Symbols of Harmony

In our first year after immigrating to the United States, some of the most difficult times when we missed our family back home were during Indian festivals. Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most important one. In India, we made goodies, lit many diyas (oil lamps) and firecrackers and ended with a prayer to the Goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth). The year we moved to the US, we hadn’t yet got enough bearings in the country to put together the same kind of celebration. To make it a little festive, my husband had changed his computer background image to a Diwali motif. To his great surprise, his manager pulled him aside and requested him to remove the background. My husband was quite stunned at the beginning, knowing how the US practices free speech and freedom of expression. After all, he was simply practicing his religious choice! His manager explained that the motif has a Swastika, which is anti-semitic, has racist connotations and hurtful to other employees in the company.

This was something that had never occurred to us before! In India the Swastik - which is different than the Nazi symbol - in that it opens in the clockwise direction first, as opposed to the Nazi one opening anti-clockwise first - is considered to be very auspicious and not meant to be anti-semitic at all. The Hindu symbol, an integral part of the culture since the vedic times over 2000 years ago, is decorated with dots and curved at the edges. Of course we were aware of the holocaust and were respectful towards the sentiments of people who suffered so much loss. We realized that while our symbol and its meaning were different, it had a potential of causing grief to a group of people who, in the present day, had memories of deep hurt. If a public display of the image was causing confusion and hurt, even though we did not mean it to be that way, we were more than willing to change it.

Beliefs, especially the ones we have carried for a long time, are deep-rooted, and difficult to change. Especially if one believes that their symbol is peaceful, and not meaning to hurt any sentiments. I was able to explain my willingness to adapt through yet another symbol of balance and harmony - the yin-yang symbol of Daoism. The symbol represents two relatively opposing, yet equal and complementary forces that maintain balance in a system by a continuous fluid transformation.

To explain our experience of displaying the motif in terms of yin-yang, I see the physical manifestation of the background image as the yang and the actual belief in our cultural identity as the yin. In all our earlier experiences which were within groups belonging to the same culture, who recognized the Hindu symbol of peace and well-being, the yin and yang were in balance and harmony. However, the same symbol causes grief and pain in a different setting, and is not in harmony anymore. This is where the movement, the transformation within yin-yang comes into play. We reduced the yang - the physical manifestation which caused the confusion - and increased the yin - our inner belief - which was not causing any hurt to anyone. 

We looked towards a different symbol “Om” (or aum ॐ) instead, for sharing our belief outwardly, which represents the origin of the universe and signifies ultimate reality. Then we replaced the yang with this new physical manifestation with a path towards harmony in the new setting. How we feel inwardly about peace and love hasn’t changed with a new manifestation of a symbol.

Fast forward to current times, a symbol which is causing division and disharmony in our community is the school mascot “The AB Colonials”. One group which supports the retiring of the mascot, looks at it as a symbol of Colonial Oppression described in this presentation by ABSEJ, while the opposing group looks toward it as a symbol of patriotism. The Colonials mascot represents Capt. Isaac Davis of the Minuteman company of Acton, who was the first soldier to lose his life during the revolutionary war. This Spectrum article describes both sides very well. Capt. Isaac Davis’ sacrifice is inspiring and will continue to be a part of history with representation via the Acton minuteman group, the monument at Acton Town Center and described by Srikanth Akkineni in this presentation about Patriots Day. Even during the India Day celebrations at Acton center in 2020, leaders spoke about the bravery of Capt. Davis and others, and how important it is for them to have a rightful place.

Colonialism is defined as control and domination by one power over a dependent area or people. It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people. Being born and raised in (independent) India which was a British colony before 1947, I learned mostly about Exploitation Colonialism, but was aware of Settler Colonialism. I believe folks from many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia and Americas all understand Colonialism, and in this modern day and age ready for a transformation in outlook and thinking.

To me, this debate looks very much like our experience where an outward manifestation of a symbol is causing disharmony. The current symbol will continue to hurt people who have known, felt or lived the angst of Colonialism. The mascot doesn't look representative of the hardship and sacrifice of many others since American freedom from British rule in 1783, looking at the current population makeup of the town. For example, looking beyond the Indigenous population, it wasn’t until 1862 and Emancipation Proclamation that pathways even started opening for the hardworking African Americans who were a big part of building this nation. It wasn’t until 1868-70 when African Americans were granted citizenship and voting rights; it wasn't until 1964-65 with laws prohibiting poll taxes and passing of the Voting Rights law. And even today the fight for equity, inclusivity and safety continues on. If we are truly to be an inclusive society, in order to achieve a harmonious system, I feel the time is right to retire the current mascot, and look for a more representative symbol. As there are people on both sides of the debate, I also feel there needs to be a fair and well-documented process that reveals the opportunities both sides were provided, leading up to the decision.

President Obama, in his book “The Promised Land” talks about his American flag lapel pin, which he had started wearing after the terror attacks of 9/11, as a small way to express national solidarity in the face of enormous tragedy. His later decision to set it aside resonated with me when he said,“the substance of patriotism mattered far more than the symbol” (p132). Symbols are only good while they create harmony. If not, it is time to embrace change and transformation.