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On Learning to Be an Indian

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On Learning to Be an Indian
OnOn Learning to Be an Indian
By Santha Rama Rau

If you are going to choose between Sampaguita and Rose, what will you choose? We know that Sampaguita and Rose has its own identification and different structure but they also have similarities, they have stem, leaves and they are both flowers, right? It’s like an Indian Culture and Philippine Culture, they have its own identification, different traditions and different cultures but they also have similarities on it.
But first, did you know the difference of culture and tradition? What is culture? What is tradition? In India, praying at 5 o’clock in the morning and sang the hymns of the day at that time is their culture, it’s like “Angelus” praying at 6 o’clock in the morning or 12 o’clock in the afternoon in the Catholics in the Philippine tradition; ash and smeared on forehead in Indian culture is like “Ash Wednesday” tradition in the Philippines; if you committed innumerable offenses like eating beef and other offenses, you may lost your right in both religion (Hinduism) and caste have similarities in Iglesia ni Cristo who are not allowed to eat “Dinuguan” and Muslims who are not allowed to eat meats (tradition in the Philippines); has hospitality to the visitors is also the same in Philippine culture; has a “betrothal ceremony” has a similarity in courting before the agreement to be married, in the Philippine culture; in Indian culture, the oldest woman in the house became the head of the family while in the Philippine culture, the father is the head of the family; in Indian culture, the bride must learn all the household chores, etc. is same of the culture of the Philippines but if you’re rich and can afford servants or maids, the servants/maid will do the chores for you; And in India there was a prejudice not only against inter-caste marriages but against inter-community too but the Philippines doesn’t have that type of culture, and I’m proud to say that, that we have a democratic country and we can

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