Tattoos and ‘our culture’

Once again, we are mired in a controversy that stems from yet another thing that is not “our culture”. It seems now that tattoos are not “our culture”.

Whose culture is against tattoos? “Our” culture? Define this usage of “our“ for me.

Oh, you know, Malays.

You know, Malaysia is no longer Malaya, and we have diverse cultures among the diverse people in this country.

Plus, if we really want to talk about Malay culture, put down the guitars, sell off the drum kits, and go have fun with the gamelan. Hell, go joget your heart out at the keroncong bar instead of attending that K-Pop or U2 concert!

Yes, those are Japanese stylised tattoos going all across one’s body. Yes, those are tribal tattoos going on someone’s sleeve. No, they’re not Malay Malaysian culture, but Malay Malaysia has evolved far beyond just its own culture.

More importantly, not everything in this God-blessed country has to adhere to Malay Malaysian culture.

If you find something like tattoos offensive, avert your eyes and move on.

Quite honestly, a lot of things are not “our culture”. Gyms are not “our culture” – go work a padi field or mine a quarry. Hell, go learn silat, play sepak raga, knock off someone’s headdress and get stabbed for it – that’s “our culture” going back to the good old Melaka days!

Make-up isn’t our culture – go grate chalk, mix it with water, and enjoy. Why are you at MAC, Sephora, Victoria’s Secret or even Bath and Body Works? Go home. Mascara isn’t Malay Malaysian, it’s ancient Egyptian. No, you don’t get to go to Thai Odyssey for a massage – go find an urut batin at home.

Netflix and chill? No. Go for wayang kulit and kuih.

Let’s not even get started on food and beverages, because I’m not giving up my Starbucks toffee nut lattes for a kopi O just to adhere to this “our culture” mentality. I don’t even like mint tea, and even then it would be Arab culture and “we” are not Arabs.

Malaysians, please stop being silly – none of us is following “our culture” to the letter in this day and age. We adapt, we learn, we follow all other cultures. Sure, there are those who don’t follow our ways but they don’t have our inhibitions from religious scripture either.

So who are you to pass judgment on people who don’t believe as we do? The only reason to do so is if we’re somehow jealous or we don’t understand it. And that is fine – as long as we let them have their say.

This, after all, is the basis of freedom of expression: let people be people as long as it does not cause physical harm towards others. Unless it’s consensual – which is pretty much what tattoos are.

Hafidz Baharom is an FMT reader.