February 17, 2012 - Namaste

Literally translated, “Namaste” means “I greet the divine in you” or “the spirit in me bows to the spirit in you.” This is a common phrase used throughout Nepal and other countries in Southeast Asia. Nepali culture is dominated by prayer and ritual, and the belief that their gods are present in everyday life and in every person; hence the greeting “Namaste.”

Traditionally in Nepal, the phrase is initiated by younger children to their elders. I have found that not many Nepalis use this phrase amongst one another; however, it is frequently used when greeting foreigners or honored persons. It is considered a greeting of respect. A non-contact form of greeting is preferred in Nepal; therefore, when spoken to another person, “Namaste” is usually accompanied by a slight bow with hands pressed together, palms touching, and fingers pointed upward in front of the chest. Parents in the clinic often try to get their children to address me with this greeting – it is adorable!

I have also found that there are a few other cultural customs that I was not aware of before coming to Nepal. For one, it is customary to remove one’s shoes prior to entering someone else’s home. Nepalis pride themselves in cleanliness and keeping their homes sparking clean; therefore, taking ones shoes off at the threshold (or right outside the door) shows respect by keeping their home clean and not trekking in god-knows-what from the bottom of your shoes (and there can be some pretty nasty stuff on the streets of Kathmandu…).

Whereas in the United States we shake our heads up-and-down to signify agreement or answering “yes” to a question, this is not so in Nepal. Instead of front-to-back movement of their heads, they instead move their heads side-to-side while still facing forward. (Not like our “no” with head movement from side to side, but instead with head bending from side to side – bilateral lateral neck flexion, for those of you that are medically-inclined.) When I first experienced this, I was having a conversation with one of the pediatric attendings and she kept moving her head from side to side. I thought she was saying, essentially, “I don’t give a sh**.” That’s what the movement makes me think of. I quickly learned that this does not mean “stop talking, I really don’t care,” but instead means “yes” or “I agree.” It still takes me aback sometimes, but then I have to remind myself that it is not an expression of being rude, but instead a normal non-verbal expression in their culture.

If you are visiting a Buddhist stupa, make sure you wander around in a clockwise fashion. Same goes for spinning the Buddhist prayer wheels often found at the base of the temples; always spin clockwise. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly why this is a custom, but every book states that you should always move clockwise around the stupas. You will also find that if you try to wander in the opposite direction, it could become quite difficult, as you will come face to face with many others that are wandering in the correct direction!