> Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2012 10:09:30 +0530 > From: Udhay Shankar N <[email protected]> > To: Silk List <[email protected]> > Subject: [silk] musings on identity and culture. > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Or, if you prefer, "identity" and "culture". > > I was looking at this morning's edition of Mint Lounge [1] and I noticed > that Shoba's column for today [2] namechecks silklist while talking > about where to eat in Chennai. :) > > However, my attention was captured by a curious phrase in this column, > talking about a bakery chain called McRennett: "McRennett is as European > as Sonia Gandhi is Indian." > > Now, from context, it would appear that neither is McRennett to be > considered European, nor is Sonia Gandhi to be considered Indian. > > Notwithstanding the fact that most Italians seem to consider her an > Indian [3], this led me to muse about the hoary topic of "what is > 'Indian'?" last discussed here, interestingly enough, via a column of > Shoba's [4]. > > Now, I don't mean to pick on Shoba for what is obviously a throwaway > analogy intended to amuse, but it got me thinking. > > So, here's a question: help me understand why McRennett is *not* European? > That one is easy, Udhay. What I was trying to say, after eating genuine European pastries is that McRennett's products were a poor imitation. Calling their cakes European (or simulating it by the name) is like calling (and maybe I am digging myself into a hole here) Golconda a vino; or Michael Phelps erudite; or Yeddyurappa global.
The other part of the analogy is more interesting. Is Sonia not Indian? My view is that hyphenated identities are tricky (Italian-Indian or Indian-American). You might think you are one part of the hyphen but public perception will never entirely agree. As you say, Italians think of her as Indian. While Indians..... > Udhay > > > [1] http://www.livemint.com/Lounge.aspx > [2] > http://www.livemint.com/articles/2012/08/30203952/Customized-cupcakes-and-south.html > [3] e.g, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/10749 > [4] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/28957 > > -- > ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
