Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is probably the most famous South Asian in the United States of America. His chutney squishees, arranged marriage and nontuplets have in many ways defined the image of South Asians in America.
While cows, convenience stores and red dots are undoubtedly an important part of every South Asian's life, I wonder how many people know what Ramadan is, or what Diwali is, or what the basis of Gandhi's nonviolent resistance movement was?
After the tragic events of Sept. 11, a whole different set of associations have been attributed to South Asians -- associations that are even less justified and warranted than the previous ones (although I for one do not own a convenience store, a cow or wear red dots). With South Asians representing 10 percent of the American population and 5.2 percent of Carolina's student body, these images will no longer do. Although Apu is as beloved to us as he is to you, at Carolina alone there is a wide array of South Asian students representing every field and every walk of life.
For us as South Asian students, we are faced with a constant struggle -- of ideology, lifestyle and culture. Sangam is an organization that strives to turn this struggle into an opportunity.
An opportunity to fuse the two most significant aspects of our lives -- the culture with which we were raised and the society in which we live. Sangam Nite exemplifies this -- uniting East and West in an extravaganza of dance, song, and creativity. To us, Sangam Nite is more than a mere performance -- it is a celebration -- of ourselves, our dreams and our roots.
In the past few months, America has embraced the theme of unity. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you into our world -- to see us at our most exposed, yet also in our element. The UNC community is one of the most diverse, open-minded campuses in this country, and this is why we urge you to be a part of the Sangam Nite experience -- not only to share in our culture but also to help it evolve.
We ask for only three hours of your time -- and, if none of this convinces you, at least come to see beautiful girls, flashy costumes, crazy dances and entertaining acts. Let us prove that (brace yourselves ... ) our culture can produce more exciting things than tandoori chicken and spicy curry.
Sangam Nite is at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17. in Memorial Hall. Tickets are available in the Pit.
