Re: (Songs, Slights....)
V. Chowdary Jampala (cjampala@dayton.net)
Wed, 26 Feb 1997 18:37:39 -0500 (EST)
On Tue, 25 Feb 1997, Sitaramayya Ari wrote:
> When I think of the sensitivity of Americans and our Telugus to this idea
> of democratic behaviour, I find the Americans to be more sensitive. For
The cultural sensitivity that Sitaramayya gaaru ascribes to
Americans is a recent phenomenon. It may be less than a quarter century
old. Classical American literature (even legislative language and
judicial opinions) and movies abound with statements and images that are
stereotypical or bigoted about race, gender, geographical origin or sexuality .
Only in the last decade or two, it seems that the
standards for public discourse include this 'sensitivity' (but, even
this sensitivity is currently limited to only the locals and is not
extended to the foreigners, who can be slighted without repercussions. My
wife is still smarting about Spielberg's treatment of India in his 'Temple of
Doom' movie. It is the same Spielberg who made Schindler's List and
preaches racial hormony; enough of this digression). This sensitivity
did not develop overnight on its own, but evolved in time. The enlightenment
of the insensitive by those whose sensibilities are hurt is an important part
of this evolution. Even the 'sensitivity' standards in Telugu culture are
evolving. (Speaking of sensitivity, I recommend you read khaaja
mohiyuddeen's puTTumacca, the lament of the Telugu - or Indian - Muslim. I
think it is one of the best poetic works of the last decade).
These stereotypical images reflect the state of the characters, the
writer, his readership, and the general society that they are a part of at that
time. In that, these works serve the purpose of giving us a snapshot, and
also of understanding the work in context. For the last few days, I have
been watching 'Roots' (History Channel at 8 p.m if u are interested)
and last night, we were discussing the use of the 'n' word in that
series. Everybody in that show uses it both blacks and whites, slaves and
slaveowners. Banishing the n-word in that work would be ignoring the
reality of that period in question.
Another example is the recurring controversy about the language used
in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Every so often, there is a media
story about a high school planning on removing that book from the
readings list or the school library. It is clear that the author was
sympathetic to one of his central characters, the runaway slave Jim. But
there are several passages in that book that are considered offensive by
current day standards. Do we ban this book or do we interpret it in its
context?
Returning to the issue of 'kollaayi gaTTitEnEmi...', I too have
been seeing it as a condescension to the kOmaTi caste. The last stanza in
that song says, 'kowSikuDu kshatriyuDu kaalEdaa brahma RUshi, nEDu kOmaTi
biDDa kooDa brahmrshaaye'. In between the beginning and ending, there are
references to brahma tEjassu and brahma vakku. There is also another
basvaraaju apaaraavu song on Gandhi that begins, "pOrbandar kOmaTinTa
puTTinaDOy, purushOttamuDu jagati meTTinaaDOy'. All these suggest to me
that despite apaaraavu gaari great reverence for gaandheejee, he was still
concerned about gaandhee's caste. The fact that these songs
were so popular in their time only reflects the state of the society at
that time (Another excellent book to read - to understand the state of
the vaisya community in AP at that time - is nEnoo, naadESam, the
autobiography of dariSi cenchayya, a great freedom fighter).
regards. -- V. Chowdary Jampala