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TURMERIC - CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

Sarah Zareen • Feb 15, 2022

Tabassum is my stand against the cultural appropriation of Turmeric


When Starbucks came out with their “Golden Latte”, I felt like my entire childhood was being taken away from me. That overpriced drink is our “Haldi Doodh”, Turmeric Milk. A drink that our Mother’s used to give us when we were sick


I don’t claim India has exclusive rights over Turmeric. There are a lot of cultures that have valued Haldi for centuries. What pisses me off is how a dominant culture wakes up one morning and says, 


“Today I’m going to use Turmeric to create something”


And then proceeds to make money off of someone else’s heritage


Turmeric is more than a capitalistic drink


Haldi (hal-dee) is woven into Indian culture with love & respect


She’s a part of our daily food


Turmeric is the hope & excitement brides and grooms are anointed with to coax out a special glow


Haldi is used as an antiseptic on cuts. She burns, but she does her healing work


Turmeric is Mother’s love gently stirred into warm milk with love & prayers for good health


Maybe I’ve become more sensitive to the appropriation of Indigenous cultures, but I’ve been seeing this theft happen more & more lately


Golden Honey


Golden Ghee


Golden Mask


These are majority wyt owned businesses, with maybe a smattering of experience with Indian culture – a limited trip to India, Indian friend – you get the picture. They may thank Indian culture & Ayurveda for the knowledge


That is not enough


If you are making money off of our ancient knowledge, give us some of that. Share your proceeds, not profit, with an Ayurveda center in India, sponsor a student studying Ayurveda. Do something to monetarily support the culture you took from. Giving us a website byte doesn’t cut it


Stop with the performative crap


If you want to be true allies, then stop being blissfully ignorant. Stop justifying your appropriation/theft with statements that start with “But I…”


I was very upset with Starbucks and with the excitement folx showed towards that consumption. I wanted to my actions to speak for me


Ishq Organic Turmeric Mask, Tabassum is my attempt to reclaim the healing of Haldi. This DIY mask is more than an ethical stand. She is a homemade facial in a 2oz reusable glass jar. You can read more about how this Organic Turmeric-Gram Flour Mask nourishes your dry winter skin here


Turmeric is more than a money making fad for wyt folx


She is voices from childhood asking me to mix them a glowing skin mask with honey, Besan & rose water


Haldi is my family’s abundant love being passed along generations, healing as she goes


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