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Why in the world wouldn’t we?
The question came upon my Facebook page if I thought odd the festival was dominated by people who are so clearly not of Indian descent and almost certainly not of the Hindu faith. (I should caveat that actual Holi the holiday was in March, almost two months ago, and was celebrated here in New York City at the annual Phagwah Parade in Queens.) I am no expert on Hinduism, and sadly possess only a generic knowledge of Indian culture. Yet, I know a lot about Americans and how we, often grudgingly, assimilate other faiths and ethnicities into our own.
In India, and the other countries sharing the Hindu faith, Holi is both a renewal celebration for the end of Winter and a celebration of love. In some places it is observed for weeks. In the West, it is more a celebration of Indian culture, music, food, dance, and of course the colors. The largest Holi celebration in the United States is in Utah, where thousands of people gather to celebrate over two-day. The Utah festival is likely the exemplar for the Americanization of Holi, a festival where the focus is on having fun without what we more jaded types would call “chemical enhancement”. (Hare Krishna’s, the festival’s sponsors, and Mormons not being known as big drinkers.) So why is a religious festival with little commercial appeal, an emphasis on sobriety, even in NYC there are no alcohol sales and being drunk is strongly discouraged and largely people are sober, gaining in popularity?
First, to the outsider it is hard to see the religion in the festival. I am not alone in my ignorance of the Hindu faith. Yet the very thing which Americans find so appealing, the music, food, dancing and colors ARE the ritual. We see religious rituals closely associated with the Western tradition, tied to a building (the church) and often boring. (Ironically, for me, a Southern Fundamentalist Christian would see many similarities in the food, music and fellowship, their services are usually loud, boisterous and full of joy.) I suspect most participants in a Holi Festival are only peripherally aware it IS a religious festival. Much the same could be said if one were to come to an American celebration of Christmas without knowing its history.
Most people see Holi as a cultural celebration, along the vein of St Patrick’s Day, but without the vomiting and fist fights. At least in popular culture, Indian Americans, are starting to make their presence and influence known. I am in my mid-40’s and until five years ago, I couldn’t tell you a single Indian American film, television or music personality that wasn’t a blatant stereotype. While no one would say there is anything close to fair representation, one cannot dismiss the increasing influence. This is not even mentioning the Bollywood Effect.
Finally, the real answer is: it’s the American Way! We like to latch on to other’s cultures and turn them into our own. Using Rock and Roll as the ultimate example of “cultural borrowing” young White Americans took African-American music and ran away with it. Young White Americans are taking Holi and making their own as well. In this case, however, there is a respect and affection for the root of the festival. Rather than remaking it in their own image, Holi is still very much an Indian/Hindu entity, the foundation remains solidly with the people who brought it to us. As more Indians/Hindu come to the United States, they bring their culture to our own and we, in turn, find ways to make it fit. Sometimes, we take it over entirely, other times we adapt to it if only for the day.
I can’t speak for how Indian Americans feel about young White people playing with their religious festivals so exuberantly. All I can do is observe what is before me, and what I see at Holi is joy. Underneath the pinks, blue, yellow and green there is a gamut of skin tones, but for the brief and shining moment when the music is pumping and the colors are flying, everyone is one in their happiness. It gives a cynical curmudgeon something that seems a lot like hope for a future where we aren’t such assholes to one another. Maybe the idea of rebirth, renewal and love can by spread one fist full of colored powder at a time.
