ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 ASPECTS OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN ’S SEA OF POPPIES

Siva Vidhya, M1, Venkatraman. G2

1 Department of English, SRC, SASTRA Deemed University, Kumbakonam- 612 001 2Department of English, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur- 613 401

Email: [email protected]

Received: 14 March 2020 Revised and Accepted: 8 July 2020

ABSTRACT: This paper explores the aspects of cultural exchange that are present in Amitav Ghosh‟s novel Sea of Poppies. Amitav Ghosh is one of the greatest contemporary writers of Indian English Literature. His can be considered as a master piece which contains three sequential novels namely Sea of Poppies (2008), (2011) and (2015). Cultural exchange is a process of exchange among cultures which includes social, political and cultural practices. It has the potential to open space for new research fields in humanities and social sciences which questions the exchange of culture, the agents involved in exchange, exchange system and consumption of cultural exchange. Aspects such as contact zone, mediator and characterization have been applied to identify the cultural exchange that happen in the novel. The mediating instances, the people and things that are transferred, the context and the time in which the exchanges take place are also discussed. The characters in the novel act as mediators for cultural exchange and the contact zones provide chance for transfer of language and cultural practices.

KEYWORDS: Cultural exchange, contact zone, mediator, language

I. INTRODUCTION

Cultural exchange acts as a connection between geographical area and socio-cultural practices. It includes social and cultural changes. People from different ethnic groups, caste, creed, gender and from different regions meet and the culture got exchanged. This is called cultural exchange. However cultural exchange is not limited to diaspora groups. Critics like Michel Espagne, Michael Werner, Rudolf Muhs, Johannes Paulmann and Willibald Steimantz made analysis on several suspects of cultural exchange. Gesa Stedman (2013) refined cultural theory and told that it was an interdisciplinary field of research. Referring Michel Espagne and Michael Werner (1988), Gesa Stedman has defined aspects of cultural transfer thus: “Cultural transfer, i.e. importing elements from foreign contexts, can be analysed on all levels of social life……. Literature, myths, religious beliefs, forms of art are social modes of expressions which fulfil the task to preserve group identity, the national unity.”

According to critics, cultural exchange is a neutral term because it does not have value within itself but the conflicts from encounters and consequences of transfers are highlighted. Moreover culture is not limited to the sphere of society but also includes movement of things, individuals and ideas. The actual and pure transfers such as the exchange of capital, labourers, goods, concepts and ideas, and also the images of and debates about the other society are to be considered in the analysis of cultural exchange.

UrsBitterli (1989), a Swiss historian says, “A component of one culture by being transmitted to another, changes its character, acquiring new functions and new meanings.” Cultural exchange does not mean loss of existing culture but arising of new form of culture. Cultural exchange can happen voluntarily or out of force and consciously with an intention or even unintentionally. Cultural exchange includes both material and immaterial objects. Material objects include people, goods, food, music, dress, dance, fashion and so on. Whereas immaterial objects include ideas, concepts, etc.

In cultural exchange there is no privilege of one culture over the other so there will not be any dominant culture or worse culture.

II. THE NOVEL SEA OF POPPIES

Sea of Poppies was the novel written by Amitav Ghosh in the year 2008 and was shortlisted for Man Booker Prize in the same year. This novel stands first in the sequence of Ibis Trilogy and it deals with the life of people who moves from Calcutta to Mauritius. The novel is named Sea of Poppies because poppy seeds played an

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 important role in the life of many people. The novel was set prior , so the main cultivation in was poppy seeds, which alters the life of people in the novel.

III. AIM OF THE STUDY

The paper aims at exploring the aspects of cultural exchange present in the novel Sea of Poppies. The research paper tries to trace various cultural aspects present in the novel by following certain criteria. It also tries to find the reason for exchange, the people or institution which involved in exchange and the results of exchange. The paper tries to prove that the culture becomes identity of the people.

IV. METHODOLOGY

Research Design:

This study is based on content analysis. The researcher made a detailed study on Cultural studies in Literature and detailed information about the novels of Amitav Ghosh. Based on this study, the researcher explores the novel Sea of Poppies in the aspect of cultural exchange. The discussion and conclusion part is derived based on this exploration.

Cultural exchanges that occur through Contact zone, Mediators and Characterization will be discussed. Other aspects in the novel like the mediating instances, the people and things that are transferred, the context and the time in which the exchanges take place are also discussed.

