Despite the challenges South Asian Americans face in this nation, a significant amount of Americans’ cultures contain stolen or borrowed aspects of South Asian cultures—whether it be shared through the west’s earlier colonization or South Asian immigation to the United States. Consequently, as AAPI is coming to a close, we will be reviewing aspects of American practices and cultures that are derived from South Asians and South Asian Americans.
To the general American populace, “South Asian” and “Desi” are synonymous labels. They view our culture as just one thing: Bollywood. They are familiar with naan, paneer, Hindi, and butter chicken. When I mention I eat dosas and idlis at home everyday and I am Tamil, they have no idea what I am talking about. This educational disconnect results in failure to acknowledge many contributions from South Asia and South Asian Americans because they do not know about the multitude of cultures that originate from the entire Indian subcontinent.
Ayurvedic, Siddha, and other traditional medicine practices from South Asia have taken rise in the United States and the western world. India welcomes students from the USA and Canada into its higher institutions to allow students from all over the world to learn and be inspired by our ancient practices and cultures—practices that many South Asian Americans have been promoting in the United States itself. Education around Ayurveda and practices themselves are very successful in many states in this country. Ayurvedic practices were introduced to the United States in the 1960s. In just more recent years, the practice has been integrated into American clinics, spas, academic centers, and oncology wards.
The role of Ayurveda in America’s daily practices is only expected to grow. The New York Post predicts, “The ancient science of Ayurveda is beauty’s next big thing.”Ayurvedic practices are being introduced to not just hair care, but also cosmetics and skin care. Ancient South Asian practices are becoming part of normal life and daily practices in the United States because of the knowledge South Asian Americans have introduced to the United States to maintain personal and body wellness.
I think I can safely say that most people in the United States—at least—know of the Kardashians. Well in a recent episode of The Kardashians, a new TV show centered around the Kardashians replacing Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian and her partner, Travis Barker, had a Panchakarma cleanse—an Ayurvedic treatment—to help Kourtney with her fertility struggles.
Protein bars have also become integral to many gym frequenters’ diets. Btein Bars are a new protein bar on the market that are expected to outperform by almost double the growth of the protein bar industry. Btein Bars boast that their health benefits are rooted in a key ingredient: Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha also finds an ancient history in Ayurvedic practices as a “healing root that helps relieve stress.” Already in Walmart and Onelavi, the bar is also soon coming to Amazon.
Perhaps one of the most common practices derived from South Asia and South Asian Americans is hair oiling—referred to by many Americans as “hair slugging.” I remember when I was young and my mom would oil my hair and body at least once a week. Not knowing it was uncommon, I would go to school and talk about my “oil baths,” and my peers would look at me like I was crazy and it was disgusting. A little over a decade later, hair and body oiling has become common practice amongst a considerable number of Americans. NPR quantifies that, “influencer content on social media mentioning “slugging” terms saw more than a two-fold increase in the number of posts between May 2021 and April 2022, compared to the previous year, and about 600% more video views.” Hair oils and body oils are now common in everyday stores like Target and Sephora. Fable & Mane is a South Asian American owned brand that uses South Asian roots in their hair care solutions. They have been featured in American publications like Vogue, Forbes, Allure, and InStyle. Now, this brand finds itself to be used by everyday Americans all across the country.
South Asian American doctors and scientists, such as Dr. Khushboo Garodia and Dr. Varalakshmi Yanamandra, have been integral in helping uncover the science behind this ancient practice and explaining the benefits.
South Asian American doctors like these have paved the way for powerful South Asian American businesses that have introduced our ancient practices to modern cosmetics, providing solutions that are healthier for humans and the earth. For example, Sravya Adusumilli founded Mango People Cosmetics, which uses “elements of nature.” Adusumilli explains, “I started experimenting with clays and pigment rich fruits and flowers such as cherries and hibiscus. I researched Ayurvedic principles and its teachings of using powerful plants and herbs to heal the body, mind and spirit.” Advocating for people of color, she also explains a core tenant of her clean beauty brand is creating products that are inclusive of all skin tones while maintaining quality and performance.
Similarly, Kulfi Beauty, founded by Priyanka Ganjoo, is well known for its Underlined Kajal Eyeliner. This brand has been featured in Allure multiple times and has gained national recognition. Kulfi Beauty is renowned for its eyeliner that was inspired by South Asian kajal eyeliner.
South Asian Americans and our contributions have become so integral in this nation that they have just become a part of daily life, consequently, these contributions often go unacknowledged. Younger South Asian Americans often discuss the disconnect between ourselves and the older generation—whether something is cultural appropriation or appreciation. To some, seeing a white woman wearing a bindi out and about on a normal day is inappropriate and stealing from our culture, while to others, it brings joy to them to see our practices just become a part of daily life. Regardless of which way you feel, I still believe it is important to acknowledge these practices and contributions that come from South Asians and South Asian Americans. Ultimately, many of us have built our homes here for generations to come and our descendants should still have a culture to call their own and take pride in.
