Dr Brainerd Prince
New Delhi
1. All cultures and communities have particular food habits which are uniquely their heritage. One could take great offense with paneer being spoilt milk, or with the eating of various meats. However, that would not be respecting the food habits of my friends belonging to different cultures. We cannot impose a uniform code of food ethics on all, especially when we all come from different cultures.
2. However, in a cross-cultural context, there needs to be sensitivity. When I enter my vegetarian Hindu friend’s house, I do not take meat products as gifts, or when my vegetarian Hindu friend comes to my house for a meal, then I will not offer him chicken curry. As that would be disrespectful. Equally, it would be disrespectful, if I offer paneer and brinjal curry to my Naga friends when they visit me. We must know how to wisely work in cross-cultural contexts with sensitivity.
3. Now coming to dog-meat, there is something deeper. Dogs in many cultures are considered as companions to humans and also are raised as pets. Hence apart from vegetarians, even a large number of non-vegetarians would have a problem with the consumption of dog-meat. And yet, given this love for our pets, we must still not forget the cross-cultural principle that enables happy co-existence of a diversity of cultures. Just as one person’s noise can be another’s music, it is possible that one man’s pet, taboo or even deity is another person’s food. This should not be seen negatively. We already have examples of that in the consumption of beef and pork. Therefore, there is nothing wrong if dog-meat is consumed by a particular community. All other cultures must respect it, just as their food habits are respected. There can be no compromise on this cross-cultural principle, otherwise, it will lead to colonialism and oppression.
4. Having said that, dog-eaters can keep in mind a few things as part of being sensitive to cultures and individuals that perceive their food differently:
a. There is something we can learn from meat-eating communities that open restaurants in pre-dominantly vegetarian states. They use local terms for the meat and not use English or Hindi terms. They insert their local language word and even have it as a dish on their menu. This act of re-naming and re-branding is a dialogical act of sensitivity and of huge convenience. Let’s no longer use the term dog-meat, but use a local term for it. This re-branding will go a long way in drawing away unnecessary attention. To put it bluntly, a majority of those who find this offensive will now be ignorant of the fact. And as the saying goes, ignorance is indeed bliss.
b. Of course, there must be rules governing the raising and procurement of these delicacies as there are for every other delicacy. Nothing is above the law and no one can take the law into one’s hands. So, there should be laws about not stealing and eating your neighbour’s chotamaas. Nor shooting it at the guise of trespassing. There should be hygiene laws for proper raising, like we have for piggeries. There should be laws for selling, so that the market is properly organized.
c. The lazy answer is to prohibit it completely or equally allow it in an unregulated fashion. The tough answer is to do the research and find innovative solutions that will not only be sensitive to other cultures in our globalized world, but to find a solution that will also preserve our customary practices and allow us to celebrate our cultural cuisines without any intimidation or fear.
I think we can do this much. But if still someone has a problem, then it is their problem. They need to resolve it within themselves, in terms of engaging with those who belong to different cultures. We all live in glass houses, when it comes to food habits. All our food might be offensive to others. There is no food that can be universally termed as pure or impure. This should therefore not be taken to be either a religious issue or as a spiritual problem, in a universal sense. It is a human and cultural issue. Let us, therefore, amicably, and respectfully, engage with it in the spirit of cross-cultural well-being and goodwill. Even as I respect your food habits, however different, kindly respect mine too! Thanks.
