Because the world has become such a melting pot where cultures have been so intertwined. Many people feel it is important to preserve traditions in their purest form in order maintain their heritage.
"Authentic" is merely a marketing word, like "natural".
Popular culture exists because it's popular. It doesn't matter if it has "authentic" roots (i.e. ones spontaneously originated among the people for which it's popular) or invented.
For example, you can't argue with the genuine popularity of Christmas as it's celebrated in the West. Yet many of its present-day trappings are not 'authentic' in the sense of having a long locally-existing tradition. The Christmas tree was a local German custom that didn't become widespread until fostered in the UK by the royal family under Prince Albert's influence. The image of the red-coated Santa largely sprang up in the USA in the 19th century from the popular poem A Visit from St. Nicholas. And so on.
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Because the world has become such a melting pot where cultures have been so intertwined. Many people feel it is important to preserve traditions in their purest form in order maintain their heritage.
It isn't.
"Authentic" is merely a marketing word, like "natural".
Popular culture exists because it's popular. It doesn't matter if it has "authentic" roots (i.e. ones spontaneously originated among the people for which it's popular) or invented.
For example, you can't argue with the genuine popularity of Christmas as it's celebrated in the West. Yet many of its present-day trappings are not 'authentic' in the sense of having a long locally-existing tradition. The Christmas tree was a local German custom that didn't become widespread until fostered in the UK by the royal family under Prince Albert's influence. The image of the red-coated Santa largely sprang up in the USA in the 19th century from the popular poem A Visit from St. Nicholas. And so on.