Bend It Like Beckham: Anthropology
...ns that anthropologically must be answered are: What is portrayal of the culture of ethnic group? Are they being romanticized, stereotyped? Does the film maker understand what it means to be apart of this ethnic group? Etc. In regards to the first question, the portrayal of the ethnic group, the ethnic group being featured in this film is Sikh-Indian community. According to the film, traditional Sikh behavior is filled with controlling parents and community elders. For instance, it is not Pinky, Jess’s sister, who chooses her husband but her parents and the fiancé parents. It is not up to individual to decided there future but the parents and tradition. So, in this film, there is Jess who wants to play football, but her parents, whom according to tradition makes all the decisions, decides she will not play. The Sikh culture has very strict rules for their children especially female children. In the Sikh culture what constitutes a good girl is one that obeys their parents and elders and who wears traditional dresses and marries a traditional husband. The Sikh culture has strict rules on how individuals should act in order to not bring shame on the family. For instance, one of Jess’s parent’s biggest objections to her playing football is that it will bring shame on her sister. They often chided Jess that she mustn’t do anything that would shame her sister while she is about to get married. At one point, Jess is yell at by her parents for being caught at the bus stop with what the family feared was a white boy (It later was revealed to be Jules, who Jess mother explains as young girls with the short hair). The family had a lot of issues with white men, including her sister, Pinky who is rather liberal. Even she scolds Jess for not wanting to be more with Indian men “what is your problem, there nothing wrong with Indian men now, they drive nice cars and dress real good.” All in all, the Sikh community is portrayed has a community that is willing to sacrifice the dreams of the individual for better good of the community or in this case the family. The needs of the community and family come before that of the individual. Even Jess, an English woman by heart, recognizes this convention of her community and constantly quits playing football to please her family. Another question that a good anthropologist must ask is whether the ethnic group is being stereotyped or romanticized. The ethnic group in this movie is heavily stereotyped. Jess is stereotyped (cliché) as a teenager battling two societies to gain her freedom. Jules is stereotyped as the typical teenager battling a hyper feminized mother who is against sports. Then there is the stereotypical gay best friend who is struggling to tell his Punjabi parents of his homosexuality. When Jess finds out that her best friend is gay she is shocked and says “But you’re Indian.” Apparently, there are no gay Indians. Then there is Jess’s mother. Mrs. Bhamra is the typical hyper traditional ethnic mother trying to come to terms with “western” society. She believes strongly that woman should be at home cooking Punjabi food. Mrs. Bhamra whole life revolves around weddings and keeping face with the community. She cooks, yells and misunderstands every aspect of the English society. For instance, she doesn’t understand why young girls cut there hair or why her daughter worships David Beckham who calls the skin-headed white boy. So, yes this movie stereotypes and there is also an element of romanticization, but hardly. On the one hand, the movie glorifies the Punjabis love of family and weddings but the movie also makes a point of showing the negatives of tradition. Mainly, through showing how disheartening it is for Jess to have to constantly give up her love of playing football in order to please her family. This movie does seem to understand what it is like to be a member of this ethnic group. From this movie we gather that the Sikh community has many customs. We know this because the movie is showing from an emic perspective through the character of Jess. The movie tells of all the cultural knowledge that only a person from this community would understand. There is symbolic culture, the ideas and believes of this community. This culture believes that woman should marry, not play sports and be good wives. There is material culture seeing through traditional sari dresses worn by the mother and other older women in the community. The movie tells of the core values that this community lives by. This Sikh family in the movie regards highly that education is important as seen by the families believe that Jess should attend the University. The Sikh family also regards marriage and womanhood highly as seen by there elaborate and well thought out wedding and the proper way a woman should dress. One of Mrs. Brahma’s objections to Jess playing football is that she is showing her leg and her scar. The movie tells of the Sikh norms in their society. For example, it is considered culturally unacceptable for women to pl...