Cultural appropriation

[Londonerlove]

AIBU to be totally annoyed by cultural appropriation.
I read this today and though wtf!

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/newsbeat-44572555

I’m not a fan of kim but if she wants her hair in braids she can have her hair in braids?

Shouldn’t this be praised rather than attacked?
Is eating pasta cultural appropriation?

Not saying it’s right just it’s how it is globally and by making it such an issue I think encourages even more entrenched attitudes.

Eg an English person telling me HOW to make hummus and HOW to pronounce it.

Christ, there's some bollocks being spouted on here.

I'm English & I can't cook fish & chips.

I think the assumption that all Chinese people can knock up a quick chow mein, or that every Indian person can knock up a Dhansak a damned sight more racist TBH...

I make damn good hummous and dolmades. And the best kookoo ever.

Ironically, I do a mean jerked chicken & would be happy to share the recipe with anyone that fancies it - no matter what their background....

@MariaMadita yes very thought provoking

I’m confused why it’s bollocks to feel surprised/confused when someone who doesn’t speak your language tells you how to pronounce something from your language? Please explain

And if I want to know how to cook jerk chicken I’d ask a West Indian cook

Well of course that’s silly but there are daft rude people from all cultures good grief.

Yes there are some rude and daft people, but we are being told we can’t feel perplexed / upset / confused by rudeness and insensitivity.

I’m also really interested to hear from @illustrously why what I said was bollocks, because I think in that example I have every right to feel bemused. What she’s doing is negating and dismissing my experience and the experience of every other person who has discussed CA on here. Basically we are not allowed to feel hurt by insensitivity and rudeness apparently

@Strongmummy

Do they actually correct you though? Or say hummus in their own way? Or do they think that the way you say it is strange? These are very different things and none are that bad; Parisians don't get all offended when we don't pronounce their city a certain way.

And illustrously says it's bollocks because with the wealth of information provided by the internet, it is silly to think that only those people originating from a certain place can cook those foods. I'm sure there are plenty of people who aren't Italian who can make a better pizza than Italian-born people, and thinking that you need to go to a West Indian to find out how to cook jerk chicken is also stereotyping - it's like presuming I can make any type of potato dish because I'm Irish.

I’m also really interested to hear from @illustrously why what I said was bollocks, because I think in that example I have every right to feel bemused.

You're cherry picking.

Pronunciation is very much a regional/dialect thing.

But why can't an English person tell you a recipe for Hummus? The recipe they use may be more authentic than yours. I'm sure there's more than one recipe.

And you ignored my next line - which was aimed at the main bollocks in your statement.

I think the assumption that all Chinese people can knock up a quick chow mein, or that every Indian person can knock up a Dhansak a damned sight more racist TBH...

Pronunciation is not appropriation. Your belief that only you

And if I want to know how to cook jerk chicken I’d ask a West Indian cook

Really? Or would you just get it from the Internet??

www.independent.co.uk/voices/alfie-deyes-austerity-poorface-working-class-tourism-st-pauls-school-performance-poverty-read-this-a8417256.html

This was posted in the thread about Austerity Day.

I thought it was quite interesting. And tied into the discussion about working class culture (gin nights, "chavvy" style as a fashion choice etc) that was going on this thread at one point.

The conversation went something like this:
Me: “Do you want hummus?”
Them: “that’s not how you say it. It’s hew-moss”
Me: “erm, yes it is. Trust me, I speak Arabic.”
Them: “r u sure?”
Me: “yes”

This has happened a number of times.

And yet again the point is being missed. I don’t care who eats hummus. I don’t care who cooks hummus. I don’t care where you buy it. I don’t even care how you say it (as long as you don’t correct the proper pronunciation). I am sure there are plenty of Europeans who make it well. My mother for example makes very good, authentic Arabic food (although she’s been married to an Arab for the last 45 years.)

It is the presumption that now Europeans eat it, buy it, make it, it is somehow better/is now fine to eat. When I was a little girl you couldn’t buy hummus so my dad made it. The comments we got from visitors to our house about what it was, how it looked etc... were not always kind. But now of course it’s sold in every supermarket it’s fine to eat.

And @illustrious, seriously, if you and a Jamaican lady were in a room and someone asked how to make jerk chicken would you HONESTLY be the first to put up your hand ?!?! Would you not wait to see if she would speak first, offer her thoughts before wading in with your “authentic” recipe 🤣

%And @illustrious, seriously, if you and a Jamaican lady were in a room and someone asked how to make jerk chicken would you HONESTLY be the first to put up your hand ?!?! Would you not wait to see if she would speak first, offer her thoughts before wading in with your “authentic” recipe%

I'd hear what her recipe was & would then comment.

I certainly wouldn't feel that my recipe was invalid just because I was born in Essex....

I think k this is now nowt to do with CA it’s just gettkng petty.

Or are we saying CA itself is petty and small minded? Bloody annoying for those feeling it but no more annoying than my mil once rearranging all my kitchen cupboard without asking me!

Whereas I feel that you would judge my recipe on the colour of my skin rather than any practical method....

I know which I think is worse...

And to add I would never assume alleedt Indian women or men can cook well. Like us all some are good most ok and some shocking.

Or are we saying CA itself is petty and small minded?

To a degree, yes - it does come across as that....

Especially when it's 3rd or 4th generation students who've never even visited the "homeland" getting stroppy on behalf of people that aren't bothered.....

I do find it funny that as an English woman I should be able to fire up the chip pan. Never cooked chips in my life or dumplings!

Are we to assume that everyone from every country can immediately knock up their countries national dish.

I would think it was very racist to ask a West Indian person ‘come on give me your best chicken recipie’

@illustrious On the basis you’d wait you’re being culturally sensitive.

I absolutely would not judge your recipe because of your skin colour. I’m sure it’s delicious

Frankly it is quite racist to assume that someone who appears to be West Indian is an ace jerk chicken cook. Or asking any other person of colour about ethnic dishes. I can't imagine anything more cringeworthy.

Would you ask Gina Miller? Do you know her ethnic origins? Does she even cook? Her ethnicity is none of your business and she's probably far too important to be spending hours making her grandmother's famous whatever recipe.

In trying to appear right on some posters would just come across as crass and everything that they are purporting to despise.

My mum once set fire to the kitchen cooking chips in a frying pan .....I use oven chips now

sorry, cross post, Ohmydayslove.

Yes I am kind of understanding CA can be annoying but I also think at base it’s a petty annoyance. We all have them.

Jamie Oliver has the best pizza recipie ever which dh does. Dam sight better than I ever had in Italy got to be honest