the bus, especially, I heard at least four different languages and saw every skin color imaginable. By the time I reached Cardiff Bay on my last day, then, I was not surprised when an Indian man handed me a brochure for a Multicultural Mela (Hindi for "festival" or "fair"). What did surprise me as I looked through the brochure was the fact that every single one of the events, food booths, and distinguished guests at the festival was South Asian. It seemed strange that the word multicultural should be used to describe an event celebrating only one culture (although I acknowledge that "South Asia" is a region with much religious and linguistic diversity). It was also a bit funny that out of the three people in my group walking together, he chose to hand the brochure to the Indian girl rather than one of the two white girls; when I hesitated, he even added that there would be a lot of curry! Since we're about to start discussing Brick Lane, I thought it'd be interesting to see what people thought about the use of the word multicultural in this context.
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It seems like a lot of people leave their homelands but never stop living the way they used to. According to my limited knowledge on India, I understand that the country is severed by different casts (sometimes distinguished by skin color), which allows for a limited concept of multiculturalism. Some groups of immigrants tend to agglomerate in areas, creating an island where their own culture is mainstream inside a greater territory where their culture is considered part of a minority. I considerer that behavior to be a defense mechanism that should be avoided.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem strange that they used the word "multicultural" to describe one culture, but I guess is has to do with being multicultural within the greater white community. I also believe that lately people just really like to use that word.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was multicultural in the way that there are so many cultures within that region so it's still linguistically accurate even if it is a little misleading?
ReplyDeleteDiction is very important on flyers. I would think that the odds of their attendance increasing for a "multicultural" festival would be higher than for a "South Asian festival." While it is always frustrating to see situations in which advertising is intentionally used to lure people into something different than they were presented with, I understand the intention there. Maybe if you include your own culture, it could be "multicultural."
ReplyDeleteThe most poignant point in this piece, for me at least, is your observation that you were handed the flyer over your two white friends. Is it assumed that you care more about other cultures based on your race? Is it that you would be "more comfortable" there? Both assumptions are upsetting.
Also, that ruins my defense that the attendees might bring their own culture if all of the attendees are of similar background, race, and culture.
I think that maybe there was a little bit of both involved: the organizers wanted to have as much participation as possible, but they also assumed that I, as an Indian, would be more likely to attend a primarily South Asian festival. And I agree with you; it is rather upsetting.
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