We need to talk about cultural fetishism – 09/27/2023 – Zeca Camargo

You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of twins Bhagyalekshmi and Dhanalekshimi with twins Sanoop and Sandeed, on October 22, 2023, in Chengannur, in the Kerala region of southern India. For just R$750.

When I discovered that a company now bridges the gap between Indian couples and tourists who want to live a “true cultural experience” in India, I was first shocked. And, after a quick examination of conscience, embarrassed.

I have never actually participated in an Indian wedding, except for a brief report in Goa, where I made a point of recording such a party that took place alongside Catholic nuptials, as is common in that region. But that’s not the whole story.

I found out about this company called Join My Wedding in a report in The New York Times, whose headline referred to an expression I hadn’t yet encountered: cultural fetishism. A kind of cultural appropriation, only a little more perverse.

After all, the article discussed, what role does a Western tourist (and even a Brazilian!) play in one of the most sacred Indian ceremonies? In that report I did in Goa, I remember trying hard to maintain a certain distance, just as an observer. But who would dare pretend to be a guest at such a party?

Apparently a handful of curious travelers. The website joinmywedding.com offers hundreds of similar events in various parts of India, including to celebrate the union of Westerners and Indians. But just a wedding of twins to twins…

The upcoming votes caught my attention due to the peculiarity of the novel. But I confess that the whole idea of ​​being at a celebration in India enchanted me. But would I be transgressing the limits of cultural respect if I wore a “kurta” and danced like a Bollywood movie at that party?

When I celebrated my 55th birthday in Luang Prabang, Laos, I paid to take 40 friends and family to a traditional ceremony where families from the city tied strings to our wrists and wished us well. And it was one of the strongest experiences I’ve had in my life.

But, thinking back on that night, did I have the right to be there? Or even, having paid for the experience, how authentic was what we witnessed? Other similar situations came to mind.

A dance in Maputo, Mozambique, where one of the girls went into a trance. A mantra meditation in Paro, Bhutan. A reception from the Uros community at Lake Titikaka, Peru. Boys dancing hypnotically to the sound of the gamelan in Ubud, Bali.

In these situations, which had such an impact on me, was I just exercising my cultural fetishism? And what exactly was that?

Like filming in Goa, I always, even as a tourist, respected the local culture. But was that enough? In the New York Times report, the bride and groom reduce this impact, reinforcing that tourists are welcome.

They don’t do it for the money, they explain, since the amount raised from the tickets doesn’t cover even a fraction of the astronomical costs of an Indian wedding, which lasts at least three days! Some interviewees even say that perhaps it was a status symbol to have Westerners at parties. Would it then be reverse cultural fetishism?

Maybe I have to embark on a new journey and another experience like this to do a real examination of conscience. But until that happens, I will watch Bhagyalekshmi, Dhanalekshimi, Sanoop and Sandeed’s wedding from afar. Are you going to blame me for this?

LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access five free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.