Cultureast

For the last couple of months, I’ve been on this massive exploration trip where I discover new things about Asian cultures: from food to television, media, music, clothing. I’ve just been reading a lot more than I ever have about Asian nations, and that made me realize a couple of things.

As children growing up in India, we’re exposed to several components of this culture: several YouTube videos with K-pop music, arcade games, several anime shows (such as Pokemon), and yet, as we grow older, our exposure to these significantly reduces. Most DTH operators, for example, largely broadcast English medium shows created in the USA. It took a while for them to recognize the shift that began where people started appreciating British pop culture a whole lot more, yet, that phase between 11-18 years old, when you’re moving away toward Star World type channels, is where, for me atleast, I ended up losing my connect to the East.

I’m slowly finding that again – and it’s wonderful. We’re so ignorant of cultures so close to our own. Bangladeshi Rap, for example is something I came across and was blown away by. Pakistani music has appealed to me for a while – Coke Studio makes appreciating that far easier. But there’s so much I miss out on while living in my bubble of loving Western shows.

If anyone has book suggestions on Eastern cultural phenomenon, please let me know.