What's so great about our Cuture?

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
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Eid came and it went. Still the visions float in my head. Women and Men dressed in their finest sheer, colorful garb. Women and girls with their freshly dyed brown & blond and highlighted hair, more than enough make-up, gabbing in loud tones while Eid Salah takes place, walking, talking, gossiping with no regard for etiquette for those praying or for Allah.

There’s a great pride among the guppies in being South Asian so I’d like to know what is so great about the culture? What does being Desi mean to you?

What is Paki culture anyways? Culture defines your life, clothes you wear, food you eat, rituals, music. So do we have cultural values? What are they? Or are these just universal values?

Comeon give it a shot, lets have a discussion. NO, I’m not going to shoot anyone down. I’ve explained my reasoning for questioning, explain your reasoning for being so proud about it, b/c what I think as South Asian culture, I would never be proud of.

[This message has been edited by Muni (edited February 25, 2002).]

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Yes Muni, Andhra is right…behind all of our mini-cultures is the great big Asli culprit of Indian culture.

Now what were you saying in that other thread about being “vile”?

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Seriously though…there are many things that I have learned from my culture. I could list them here but you would only refute by saying that many cultures teach those very same basic principles and practices.

From your replies in other threads I am forced to conclude that you have had some bad experiences and examples set before you.

Before you decide to write off any culture, I would urge you to investigate and see if you can find people that are setting some good examples.

This thread is a good start. Let’s see what others have to say…

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I agree. Muni just asked a simple question. Well I’m proud in being Pakistani because that is my identity. Even though I left Pakistan ages ago, the fact is I still know my roots and know where I came from

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I do agree with yer point that people sometimes forget the reasons behind Eid and for some it is just an occasion to show off their worldly possessions.

She gets her good looks from her father. He’s a plastic surgeon - Groucho Marx

[This message has been edited by Farishta (edited February 25, 2002).]

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Andhra,

do Indians do a warm handshake and hug each other when they meet?? (i've lived with Indians so i know the answer anyway)

do Indians send their neighbours a portion when they cook something special?

do Indians feel it's obligatory to visit their distant neighbours/relatives in the hospital when they are sick?

do they go in throngs to the airport just to receive one person?

do they go by the dozen to other people's house uninvited but still get a hero's welcome and a feast fit for a king?

do they go to their distant relatives/neighbours funerals without having to be invited? do they send meals over to the house where the death took place for several days after?

do they send meals over to a new neighbour?

do the parents or elders in the household maintain the leadership and are consulted in the minutest of matters.. not to get their opinion but only as a sign of respect.

do you guys help old people across the street and call every old man Mian Jee regardless of whether you know them or not?

i could go on.. but this is the 'culture' i've experienced while growing up in Lahore Pakistan.. i've left out countless other small things we used to do.

Maybe Muni can also read it and learn to collect more data before tabulating results.

There is No Spoon

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The question is what is Pakistani culture? Muni is simply stating what she thinks, knows and believes about Pakistani cultures. Just answer the question folks. No need to pull out your daggers

She gets her good looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon - Groucho Marx

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Moved from Gen to Culture.

Saba

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I am agree with Pakistani Abroad,

our food, clothing, way of talking, celebration days, and our values all are different. ppl of one region has some assimilation of cultures with other neighboring countries. Pakistanis has more assimilation with their muslim neighbors. we can found chinese style houses in Pakistan. all these things together helps to make a great culture.

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do Indians do a warm handshake and hug each other when they meet?? (i’ve lived with Indians so i know the answer anyway)<<

Depends on where he’s from. NOrth Indians are more demonstrative in their affections.
I am a south Indian exception.

do Indians send their neighbours a portion when they cook something special?<<

Yes they do. Especially if you are unmarried.

do Indians feel it’s obligatory to visit their distant neighbours/relatives in the hospital when they are sick?<<

Indians are not big on this one as far as I know.

do they go in throngs to the airport just to receive one person?<<

They do receive, but not in throngs.

do they go by the dozen to other people’s house uninvited but still get a hero’s welcome and a feast fit for a king?<<

NOt really.

do they go to their distant relatives/neighbours funerals without having to be invited? do they send meals over to the house where the death took place for several days after?<<

Hindu funerals are nasty occassions. Nobody talks about food until the corpse is well and truly burnt

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do they send meals over to a new neighbour?<<

They may. Again depends on other factors.

do the parents or elders in the household maintain the leadership and are consulted in the minutest of matters.. not to get their opinion but only as a sign of respect.<<

They do.

do you guys help old people across the street and call every old man Mian Jee regardless of whether you know them or not?<<

WE do.

Social behaviour is just one part of the culture.
Anyway I was trying to say, before Mods deleted my thread, that ‘Pak Culture’ is an oxymoron. It is just Indian Culture with a different flag!!

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Happy Postings!!

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there is one cultural thats in north india,pakistan and there is another cultural in east india bengal,assam,bangladesh,and there is another culture in south india

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Yeah, the great melting Pot!!

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yes I am agree with this point. countries in one region have assimilation with others. example european countries. east asian countries and south asian countries.

**when guests comes in your house do you sereve 10 dishes of chicken, meat and beaf???

when do you meet with a person do you say assalam-o-alikum???

when you end a converstaion do you say khuda hfiz??

ever saw a pakistani politician wearing “dhoti”??

indians are adopting pakistani culture. your grandma wears sari your sister don’t. instead she will like shalwar kameez. (in usual life).

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**

[This message has been edited by cool down (edited February 26, 2002).]

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when guests comes in your house do you sereve 10 dishes of chicken, meat and beaf???<<

This is kinda stupid on the face of it. If every Pakistani household could do it, why are you begging WOrld Bank and Uncle Sam for Loans. To feed chickens to your guests?

