Simren Degun

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About Work

If you delve into history, you learn that essentially all culture is hybrid culture. No culture exists without borrowing or having influences from the other. Cultural and racial boundaries are constantly shifting and evolving, usually much to the enrichment of human culture and civilisation, and mainly thanks to cultural mixing and hybridisation. I believe that it's acceptable to adopt cultural artefacts if you have respect for them and if you have an understanding and awareness of the history attached to them. There are of course instances, in my opinion, where the use of cultural items cross the line from appreciative, to mocking or simply racist, and I believe these items to be religious symbols. It is my position that both the lack of respect towards the culture whose items are being adopted and/or the use of religious symbols or practices by one who does not personally identify with that religion, is the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation.

It is my belief that insisting certain foods, clothing and activities can only be enjoyed or acquired by the ‘origin’ culture can only serve to divide and alienate further. It only promotes myself being an ‘untouchable other’ and things that are culturally ‘mine’ become off-limits. I enjoy sharing rather than withholding my culture to people who respect it. How can one not be ignorant if one isn’t allowed to learn and appreciate without fear of being fired upon? Creativity, experimentation and appreciation of diversity is where new cultures and traditions derive from. It also represents and creates space for hybrid populations to live and thrive; it’d be heartbreaking to lose that. The reason for racism isn’t appreciation, interest or respect, but ignorance and nationalism. As with so many things, respect and a willingness to learn and forgive is key.