Whoo-ahhh, "That's what I'm talkin' about!" Thanks! Lynne and when I get back down to Earth I'll have my questions - grin. --Manaia ++++ --- On Mon, 7/14/08, Lynne Hadley <lynnehadley1@bigpond.com> wrote: > I'm quite enjoying this one, guys!! :)) And now for my > two shekel's > worth.....:)) At first it was far easier for British men > to integrate into > Indian society, but when Protestantism became the rule of > the day in > England, any intermarriage between Protestants and > Catholics was frowned > upon, to the degree that a priest was charged with treason > for marrying a > British soldier to an Eurasian lady of Portuguese descent. > Once British > women began to arrive in India in numbers, this bigotry was > extended even > further (what British woman of the day wished to be sent > home husbandless > and dubbed a "returned empty"?!!) towards those > who married Indian women, > although this had already begun to take root. > > As to the social snobbery: let's face it....for the > most part the Brits who > went to India were on the lowest rungs of the social ladder > in England, so > there can be very little doubt that when they got to India > where they were > the ruling class and had servants at their beck and call, > it completely went > to their heads. They must have thought they'd died and > gone to Heaven, > having somebody to look down upon for a change, instead of > bearing the brunt > of snobbery back home. > > As to Asian people in general (and AI's in particular) > not integrating: we > are a pretty multicultural mob here in Australia. I'm > largely of > Scottish/Irish descent, and grew up with all the old > sayings, songs, poetry, > &ca., which had trickled down through the generations > from Scotland and > Ireland. My mum was, and I am, very proud of her ancestry, > and we wore > kilts as children on a regular basis. In my humble > experiencem, it's not > non-European groups who are the most die-hard when it comes > to > integrating......it's people from Britain, including my > own erstwhile > outlaws. > > I've absolutely no objection to immigrants wearing > their national dress, if > that's what they feel most comfortable with, and it > also lends this lump of > rock I'm living on a cosmopolitan atmosphere that is > very nice to live in. > As to AI's in Oz...........yes, they do integrate very > well for the most > part, but I hope and pray that they will never lose touch > with their > culture, but celebrate it the way so many other immigrants > here still do. > As Eric Stracey once said to me: "I don't think > of myself as being an AI or > Australian......I consider myself to be a citizen of the > world. But when > I'm with other AI's, I feel far more AI". I > guess, guys, that this is the > sense of community which is said to have been lost? Which, > if that were the > case, begs the questions: "Why all the reunions, > dances, associations, if > the AI community is lost or in danger of being lost? Why > bother?" The > answer's simple......it's not lost, and I doubt > that it will ever go, > because your children have grown up, or are growing up, in > a distinctly AI > atmosphere. What makes any of us think, that they > won't carry on these > little family.....and community....traditions? Cheers, > guys. Lynne. :)) > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Denise Hughes" > <denise_hughes@terra.es> > To: <india-british-raj@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 2:24 AM > Subject: Re: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] Adopting to the Indian > life-styles > andhabits > > > > Dear Hazel > > > > I'd like to put my oar in here (univited but never > mind). The only > > thing I can read into Arvind's message is that the > Brits in India were > > rather silly not to have adopted the Indian way of > living, given the > > climate. > > > > Perhaps quite a few of our ancestors would have lived > a great deal > > more comfortably if they had stopped wearing stiff > collars and ties, > > or petticoats and high necked dresses. > > > > If Ghee was more healthy than butter in > pre-refrigerator days in the > > Indian climate, why was it not used? > > > > As to sitting on the ground, wearing tight trousers or > lots of skirt > > and petticoat it is not exactly easy to sit cross > legged. > > > > I do not see this message as an insult, only a well > thought out > > commentary. > > > > Best wishes > > Denise Hughes Weston