crossposted from Mixed Race America (written in 2008)
Before I start writing about “Orientalism” and “Orientalizing” it seems like I should give a de
finition for people who haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about this. Basically, it’s a form of exoticization and objectification of all things Asian (this includes “West Asian” aka: Middle-East).
I could give a longer academic example, but I think everyday instances drive the point home better. Madonna’s “Indian” phase is an example of Orientalism (I think it was during her “Ray of Light” album when she performed at the Grammys in a sari or something like that–am I remembering this wrong?). Or objects that depict Asian people or that use Asian people into this object way–I’ve seen lamps that either feature Asian people (usually in classical Chinese or Japanese clothing, and by classical I mean, ancient Chinese or ancient Japanese clothing) at its base. Or Buddha, depictions of which are on t-shirts and soap and action figures. All of these are examples of Orientalism. Orientalism, in large part, is about appropriation and the adoption of an “Asian” style/dress/fashion as a type of fetish object or as decoration–as rendering “Asian” into the “Orient” into an “object” rather than a SUBJECT (a person, a human).
So I’m starting here because two posts found on “Land of the Not-So-Calm” bring to mind different versions of Orientalism and the question of appropriation and (quite literally) adoption.
The first is the most recent post about a This American Life piece heard this past weekend about dolls sold at FAO Schwartz and the narrator’s disturbing experience of the only dolls left for “adoption” (these high end dolls are not sold they are adopted by little girls who have to be “interviewed” before they can purchase a doll and the doll comes with a birth certificate!). Anyway, after a flurry of sales, the only dolls left for adoption are the non-white dolls. You can imagine the rest. Anyway, for very insightful analysis of this story and the issues surrounding transracial adoption, please go to the post (click here), where you can also find a link to the full story on This American Life.
One of the things to note about the piece and the commentary on the blog is that the first of the non-white babies to go were the Asian babies. That’s right–if you can’t have a white baby, the one that most white families were willing to go to were Asian babies. Then the Latino babies went next. And thus, the store faced incubator upon incubator of black babies. So much to say about this…so little time. But I’d love to hear your take on this, especially if you get a chance to read the blog link and to hear the entire piece. It does strike me, the first part of it–the way in which the Asian babies were the ones to go first of the non-white babies, that this could be seen as a form of Orientalizing–that an Asian baby becomes yet another accessory, like having a feng shui crystal in your home or putting chop sticks in your hair. I think it also says a lot about the model minority myth and the racial hiearchy at work in this country, but since this post is on Orientalism, I’m going to stick with this theme for now.
The second type of Orientalism that I want to talk about is a more benign form–which is the kind that happens with food. As in, Chinese Chicken Salad. Again, “Land of the Not-So-Calm” has written a post called “Asian Salad vs. Salad in Asia” in which she discusses ordering the Chinese chicken salad at The Cheesecake Factory. In the comment section that follows, I had written in and described this as a form of “benign Orientalizing” to which Sang-Shil rightly asked whether there is such a thing.
So I am asking you, my dear blog readers: Is there such a thing as benign Orientalism, and if so, do we find it in food? Like mandarin oranges. I love them–I eat them in my yogurt and granola. But what the hell is a mandarin orange? And I’ve also ordered Asian slaw and Chinese chicken salad in places like The Cheesecake factory–am I participating in my own objectification? What about Teriyaki burgers? If they came decked out in a little kimono I’d be horrified, but if it’s just teriyaki sauce, is that just a descriptor or is it Orientalizing? Or what about those places like Kanki and Benihana with the grills and the chopping of the food–having never been to Japan (aside from a layover at Narita airport) I have no idea whether this is an American’s idea of a Japanese steak house or whether perhaps this is the kind of kitchen theater that happens in Japanese cuisine (I’m inclined to think the former).
So there are two forms of Orientalism up for discussion, one which may (or may not) be benign and one not so benign. And if you want to throw out your own examples or to ask our panel of readers whether wearing a yukata in the privacy of your own home is a form of Orientalism (and is this different than wearing a sari for your wedding when you aren’t SouthAsian?) then feel free to leave a comment, because I’d love to hear your own stories of encounters with “Orientalism.”
Image courtesy of alicesoup on Flickr
I tend to believe that much of it’s evil is anchored in ‘intent’. There’s nothing wrong with accesorizing with beautiful accessories, but it’s wiser to know what you’re doing than to do something in ignorance (imagine donning a swastika?). In this day and age, we’re not ready yet to accept certain symbols. For example, if you respect your Christian friends but you personally are not Christian and don’t believe in god, then don’t wear a cross. The parallel is if you’re into anime or chinese food, don’t go seeking out an asian looking person to discuss it with.
But the bigger danger of orientalism would be ‘exotification’ that so many of us are subject to.
I don’t think exotifying is very benign. Food names are just adding to our marginalization because they’re selling it by purposefully exotifying it and that it is associated with us. I don’t want to go somewhere and be confronted with a symbol that I regard as part of my ancestry on a takeout container either.
But something like a teriyaki burger is just descriptive, an adjective. If the teriyaki burger was called something like Land of the Rising Sun Burger, THAT’S exotification. A teriyaki burger is just naming the spices like you could call something BBQ Burger, Cheeese Burger, Soy Sauce Burger, etc. It’s the renaming and association of these spices that is marginalizing. Its even worse when they get it wrong, like mixing up cultures out of ignorance (Disney’s Mulan). Another example of this, what if a cajun dish was called something like Mufasa Burger?