V. DISCUSSION

Cultural exchange through Contact zone, Mediators and Characterization:

The aspects of „cultural exchange‟ can be analysed on the basis of following areas: Contact zone, Mediators and Characterization [4]. In this section, the novel Sea of Poppies has been analysed using these three aspects.

5.1. Contact Zone

Contact zone is nothing but a place where characters meet and which provides space for the characters to exchange their culture. Contact zone is, “Social spaces where cultures meet, clash and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power such as colonialism, slavery or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today.” Thus, while analysing contact zone in the novel, the researcher has to look for the places which provide opportunity for the characters to exchange their culture. This discussion also includes the intention behind the people to reach that particular place [4].

In the novel Sea of Poppies, the place which provides a chance for the characters to exchange their culture is nothing but a ship called Ibis. The ship Ibis carries people of different ethnic groups, various religions, caste, creed and gender and it moves from India to Mauritius. The people in the ship belong to regions such as Britain, China, French, Malay, South India (especially Tamil Nadu) and from other parts of the world [2]. All of them travel in the same ship but they do not have anything in common. No common language, no common tradition and no common practice. Their travel together in Ibis provides a beautiful opportunity for them to exchange their culture.

Cultural exchange happens on both sides whereas cultural transfer is a one way drive i.e. when people migrate to a particular country they adopt the culture of that country [4]. In this novel all the characters arrive in a particular place where people cannot give preference to any particular country or culture, so there is no possibility for culture transfer but cultural exchange occurs, and Ibis provides way for that.

Colonization plays an important role in making the people of different regions of the world to travel or migrate. People lost their livelihood and were in search of job because of colonization. The ship Ibis provides opportunity for those people and tries to give a better life for them. The people from India move to Mauritius in the ship Ibis to work as coolies in sugarcane fields. Except very few people who move for different reasons, the majority of the people in the ship travel in search of new life in Mauritius.

5.2. Mediator

Mediator can be somebody or something who initiates cultural exchange process by bringing together people or by transporting goods or by introducing practices and institutions [4]. There are various characters in the novel

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 who act as mediators. The seamen called „lascars‟ who work in the ship welcome all the cultures in this novel. In the ship one can find people from different countries and people speaking different languages. The lascars easily adapt everything. Lascars came from different regions like China, East Africa, Arab, Malay, Bengali, Goa, Tamil and Arakan. The language spoken by lascar is called Pidgin language, which is a mixture of all languages. One could find trace of Indian languages, English, French and many other languages in Pidgin. These people had nothing in common except that they are from Indian Ocean region.

Though the lascars are from different countries they have many things in common. They speak a language which is a mixture of all languages. They work bare-foot, wearing a length of fabric around their middle [2]. These people can be considered as „mediators‟ because they readily accept all culture. This denotes that they are the people who initiate cultural exchange and they become the reason for the exchange of goods. In Ibis these lascars help in transporting slaves. The mediators are the people who introduce new practices and institutions. While analysing the novel with this point, one could find that lascars introduced lot of new things to Zachary Reid, son of freed Maryland Woman. Lascars changed the dressing habit of Zachary and they introduced shampoo to him which is totally new to him. Moreover the lascars changed the food habits of Zachary: “………from usual menu of lobscouse, dandyfunk and chokedog to rice, lentils, pickles, bits of fish” (p- 28). Zachary liked those spices.

The next character which acts as a mediator in this novel is Zachary Reid. Zachary Reid as already mentioned is the son of Maryland freed woman. When the author writes about Zachary Reid he mentions that his skin colour is old ivory but he has curly hair and his pupil of eyes were black which shows that he is mixture of both race [2]. Most of the people mistook him as White but Zachary never feels shy to tell his identity. Zachary readily accepts the cultural changes that occur. Because the lascars in the ship changed his dressing style, bathing habit, food and other things and Zachary agrees to that that. This proves that he is a part of cultural exchange. “Zachary became the link between the two parts of the ship” (p-18), the author indirectly mentions that he is the link between two races of the world that is black and white.

The next character who encourages cultural exchange and act as mediator in the novel is Paulette who is the daughter of French Botanist. Paulette though of French origin was brought up in Calcutta and so she readily agrees all the practices which Indian people follow [2]. “As for Paulette, the first language she learnt was Bengali, and the first solid food she ate was a rice- and- dal...... In the matter of clothing she far preferred saris to pinafores...” (p- 67). Later when she was travelling in ship she was mistaken by everyone that she would be from Brahmin family and they inquired about losing caste. But Paulette replied that everyone is travelling in the same boat and there is no place for losing caste and she taught everyone that since they are travelling together they are like siblings. This is how Paulette becomes the instigator of cultural exchange.

