If you move to a foreign country and plan to live there for a while, you probably want to immerse yourself in the local culture and customs. Assimilating as much as possible can enhance your experience, help you build connections with locals and deepen your understanding of the place. But is it possible to go too far when embracing another culture?
According to some people, if you’re not ethnically Japanese, you’re not allowed to have a Japanese name, regardless of how long you lived in the beautiful island nation. Below, you’ll find a story that one woman recentlysharedon Reddit, detailing how she had to shut down her roommate’s friend who made assumptions about her.
This woman grew up in Japan, despite the fact that neither of her parents are from there
Image credits:jm_video (not the actual photo)
Image credits:envato (not the actual photo)
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Deciding what to name your child can be incredibly difficult
Image credits:Amina Filkins (not the actual photo)
But cultural appropriation is a nuanced issue. And if you’re living in Japan, embracing yourself in Japanese culture, naming your daughter Sakura, for example, would be a little bit different. You understand what the name means, and it’s important to you and your family’s home.
Image credits:Kha Ruxury (not the actual photo)
The key difference between cultural appropriation and and appreciation is whether the intention is to honor or demean another culture
Discussing names barely scratches the surface of cultural appropriation, however. “Some even talk about the ethics of the right to cook or even consume the food of minority groups,” Arya told Newsweek. “These questions will always raise different viewpoints but they need to continue to be asked because it is vital, in a global world, and one of great historical and current inequality, that the rights of groups with less advantage are protected.”
Image credits:Miguel Á. Padriñán (not the actual photo)
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