In “Indo Chic: Late Capitalist Orientalism
and Imperial Culture by Professor Sunaina Maira, she discusses the pervasion of
Indian and Middle Eastern culture in the United States and Northampton, a town
in Massachusetts. The incorporation of “popular” and stylish objects, such as
henna, bindis, and saris, show how orientalism has spread throughout the U.S.
People have adopted these customs because of their fashion implications; for
example, henna is appealing to consumers because it can be regarded as a “temporary
tattoo.” However, most of the henna entrepreneurs are not South Asian women.
Instead, they are white women who learn the art from South Asian women, and
then take it upon themselves to sell it to the public. This blurs the line for
South Asian youth, who feel ambivalent because they are proud that their
culture is getting some attention but they are hesitant about its marketing
style, especially when South Asian women charge less for henna than their white
counterparts.
In “Arabs, Islam and Dogmas of the West,”
Edward Said describes orientalism and its dogmas that set it apart from Western
culture. The main difference is that Oriental culture is inferior to Western
culture and cannot represent itself without an outside source describing it
with its own perspective. This is a pity, as it means that Western culture will
never fully embrace Oriental culture because although Muslims and Arabs can inform
society about Orientalism, they will not be welcomed and incorporated into
Western society.
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