Orientalising others

Being one of those pretentious prats who, for fun no less, read Edward Said's* Orientalism during undergrad (and found him rather behind the times as the "New Australia" I was in seemed different--more multicultural, less locked in what is now called "identity politics"-- to what he was describing in his book), I found myself rather amused to realise I am quite as capable of orientalising folks as the 19th Century French coloniser (to give one example) was wont to do. Does that mean Orientalism is natural?

Let me explain. This trip was the first time I passed through Bahrain airport. There, I noted men wore mostly-Western style suits while women seemed to wear the long enveloping garments, covering their bodies all the way up to their heads and faces. If looked at closely, one could catch glimpses of their shoes (their clothing being short enough to permit this) and their faces. Some even had their faces veiled, resulting only in their eyes being visible.

Most women wore full-on makeup, high heels and, often, nail polish. And yet, they were enveloped in black (or other dark-coloured) garment, swishing about singly or with other women, rarely with a man unless she formed part of a family group.

I was entranced. The sheer contrast in clothing, interaction and the lack of conversation even amongst those I reckoned were couples or families to anything I've ever seen elsewhere was intriguing. I wished I could spend a few days in Bahrain, making other observations, noting how people interacted in other social settings and seeing how they lived. At the same time, I couldn't help wondering how it would be to go about all veiled--in the literal sense--and covered up by a garment. Might be pretty freeing--no one notes whether you've gained (as I have over the past few weeks!) a few pounds and people probably don't even know who you are. After all, my few hours of obsevations showed people didn't quite look at folks of the opposite sex in the face.

The Orientalising part? Said defined Orientalism as: “Orientalism was ultimately a political vision of reality whose structure promoted the difference between the familiar (Europe, West, "us") and the strange (the Orient, the East, "them").”

For me, my experience was a story of contrasts--not just between what I have noted elsewhere and there in Bahrain but also between the all-enveloping black garment and the makeup and high heels worn.

I could see how the European chap of the past would look at these women and be entranced while, at the same time, wanting to impose his (and it was almost always "his" in this case) ideas of freedom and equality, with both being defined in his own cultural context. After all, "they" were wandering around in garments which hid their bodies and faces. "They" weren't free. And yet they had painted nails and wore high heels. One can imagine this bloke's confusion and need to establish order.


* If interested, you can read more about Said here.