Salads with mandarin oranges and calling them asian is just weird, I don’t know what mandarin oranges are either haha. If you want an asian salad, you have to try seaweed salad or vietnamese goi which usually has fish sauce in it and tastes FANTASTIC.
So I conclude that orientalizing isn’t benign because its an act of exotification, not description.
“I have no idea whether this is an American’s idea of a Japanese steak house or whether perhaps this is the kind of kitchen theater that happens in Japanese cuisine…”
It’s more complicated, actually. It’s a Japanese immigrant’s clever packaging of the idea of what Americans imagine as Japanese cooking. The food itself is disgusting crap and has almost no relation to real Japanese cooking, but you could call it Japanese-American cooking, because even though Japanese-Americans don’t like to eat it, it was invented by a Japanese-American.
I’m very familiar with the term and theory behind Orientalism but I don’t like overusing it or laying it on with a really thick trowel. Saying something is Orientalist too often becomes a shorthand for saying “it’s bad and I don’t like it.” More neutral theories of cultural syncretism better explains stuff mandarin oranges… or eating on china plates.
I like to approach these questions in a more concrete way, as it connects with real people in real life. Is adopting a cultural practice or food or fabric potentially insulting or demeaning to members of the target culture? As an Asian-American I have a wide variety of reactions. I could care less about mandarin oranges, but Oriental caricatures enrage me, make me feel like I’m being turned into an object and humiliated. Of course other Asian-Americans might be more or less sensitive than me, so I’m not a standard in and of myself.
“that an Asian baby becomes yet another accessory, like having a feng shui crystal in your home or putting chop sticks in your hair”
You have to pick your battles after all.
- In the case of some actual babies, I’d say yes there is definately Orientalism. In the case of the FAO Schwartz dolls, I think it’s more (but not exclusively) the model minority myth – the Asian dolls are the “closest to white” – since there is nothing actually Asian about the dolls other than their facial features (i.e. they have no association with an actual Asian culture, and it is likely to be touted by the parent as “we are so colorblind” as opposed to “isn’t this baby doll exotic!”).
As for the food Orientalism, I think things like the teriyaki burger are just descriptive – not any different from a Blue Cheese Burger. But the “Chinese” salad – yes, because it’s not an actual Chinese dish, nor are the ingredients Chinese – just things that Americans associate with Asian countries in general – hence the Orientalism. I think the “Japanese” steak houses are also a form of Orientalism, since steak is not a traditional Japanese food, and if you go to a steakhouse in Japan it’s far more likely to be “French” or “American”. That being said, I don’t think you need to feel guilty about ordering the “Chinese” salad so long as you’re just getting b/c it tastes good
The whole doll thing is disturbing as a whole. They are sold to elitists in an elitist fashion and in this country that means white people. Wonder what the racial make up of sold dolls would be if they were at Wal-Mart.
As to the salad, I am half Greek. There is not a Greek salad sold in this country that is a true Greek salad. I still eat them. I will sigh but if I want a gyro I will ask for a JEYE-ROW instead of a YEAR-O. I think ethnic food and the adapting of ethnic food is more a plus for cultural relations than a downside.
Your post and Chris’s are full of ignorance and stereotypes — the very things you purport to want to lessen in this world — as well as misinformation about adoption. My white husband and I, also white, have a daughter from China. We are NOT accessorizing. To compare someone we love with all our hearts to a feng shui crystal is insulting. First, we could have adopted a white baby; a Chinese one was not a second choice. (I’m very sorry, but not surprised, to hear it was the case with the dolls.) Adoption decisions are extremely complicated, and among other issues prospective parents must consider the transparency and workability of the particular adoption system, the length (years!) of time the process will take, the different relationships with the birth family one may take on, the alternative scenarios for the child, and more. We are now a Chinese-American/European-American family, and we are working hard to fill our daughter’s life and ours with knowledge of her culture of origin and plenty of people who look like her and who face the discrimination she will face in this country. We have many Chinese and Chinese-American close friends, neighbors and other role models (doctors, dentist, etc.) and we live in a part of the country filled with Asians. We’re doing our very best. Please don’t lump transracial adoptions into some perceived stereotypical category — it is insulting, demeaning to my daughter, and it perpetuates another kind of discrimination.
More food for thought: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/06/BAF815MEF5.DTL&hw=chinatown+architecture&sn=001&sc=1000
EMS, I was pretty offended that just becuase you adopted an asian baby you think that your criticisms of API communities speaking their opinion on centuries racism and orientalism in this the U.S. are valid. Even though you may be conscious that racism exists, if you are to be considered a white Ally of anti-racists movements you should take a step back and look up the term privilege. I suggest Peggy McIntosh’s unpacking the invisible knapsack for starters. Moreover, as a mixed race API woman of color, I understand that a mixed race family is complicated and appreciate work that a family does about offering opportunities to teaching a child all of her/ his culture. however, when white people, regardless of their level of consciousness about issues, step in and say that people of color cannot address discrimination and oppression you collude with your white privilege (and ego in general) in the assumption that your view could sympathize with a history that you have never been a part of.