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when do you meet with a person do you say assalam-o-alikum???<<

Depends on Religion!!

when you end a converstaion do you say khuda hfiz?? <<

Actually we do. It is the common ground good bye between Hindus/Muslims/Sikhs etc.,

However it is Pakistanis who say ‘Allah Hafeez’ !!! There was no such phrase in the sub-continent before.
They just use it because ‘Khuda-Hafeez’ can be used by other religions as well

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ever saw a pakistani politician wearing “dhoti”??<<

THey used to especially in the Gujarat parts.

indians are adopting pakistani culture. your grandma wears sari your sister don’t. instead she will like shalwar kameez. (in usual life). <<

Shalwar Kammez is Norh-Indian

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**Muzna- **

Maybe I’ve only seen the bad parts of the Desi culture or maybe I’ve just witnessed human weakness.

Have you never seen desi people sizing you up from the moment you enter their vision to the moment you leave? Have you ever had people ask you how much you paid for your clothes, car, your apartment, how much it costs to go to school, how you pay for your expenses, where your parents are, their life history, your life history, what your life plans are, … and the questions never end. I only experience this evaluation at Desi functions, maybe the Americans are a lot more discrete? This is what Desi culture stands for. Incessant badgering, snide remarks, gossiping…

Do people not have a sense? How extremely rude to ask these questions and why would I tell strangers this stuff? These are people like you and me, who were born & raised in the west and who should know what Western manners dictate.

Farishta-
Glad you’re proud of being Pakistani

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. Sometimes it seems that our people forget all reason.

PA
Don’t try so hard to distinguish between Indian and Pakistani culture. There isn’t a difference, there’s a differnce in regions but not a clearcut difference between the 2 countries. I’ve taken language and history courses and my wonderful Professor taught us that. Now if you want to see an ABCD, u should sign up for a hindi or urdu class at a University.

Hey, didn’t I make it quite clear that I view our culture a certain cuz of what I’ve seen but wanted to hear other definitions.

Enjoyed reading your cultural experiences

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Cooldown-
How about some memories eh? Yes, there’s a great chinese influence. I ran into some Chinese Indians while travelling, 100% chinese genetically but speak better Hindi than most Indians.

Kabir
Lets not divide the culture up, there’s something that is unifying. Share your culture as an Indian muslim, tell us how it is to live in India.

Cooldown
Shalwar Kameez didn’t come into existance when the partition took place. I’m pretty sure it belongs to the whole region.

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Part of our culture is adapted from Indian sub-cultures, part of it is central Asian influences, part Arabic, and part Near Eastern. Within each there are other regional influences.

If you ask me, I will say that our culture (by that I mean Pakistani culture) is endangered because of Islamicization of sorts. I don’t have time to go into details about that. But that is only one part, the other part is the Globalization (the scoio-economic influences). It sickens me to my stomach when I visit houses in Lahore that proudly display cheap Chinese machine made garbage and eat McDonalds in place of local food. Luckily, it is only confined to big cities and town and I am happy that my village is the same as it always has been, although with a phone in many houses, and internet in a few. But I can live with that.

I am proud of our culture.

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[quote]
Originally posted by Muni:
***Muzna- *

Maybe I've only seen the bad parts of the Desi culture or maybe I've just witnessed human weakness.

Have you never seen desi people sizing you up from the moment you enter their vision to the moment you leave? Have you ever had people ask you how much you paid for your clothes, car, your apartment, how much it costs to go to school, how you pay for your expenses, where your parents are, their life history, your life history, what your life plans are, ... and the questions never end. I only experience this evaluation at Desi functions, maybe the Americans are a lot more discrete? This is what Desi culture stands for. Incessant badgering, snide remarks, gossiping...

Do people not have a sense? How extremely rude to ask these questions and why would I tell strangers this stuff? These are people like you and me, who were born & raised in the west and who should know what Western manners dictate.

**
[/quote]

Acutally dear, I've been through a lot worse than you have mentioned here. I agree, it's absolutely obnoxious by western standards to be this way.

But I have also come across lots of people with wonderful characteristics that also follow our culture. They are polished, generous, socially refined, etc., etc. And it's because of these good examples that I refuse to write off the whole community.

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But I have also come across lots of people with wonderful characteristics that also follow our culture. They are polished, generous, socially refined, etc., etc.<<<

Muzna, thanks. I am only your humble down to earth friend. There is no need for all this. But I appreciate it.

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and people from other cultures don’t do that?? maybe you’re an interesting person to size up!

well just make sure they don’t work for the IRS and then tell them and ask the same questions in return.. they consider it a part of taking an interest in you

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or maybe they don’t give a damn if you exist or cease to.

correction.. this is only a reflection of the manners of the group of people YOU socialize with.. You need to find a better circle ASAP.

there’s your problem.. when a lot of confused people get together… confusion prevails.

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If you really want to understand Pakistani Culture; a culture which makes desis like me nostalgic, you would have to travel back to Pakistan and stay there for a lil while.

Be my guest if you are trying out Lahore.

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There is No Spoon

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[quote]
Originally posted by NYAhmadi:
**

Muzna, thanks. I am only your humble down to earth friend. There is no need for all this. But I appreciate it.**
[/quote]

Mention not.

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NYA-

You’re the only one who has made any sense. Now that makes me want to cry!

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jk

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NYA-
You're the only one who has made any sense ...

Yup, now that he's all done making babies, he's now concentrating on making other things of importance and substance.

Yup, he's all done. Finito. Ahmadi Jrs no more. Hands off of reproduction.