Many Malaysians got upset with it, while others didn’t really get what the fuss was all about.

The company behind the advertisement was criticised for cultural appropriation, but a quick glance at the exchanges on social media revealed there was still a lack of awareness and misconception on the matter.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation refers to when elements of a certain culture that is not one’s own is used for personal interest or for profit.

If one is disrespectful to the original meaning, fails to acknowledge the culture, reinforces stereotypes and contributes to oppression, then it is deemed appropriation, which is the case with the abovementioned advertisement.

One argument that has been made on social media is that “it’s OK to feature Indian culture and clothing while excluding Indian people as long as it’s not a Deepavali ad”.

France-based Malaysian writer Preeta Samarasan tells FMT that this is highly problematic because, as it stands, Indian actors and creatives have minimal visibility in Malaysia.

“The least one can expect is, when you’re supposedly celebrating Indian culture, you let Indian people represent themselves,” she says.

This doesn’t mean Malaysians can’t ever take elements from another culture – it is only to be expected in a multicultural country. For instance, Malaysians often wear one another’s traditional outfits during weddings and festivals.

But “inviting yourself into someone else’s culture should always be done with thought and caution,” Preeta says.

“By all means, wear the clothing if you’ve been welcomed to participate in the culture, with the awareness that in many contexts, Indian people themselves often cannot wear their own clothing without being assumed to be ‘that type of Indian’ or being accused of not being ‘professional’.”

In contrast, she says, a Malay or Chinese person wearing Indian clothing often elicits admiration and praise.

“The other benefit of proper representation is that this, ideally, will lead to more complex portrayals in which Indians are actual human beings and not just head-waggling stereotypes,” Preeta adds.

“The more minorities are humanised in the media, the more difficult it will become to dismiss them politically. When you see people as human beings, not cartoon characters, their concerns feel real, too.”

Who has a say?

Malaysians from all walks of life have been expressing their thoughts about the problematic advertisement – though it is noteworthy that several online users declined to respond when contacted by FMT for comment.

Discussions are a good thing, but it is important to hold space for minority voices. After all, at the end of the day, it is their culture being appropriated.

And while there has been some constructive discourse on this issue, some social media users have been harsh and discourteous in their response to other commenters, attacking them or dismissing their opinions outright.

Some play down the issue by accusing others of overreacting and saying “it’s just an ad”, when engaging in proper discourse would make users more aware of matters such as power dynamics and inequality.

There are also Malaysians who claim that cultural appropriation is a Western idea – an opinion that completely misses the point.

Approaching appropriation

Social media can be a wonderful tool for learning and discussion, especially when it comes to heavy issues such as cultural appropriation. At the same time, it can be toxic if people fail to act with empathy and compassion.

Ista Kyra, co-founder of Malaysian arts and culture website Eksentrika, believes that the way social media users address an issue is important in facilitating discourse.

“The goal of raising an issue isn’t to insist on conformity. It is to express an idea, feeling or perspective that will hopefully be taken into account by others who may not have had the privilege of seeing it that way,” says the 35-year-old.

Intimidating and attacking someone’s lack of prior understanding is counterproductive as it serves to shut down dialogue, she says.

“Improved understanding may not happen overnight. It’s probably not going to be a one-off thing, and that’s OK.”