Valentine's Day: Commerce or Romance?

BY WORKU BELACHEW

Local cultures should be the pillars if the 'global culture' is to stand upright. It is to say that local way of doing things should build the mainstream. But, this statement is only paying a lip service to local cultures. What one practically observes is that the way people in the western hemisphere are doing things (culture) is standing out, often at the expense of numerous local ones. To mention few, almost every individual in our (world) wears jeans, drinks coca, and is crazy about Hollywood movies while aptly awaits for holidays such as Christmas and Valentines day, as though these are the (single) most important human discoveries.

Today, most individuals around the world, regardless of linguistic, religious and other backgrounds, observe Valentine’s Day, exchanging chocolates, cards, flowers.... And most urbanites both in Addis and most parts of Africa also appear in pink and/or red garments to enjoy life with their partners//.

 Vs.

Culture is not something static. Whether we like it or not, it changes as time passes by. But, if the social, political and economic relations of a given society and that of another are explained by domination and subordination, the society’s important institutions would cease to exist, leading its members to an apparent disband.

Culture in its wider sense is, therefore, a societal backlog of knowledge, practice, attitude ... which its members should exercise, promote, obey, nurture, and preserve all the etiquette which forms the larger picture. Members of a given culture have also all the moral rights to improve and even discard when they found some elements less important or harmful.

Globalization, particularly its capitalistic and exploitative sense, has created vertical relations among the countries of global north and those in the south. In this relationship, the former has already assured its position at the top, while the latter is struggling at the bottom. The world order created thus far seems not to acknowledge a horizontal relationship where all languages, cultures, and the like are equally valued, placed in a leveled position.

In this short piece of writing, I would attempt to highlight how the global north is taking advantages over the global south through promoting what one might call it 'global culture' putting the issue in the context of the celebration being marked today, Valentine’s Day. To lay my argument on a firm ground, let me first put the historical background of Valentines' Day, and then I would move onto how it is associated more with commerce in the globalized world order.

• Who was St. Valentine

The name Valentine was attached to two legendary Christian martyrs whose feasts were observed in February 14, various documents show. The first, a Roman priest martyred during the persecution of Claudius II, and the second was bishop of Tereni martyred in Rome.

Another version of the story goes: St. Valentine married young girls to soldiers, a forbidden act at the time of Claudius II, attaching cowardice with married men. And the saint was imprisoned for doing so, and even when serving prison, himself got a crush with the daughter of his jailer. Before his execution, he wrote a letter to this girl, and concluded saying your valentine.

As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, it had led to the substitution of ‘pagan’ holidays with Christian martyrs. Hence, February 14, Lupercalia (god of shepherds), was given to Saint Valentine, who lived in the third century, (See Academic American Encyclopedia vol.19.)

In 496 Pope Gelasius (a Berber origin, may be last bishop of Rome) officially declared the day to two roman martyrs, both named Saint Valentine, who lived in the third century. However, it was said that the Roman Catholic Church dropped the holiday from its calendar in 1969.

• As commercial tool

As communications equipment is so revolutionized and people are connected to one another at a click of a button, globalization has already become inescapable. And the culture of the global north is fast spreading across and on the globe.

Thus, in most countries the observance of valentines occurs in almost the same way: exchanging cards, flowers, chocolates, ribbons and the likes. In some countries spending on valentines seems to have rocketed. In UK for instance, after the first embossed paper lace was sold after 1847 by Esther

Howland of Worcester Massachusetts, the spending rocketed to an average of 1.3 billion yearly.

Similarly, the spending in 2016 was estimated at 19 billion USD for box of chocolate, diamond earrings...in the USA.

• Slamming over Cultural imperialism

In countries other than those in the western hemisphere, Valentine’s Day faced criticism for kicking local cultures out. In Brazil for instance the Dia dos Namordos (lit. "Lovers' Day", or "Boyfriends'/Girlfriends’' Day") is celebrated on June 12, probably because that is the day before Saint Anthony’s day, known there as the marriage saint. Relatively speaking Brazilians less celebrates Valentine’s Day.

The celebration of valentines did not get attention in India until 1992 but since then the programs in

Commercial TV channels such as MTV, dedicated radio programs, and love letter competitions in addition to economic liberalization that allowed booming of valentine card industry, the day gained more currency, argued George Monger (2004), please see his Marriage Customs of the World.

The day is, however, regarded as a front for western imperialism and neocolonialism and the explosion of working class through commercialization by multinational corporations. Many also criticized couples for kissing in public saying it is 'vulgar exhibition of love at public places.' They also criticized the media for propagating this culture at the expense their own similar culture.

Similarly, Iranians also banned the exchange of cards, teddy bear and laces on this day. They rather promote ancient Persian holiday Sepandarmazgan, a feast to praise wives, mothers and earth.

In the same vein, Israel revived old Jewish tradition of Tu B’Av celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Av (usually in late August). In modern Israeli culture Tu B'Av is a popular day to pronounce love, propose marriage and exchange gifts like cards or flowers.

Japan Valentine’s Day celebration may bring fun to anyone’s face. An advertisement company’s erroneously made men recipient of gifts. However, this mistake was said to have been fixed creating a chocolate returning day on March 14, see also Chris Yeager (February 13, 2009). Marriage customs of the world

• Safe havens in Africa, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, though literature are short to trace how and when it was started, the emergence of FM

radio stations and horticulture sector seem to have played a big role in promoting the day. A certain radio host also, in public, claimed that he started promoting Valentine's Day on his radio show. Various factors could account for the diffusion of this culture, but nothing seems have contributed as local media did.

• Why denouncing it?

Promoting and practicing such holidays can put its daunting impacts on our visions. In Ethiopia for instance we have the ambition to join middle income economies by 2025. This calls for structural transformation from a largely substance agriculture-led to manufacturing industry. Thus, the promotion of local cultures help us to create a huge domestic, and foreign market. But, if we are to leave such imperialism unchallenged, and if the youth keeps with its knack for capitalistic cultures, we will end up being more importers and our local goods would not get the desired market.

As a nation with over 80 diverse culture. These intangible wealth would help our people to know, trade and share a lot among one another. In the recent Timkat festival, for instance, Ethiopian artisans, tailors ... came about with stylish all white costumes -- this promotes local industries, helps us feed the million of mouths. Diametrically opposite to that, if one is obsessed with capitalistic way of celebrating Christmas, it is a must to engage in the concomitant use of Christmas tree, lights, and other adorning objets, which most are imported goods. The same goes for Valentine's. The chocolates, laces, ribbons, cards, garments and other baggage are imported.

That is why, policy makers, activists, the media, the academia and all stakeholders in Ethiopia and Africa should denounce such trend. Countries in Africa should follow suit of Brazil, Israel, Iran and India.

Cultural institutions and/or departments in organization like African Union, and the regional economic communities have also a lot to plan in staging open debates among the youth.