Arts & Culture
How henna art positively impacts society
In Karthine’s experience, henna art brings racial unity, closes the gap between gender, and gives a new life to cancer patients.
For Karthine Maniam — the Malaysian henna artist with a big heart.
Before we dive deeper into the positive impacts of henna art, I thought it’d be good if we take some time to understand the history of Malaysia and the art itself. It will make your reading experience a little better.
A brief history on the segregation of races in Malaysia
Malaysia is now known as a melting pot of races and cultures, but it wasn’t always the case. The country was colonised by the British in the 1700s and established its rule in the early 19th century.
To strengthen their control over the nation, the British administration segregated the Malays, Chinese, and Indians into different industries based on their observations of what each race could bring them. They kept the Malays as farmers and fisherman, sent the Chinese to mine tin, and brought in the Indians to tap rubber. The difference in practices and religions further reinforced the division of the races.
Fast forward to post-independence, the three races no longer work in complete isolation. Unfortunately, the racial stereotypes introduced by the British lingered on. Efforts by various groups have been set in motion in hopes of progressing towards greater racial unity.
A quick look into the tradition of henna art
Henna art started with women from the Middle East, Africa, and India staining their fingertips, either for medical or beauty purposes. Now, it has flourished into intricate motifs, usually of flowers and leaves.
In Malaysia, women traditionally apply henna for Indian and Malay weddings (usually two full sleeves: from fingertips to the upper arms) and Indian festivals.
For many years, henna art was stigmatised as art only for women, but times are changing.
Henna art and the unity of races
Karthine, a Malaysian henna artist, grew up in a traditional Indian family, but her mother teaches in a Chinese school and speaks Mandarin. It is no surprise that some of Karthine’s closest childhood friends are Chinese.
Her exposure to racial inclusivity at a young age shaped her openness to sharing her art with other races. Over the years, she has drawn for Malay and Chinese clients (mostly brides), and she shares her experiences openly on her Instagram account (@tmk_henna). The rise in Chinese clients is likely from a spike in interracial marriages between Indians and Chinese. Henna then becomes a symbolic exchange of cultures between the two races. It is saying, “I am not only marrying the person, who turns out to be an Indian, but I am embracing my lover’s culture too.”
The coming together of two cultures deepens as Karthine incorporates Chinese motifs, such as peonies and Chinese characters, in her artwork. It extends beyond weddings and into other milestones in life. A growing trend is the application of henna on baby bumps to celebrate a new season of motherhood.
The assimilation of cultures is indeed a beautiful thing to witness. It shows that racial unity is possible when we keep an open mind.
Henna art for men
In my recent conversation with Karthine, we spoke about the progression of henna and gender. She said:
“People often speak about henna concerning race and religion, but there is another thing that we don’t mention. Henna has always been something that people think is for girls — an art that only girls do. That has changed. In the latest bazaar that I participated in, I drew for more guys than girls. That was shocking yet so liberating.”
She laughed, and I laughed with her. We laughed because we knew it was true. Henna is like make-up — we think of it as something that only girls use despite its transition from adornment to a form of body art, like tattoos.
I became curious. What do men ask for when they approach her for henna art? I asked, and this was her reply:
“I’ve had guys coming to me asking me to draw Liverpool’s logo because the team won a match. Some asked for a Bible verse on their arms; some asked for dreamcatchers; some let me draw as I pleased. We’ve come a long way.”
Henna — an empowering gift of freedom
If we look at history, people used to believe that henna possessed some healing properties. Today, Karthine gives a new meaning to healing with henna: she heals by empowering cancer patients to live life to the fullest.
It all started with Karthine receiving an unexpected request from a cancer patient. What Karthine did next was amazing. She told the patient that she would do it pro bono, and she collaborated with photographer Vinoth Raj to capture the moment.
What can henna art do for cancer patients? Henna crowns give cancer patients confidence. It’s like restoring a part of them that they’ve lost due to chemotherapy, and with it, replacing shame with self-love.
When Karthine was drawing for her first cancer patient, she learnt that the patient didn’t have the confidence to walk out of the house. She was shy to show that she was balding. That changed when the patient saw herself in the mirror with an intricate masterpiece crowning her head. Jaw dropped, tears formed. She couldn’t believe what she saw: a gorgeous and strong lady staring right back at her. The crown had given her new strength to head out, walk around and take in her surrounding. In short, to live life to the fullest.
It wasn’t just the artwork or the adornment that empowered the cancer patient to live life. It was the entire process: the acceptance and the love that came with it. Karthine was a healthy human being who was more than willing to be near her despite her sickness. It made her feel worthy of human touch and worthy of looking beautiful regardless of what her medical reports told her.
Art is more than a medium for expression. The past has shown us that art creates social movements. Its impact is here to stay. Whenever we think of art, let us think of it as a way to progress humanity. For Malaysian artists, your art may bring more impact than you know. You can bring change to the country from within and from generation to generation.
