5/9 Edward Said's Thesis and Indo-Chic

Edward Said’s thesis introduced a new term for me, Orientalism; however, I’ve always been familiar with idea of cultural appropriation. Orientalism is a defined as the imitation or depiction of Asian cultures, and the second article elaborates on the orientalist discourses about certain Middle East practices that have made an appearance in the United States – a concept referred to as “Indo-chic.” I’ve personally also recognized this consumption of Indo-chic among our westernized youth, especially with the use of mehendi and bindis as today’s fashion trends (for example: Coachella). This consumption by the American culture clearly gives rise to the issue of cultural authenticity and whether it can be practiced only by those who understand its significance or by everyone. In addition to mehendis and bindis being used by our youth, I’ve also recognized celebrities, like the Kardashians, using cornrows/dreadlocks (originated as African hairstyles). It’s astounding to hear how these celebrities can wear these certain looks at formal and public events to be “trendy,” but African American women and men are deemed as “unprofessional” because of it. In addition, when South Asian people are called “exotic” by Americans, it really calls them out on how different their appearance or traditions are compared to ours. I think it’s important for people to be culturally educated in the significance behind these Indo-chic practices, but without having the need to exclude all the other people who don’t come from that same ethnic background.