Aside from their food, the most distinctive cultural symbol for the Uyghurs here in Xinjiang is their traditional dance.  For many years now Uyghur dance troupes have traveled all over the world showing off three very important parts of their heritage: costume, music, and movement.  On their own each of these display a beauty unique to the Uyghur people while together it creates an absolutely fascinating display of local customs.

I decided to post this picture after reading a very interesting comment made by fellow Xinjiang blogger Porfiriy who writes for The New Dominion.  The comment was made last Monday regarding the book review I wrote for Wang Gang’s English, a story set in Xinjiang whose only minority character was a beautiful half-Han, half-Uyghur woman.  Here’s what he had to say:

I would like to add, though, that while you lament Ahjitai’s failure to bring a conspicuously Uyghur element to the story, THAT in and of itself, I think, is great and piercing commentary on interethnic relations in China, albeit unintentional on Wang’s part. Two things come to mind: first of all, the sexualization of Uyghur women. I don’t know about your experience in Xinjiang, but I’ve seen this a lot. For example, traditional Uyghur dancing is traditional Uyghur dancing but it has become one of THE only paradigms through which Han Chinese, especially in the mainland, view Uyghur females and it’s been put into new contexts, like dance shows at the Da Baza in Urumqi with costumes most Uyghurs would find utterly scandalous, and corpulent Han cadres snorting, in a drunken haze, at villagers to bring their daughters to “dance for them.” The hyper-sexualization of a particular people’s women (think Pocahontas, think “Turkish harems”) is actually a time-honored tactic in the multi-faceted process of cultural assimilation.

I don’t think Wang endorses this, of course. However, I do think that when a Han creative writer is trying to come up with a Uyghur character, the “sexy, exotic Uyghur” is an archetype that will come to the forefront. And that says a lot.

There’s more to the comment that you ought to read, but this part is what I want to focus on.  I tend to agree with most of what is said here but since he has stated it so well I would like to play the devil’s advocate for a moment.

When two groups try to co-exists in the same area, how do you balance a respect for each other’s culture without invoking a sense of mockery?  In a way I think it is better that Wang Gang chose a “sexy, exotic Uyghur” as his token minority instead of a thief, murdurer, or miscreant which just as easily could have been depicted.  If you think of it in terms of the United States and its Native Indians, would you rather this minority be remembered for their beautiful and wise Pocahontas or as savages that had to be coralled by our heroes, the cowboys?  Like I said, I agree with Porfiriy about the shame of “hyper-sexualization”, but there is still plenty to discuss beyond the obvious mistreatment of cultural traditions.

Just some food for thought.   Regardless, if you get a chance to see a traditional Uyghur dance, take it.  You won’t regret it.