Overshadowed by kala

Politeja

卷:13

Michał Lubina¹ 

[1] Jagiellonian University;

关键词: kala;    Burma;    Myanmar;    India;    India‑Burma relations;   

DOI  :  10.12797/Politeja.13.2016.40.26

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

India seems to fit well with Burma. Long common history, deep cultural relations, similar heritage and geographic proximity – all this should help to upgrade India‑Burma relations. There is, however, one major obstacle: a historical and cultural burden, which can be summarized by the Burmese name for Indians: kala. Literally kala means “alien,” but at present it refers to Indians only. In Burmese conditions it has a wider, metaphorical meaning: something between “unwanted,” “hated” and “despicable.” In this sense, kala is a cultural phenomenon, a kind of “burdensome heritage” that influences the political relations between India and Burma. In this way, kala still looms large on the horizon of India‑Burma relations blocks their development.

【 授权许可】

Unknown