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 recently shared on 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)
And after meeting someone who claimed to be offended by her Japanese name, she decided to shut her down in the best way she knew how
Image credits: envato (not the actual photo)
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Deciding what to name your child can be incredibly difficult
Naming a baby is never easy. You have to find a name that both you and your partner can agree on, that doesn’t remind you of anyone you already know or previously dated, that isn’t too common, that isn’t too bizarre, that’s timeless and that will suit your specific baby perfectly. And in some countries, you will be expected to choose a traditional name that is government-approved.
Japan is one of the nations, along with Hungary, Denmark, and others, that requires parents to choose their baby’s name from a pre-approved list of approximately 3,000 characters, The Japan Times reports. While parents of a non-Japanese baby can name their children according to the laws in their home countries, it makes sense that they might still want to adhere to the Japanese standards. If they plan on raising their children in Japan, wouldn’t they want them to fit in?
When it comes to cultural appropriation with baby names, Jennifer Moss at BabyNames.com says it is possible, but it completely depends on the situation. If you’re a white American with no cultural ties to Native American tribes or Hawaiian culture, it’s probably best to avoid naming your child a name that is sacred in one of those cultures if you don’t understand the significance and just snag the name just because you like the way it sounds.
Image credits: Amina Filkins (not the actual photo)
It is wise for parents to take culture into consideration when choosing baby names
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.
According to Rina Arya, PhD, a professor at the University of Huddersfield in the UK, "Names, like languages, are sacred; they are bound up with identity, and that takes us back to the central issue of cultural appropriation, which is about safeguarding minority or indigenous cultures," she told Newsweek. "It's clear that with increased awareness of cultural appropriation more aspects of culture are going to be questioned."
But some argue that it’s only natural for names to become more global, as we have foreigners traveling to and living in different countries more than ever before. The way our cultures are intermingling can even be considered a good thing by some.
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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."
As far as differentiating cultural appreciation from cultural appropriation, The University of Wisconsin explains on their site that the key difference to understand is whether you’re honoring a culture by embracing some of its aspects, or if you’re dishonoring and demeaning it.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this woman was right to embarrass her roommate’s friend after being accused of cultural appropriation? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article, we recommend this one discussing cultural appropriation!
Image credits: Miguel Á. Padriñán (not the actual photo)
Readers overwhelmingly agreed that the woman did nothing wrong by showing off her Japanese
