Berkley Center

South Asia is a region that is often neglected in the academic environment, not only in Latin America, but in several parts of the world. However, these two regions are alike in the sense that many Latin American and South Asian countries suffer from similar problems, such as dissatisfaction of basic human needs (especially in rural areas), violence against women, child labor, a significant rich/poor gap, and the concept of white superiority. When I first arrived in Costa Rica, I noticed immediately that there is virtually no South Asian presence, as Costa Rica has never been a popular destination for South Asian immigrants. The average Costa Rican is not familiar with South Asian history or culture, not only because of their demographic, but also because South Asia is not a region whose history is taught in schools. This upset me, so I looked through the course listings at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) to see if there were more options in higher education.

Of the over 1,000 courses offered at UCR, a mere three of them focus on India. These courses—“Indian Mythology,” “Introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Mysticism,” and “Sanskrit I”—concentrate on the Hindu religious tradition in the context of ancient India, but they do not incorporate an analysis of the current issues affecting South Asia or the region’s cultural richness and complexity as a whole. As someone who has been very fond of South Asian history and culture for many years, I wanted to create more awareness of this area among the student body at UCR.

Last month I decided to create a combination dance workshop/discussion forum at UCR in which participants learn about South Asia through dance. For me, dance has always been a fun, kinesthetic way of learning and exploring other cultures. Bhangra is a style of dance that originated in the Punjab region of India but that is currently performed in many areas of South Asia, the United States, Canada, and England. However, it has not yet reached Latin America, a region that is also very proud of its traditional dances. Through a series of 10 free two-hour sessions over three months, my students are learning choreography, listening to Indian music, and discussing current issues in South Asia. During each class a theme is introduced and we discuss for about thirty minutes. Bhangra instruction fills the rest of our time, but students always have the opportunity to ask questions about whatever they want.

The idea of this project is to juxtapose the joy and excitement of bhangra dance with some of the contemporary issues present facing South Asia. Every country has both beautiful and unpleasant aspects, but all come together to shape the culture, and it is crucial to study all components to be able to fully understand the nature and identity of the society. Some of the issues we have discussed thus far are gender roles and women’s rights, British influence in India, access to education and basic human rights, Hindu-Muslim relations, and perception of beauty and its implications. The other day we talked about Malala Yousafzai and girls’ education in Pakistan, and I was surprised when I found out that many of my students had never heard of her or of the Taliban. My hope is that my students will gain both an interest in and appreciation of South Asia, so much that they will feel motivated to start a discussion with the administration about introducing more courses on South Asia at the university. I believe that Latin America as a whole should begin more dialogues about South Asia because of the misconceptions that the Spanish language portrays about India. After all, the most commonly used Spanish word for “a person from India” is not “indio” but “hindú,” perhaps leading Spanish-speakers to believe that all Indians are Hindu.

Through this project, I hope to prevent cross-cultural misunderstandings and show that anyone and everyone, regardless of where they are from, should spend some time studying South Asia. After all, I am a United States citizen who is teaching an Indian dance in Costa Rica, despite having absolutely no South Asian heritage. I prove that one does not need to be of a specific culture to celebrate it and study it with passion. I want to create cultural bridges between Latin America and South Asia, and I believe that through this project, UCR students will dance their way across them.