5.3. Characterization

„Characterization‟ is a very important topic to analyse in cultural exchange process because without characters there is no possibility for cultural exchange. While analysing the characters, the following things are to be considered: use of name, use of language and how culture influences character‟s image [4]. The major characters in this novel are Deeti, Kalua, Raja Neel Rattan Halder and Ah-fatt, apart from Zachary Reid and Paulette who are already discussed.

Deeti, one of the most prominent characters in the novel Sea of Poppies was an innocent village girl. She was called innocent because in the beginning of the novel she does not know anything that is happening around her. She got married to Hukamsingh who is an opium addict and infertile. Hukamsingh‟s brother Chandansingh is responsible for the baby in Deeti‟s stomach. Deeti was given opium to conceal the fact from her. In the beginning she was silent accepting all the pains. Later she goes to the extent of accepting Sati. But she was saved by Kalua with whom she starts her life anew with fresh characteristics. This transformation happened to her in the ship and that is why she considers Ibis as her mother. In the ship she changed her identity because revealing her original identity may create problem in her present life. She gives her the new name „Aditi‟ who is a mythical woman, granted the boon to live her life again, as a blessing from God.

Madhu became the new name for Kalua and the change of name is important because it may represent the caste of the people, to put it more clear, name become the identity of the people. Next Deeti was asked to tell about her caste which is also an important identity in the life of human: “….the name of her caste was as intimate a part of herself as the memory of her daughter‟s face” (p- 234). In the ship Deeti changed her caste to “Chamars”.

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 Raja Neel Rattan Halder, Zamindar of Rakshali is the next important character in this novel. One could find a total character difference in the life of both Deeti and Neel. Deeti in the beginning was not able to protest for the injustice against her but later she helped and raised her voice for other women in the ship. While considering Neel‟s life, in the beginning of the novel, one could find a rich, orthodox Zamindar who is respected by everyone. Later he became a prisoner. The economic status of Zamindar affects his cultural practices which is evident from this novel. Once Zachary Reid and some other gentlemen were invited for dinner in Neel‟s home and on meeting Neel, Zachary tried to shake hands, for that Mr Burnham replied, “….keep your hands to yourself, you gudda of a griffin,…..Touch him and he‟ll be off to bathe, and we won‟t be feed till night.” This shows the practice followed in the Zamindar family. Later when Neel was arrested and was travelling in Ibis as a prisoner, in order to insult him one of the cops asked Ah- fatt, his co- prisoner to urinate on Neel for which Neel does not show any reactions. Thus the economic status of a person changes his cultural practice.

The next two important characters are Kalua and Ah-Fatt who are the passive receptors of cultural exchange, because both men were from low births. Kalua is from a low caste and was not respected in the village and only after marrying Deeti he got new identity. Ah- Fatt is also a man of low birth and he did not have any identity and only because of his partner Neel he got new hope for his life. So these characters are just receptors of cultural exchange.

VI. THE FIVE FACTORS OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE

Stedman (2013) derives the following five factors from the German Historians‟ theory for analysing the cultural exchanges.

i) Persons, media and mediating instances that are involved in the exchange of knowledge and goods. ii) People and things that are transferred from one country to another. iii) Terms, words and concepts translated and the resulted misunderstandings. iv) The way and the context in which the new knowledge and information is used. v) The time at which something get transferred vi) Enforced cultural exchange.

The mediating instances, the people and things that are transferred, the context and the time in which the exchanges take place are also discussed.

On applying the first factor cultural exchange in this novel, one can understand the major reason for transfer of people from one place to other place is „colonization‟ [6]. The people were moving from Calcutta to Mauritius in search of better job. Though the ship is moving from Calcutta it carries people from different countries and state. It carries the people to Mauritius to work as slaves in sugar implantation. Deeti‟s life shows how cruel the colonization was on people. The people, though they own land was not allowed to cultivate crops on their wish but are ordered to cultivate only poppy seeds in order to produce opium. This makes the people to move out of their country in mass crowds. Next to this, it is also important to analyse whether the people were transferred voluntarily or out of force [3,6]. Most of the characters accept travel only out of force, except Paulette and Zachary Reid. While considering cultural exchange, most of the characters here undergo „enforced cultural exchange.‟ Deeti after the death of Hukam singh was ready to undergo sati but was saved by Kalua which was not done by her with an intention. Also, Kalua did not make any pre-plan for the marriage with Deeti, which was again forced by fate.

