1. What is Holi? Holi is a Hindu originated festival that is celebrated for 2 days in Nepal and India.
2. What happens during Holi? During Holi, groups of people have water fights, play/chase and throw rainbow coloured powder at each other. Everyone participates in this festival and it symbolizes good over evil, the coming of spring, the end of winter and forgiveness.
3. Many places in the U.S. have started to hold their own Holi celebrations. There are organization such as the 5K ‘Color Run’ which takes the Holi concept of throwing coloured powder on runners.
4. …Is this considered culture approriation?
5. Members who observe this religious festival have said, “Personally, I love it when I can bring my non-Desi friends to the annual campus Holi function. I can show them a part of my heart and an aspect of my identity as a strong Brown woman. The Color Run™ robs me of that chance because now everyone who participates gets a diluted (and completely wrong) version of desi culture. With this Holi knockoff, they lose the culture and the tradition, but they keep our colors.” (Brown Girl Magazine)
6. What do you think? Is celebrating Holi culture approriation when you are not a member of the Hindu community?