Gora (From Asian Image)

Gora

12:20pm Tuesday 18th October 2011 in Last Bit Exclusive By The Last Bit

Whilst this term has been used with much affection over the years – is it time we gave it up?

Much like the food in some of our cash and carry's - is it way past it’s sell-by date.

The term gora (whitey) is as ancient as the shalwar kameez itself. It was first used by the brother who spotted Alexander the Great’s army advancing over the mountains. He hurried home and uttered the immortal words….. ‘The goray are coming.”

That other firm favourite of the masses – Kala (Black) – came into being much about the same time.

But how have these terms survived the age of political correctness? Why can people still use them?

In the day of our forefathers the term gora was used widely by both men and women. It kind of made things simple for everyone. We were the Paki’s and they were the goray’s.

Indian, Bengali, Hindu, Sikh - were all a bunch of Paki’s and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Shamefully, there was even a gora cup in the household.

The term really came into it’s own when a marriage proposal was on the horizon. The question ‘Does she have a gora rang?’ (Is she pale in colour?) was normally followed by … ‘Not really but we can soon fix that'.

Things only got offensive when one decided to use a swear word after the term. Boy, did that cause issues. On the whole the term gora was always used out of kindness and respect. You could say gora without the fear of being persecuted.

The ‘P’ word however was always used in anger and disdain. So the ‘P’ word had to be banished at all costs. But why did we ever have one rule for us and one for everyone else?

The point was - the word gora was like describing everyone as ‘Asian’. It kind of lumped people together so was acceptable.

Then of course there was the word ‘gorian’ and the truly contradictory term used to describe several people - ‘doh goray’.

Let us be honest the word ‘gora’ survived because of ignorance really. ‘If he don’t know what a gora is why would he ever be offended?’ said one bearded wise man who was later found out to be a complete fraud.

Yes indeed, but did anyone bother to ask the gora if he liked being called a gora?