Paulette got all the experiences unintentionally without any force. When she was brought up as a child in Calcutta in Jodu‟s family, she freely accepted all the rituals of the Muslim family. But when she was at the home of Mr. Burnham she was compelled to change her religion which Paulette could not agree. Moreover she was not even allowed to take daily baths. After reaching the ship, though others were the reason for changing her identity, she did not hate those cultural changes. So in her childhood cultural exchange happens unintentionally, in her young age cultural exchange happens out of force and in the ship cultural exchange happens voluntarily. Zachary Reid‟s food, costume, dressing and manners were changed by lascars to some extent and Zachary agrees the cultural change voluntarily and it was not forced by them. Though the change in external appearance was agreed by him, he was not ready to undergo any psychological change. In Burnham‟s home, Mr. Burnham says, “Consider, Reid, the situation of a so-called slave in the Carolinas - is he not more free than his brethren in Africa” (p-79) for which Zachary replied, “Well sir, if slavery is freedom then I‟m glad I don‟t have to make a meal of it” (p- 79). This shows that people will not accept the changes which affect their respect. People accept the changes which are small in nature but if a certain factor affects their respect they will not agree for this. But Neel, a Zamindar adopts new cultural practices and even ready to lose his respect as he loses

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 his economic status. The economic condition of people is also a part of culture, so change in economic status affects people‟s behaviour which in turn changes cultural practice. But on contrary, Deeti in the beginning was married to a rich man where she kept silence and was afraid of all superstitious beliefs. She was the lady who was scared to leave the vessels unwashed since she believed that it might invite pisachas (demons) and when Kalua saved her from sati she thought it was Yamadharma(God of Death), who is taking her. But once she reached Ibis, there were lot of changes in Deeti‟s character. Though she is economically low she is too courageous in the ship and she accepts cultural change only after reaching the ship. The use of language by the people and the transformation of language are important factors in cultural exchange. Lascars are the main people who play vital role in the usage of language. They introduced lot of new words to Zachary “„resum‟ instead of „rations,‟ and he had to wrap his tongue around words like „dal‟, „masala‟ and „achar‟” (p -15). The language shows the status of the people and it becomes the identity of the people. Parimal, Neel‟s wife speaks Bhojpuri which is her native language but the family does not allow her to use that language because her language is rustic and they believed that it may reduce their family status. Then Paulette speaking philosophies of English in the ship created doubt in the mind of Neel “we‟re all in the same boat” – Paulette (p-393). Neel knew very well that only rich people in Calcutta allow their daughters to read. But on hearing Paulette, a low class woman, speaking English she thinks that Paulette might be a prostitute “Neel had heard Elokeshi speak of new class of prostitute who had learnt English from their white clients-no doubt this was one such…..” (p- 393)

VII. CONCLUSION

The novel Sea of Poppies speaks in tongues with characters polyglot in nature says The Plain Dealer (Cleveland). It is essentially historical in nature with its socio-political underpinnings. From the reading of the novel one can find out the abundant aspects of culture especially the transformation of several cultures.

Cultural exchange is not only a term aims at analysing history but also focuses on the disciplines of humanity along with national identity. That is why the characters in the novel give much priority to their culture and the change in the culture also affects the character and behaviour of persons. The influence of cultural exchange affects the characters in different contexts in which they act as mediator in some place, they may hinder cultural exchange in some place, and they voluntarily agree exchange some times and may unintentionally follow exchanges sometimes. All these differences occur because cultural exchange does not stop with the exchange of goods and food habits but it alters their identity.

VIII. REFERENCES

[1] Capska, Veronika. Process of Cultural Exchange in Central Europe, 1200- 1800. European Social Fund- Silesian University. 2014. [2] Ghosh, Amitav. Sea of Poppies. Penguin Books. 2015 [3] Hoerder, Dirk. Cultures in Contact- World Migration in second Millennium. DukeUniverity Press. 2002 [4] Lente, Van Sandra. Cultural exchange in selected contemporary British novels. Humboldt University. 2014 [5] Nayar, Pramod k. An Introduction to Cultural studies. Viva book. 2017. [6] Stedman, Gesa. Cultural Exchange in seventeenth century France and England. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. 2013. [7] Vaishnav, Bhakti. Amitav Ghosh‟s writings: Issues, ideologies and craftsmanship. Atlantic Publishers. 2019.

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