TheSouth Asian diaspora, also known as theDesi diaspora,[1] is the group of people whose ancestral origins lie inSouth Asia, but who live outside the region.[2] There are over 44 million people in this diaspora.[3]
TheRomani, also spelled Romany or Rromani ( or ), colloquially known as the Roma (: Rom), are anIndo-Aryanethnic group who traditionally lived a nomadic,itinerant lifestyle. Linguistic and genetic evidence suggests that the Romani originated in theIndian subcontinent; in particular, the region of present-dayRajasthan. Their subsequent westward migration, possibly in waves, is now believed by historians to have occurred around 1000 CE. Their original name derived from the Sanskrit डोम (doma) may refer to theDom (caste), aDalit sub-group traditionally associated with being musicians and dancers. The Romani population moved west into the PersianGhaznavid Empire and later into theByzantine Empire. The Roma arrived in Europe around the 13th to 14th century. Although they aredispersed, their most concentrated populations are located in Europe, especiallycentral,eastern, andsouthern Europe (notablysouthern France), as well aswestern Asia (mainly inTurkey andIran).
A statue commemorating Janey Tetary, an Indian indentured servant who died in an 1884 uprising in Suriname[8]
During thecolonial era, over 1 million South Asians weretaken to other parts of the world as indentured servants.[9] South Asians also were brought to parts of Southeast Asia as part of the British Empire.[10]
South Asians have emigrated in record numbers since the end of the colonial era in the middle of the 20th century. Many South Asians migrated to the United Kingdom and participated in its post-war economic recovery.[12][13] Some South Asians went to the Middle East for labour opportunities, though some were mistreated in a racist manner and exploited.[14][15] After theImmigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that allowed nonwhite immigration was passed,Indian-Americans became the richest ethnic group in the United States, and comprise over 10% of the labour force in computing-related fields (see also:Deportation of Indian nationals under Donald Trump).[16]
Because South Asians had already dispersed across the world during the colonial era, a noted aspect of the diaspora is that it has produced several secondary diasporas - some of its members' families transited through several countries over generations to reach a final destination (e.g. a person's ancestors may have come from India to Africa, and then a few generations later from Africa to New Zealand).[17]
Some people in the diaspora watchSouth Asian cinema (mainlyBollywood), and some South Asian films feature diaspora characters. TheHindi-language Bollywood industry has played a significant role in uniting the diaspora around Hindi as a common language for exploring its South Asian heritage.[18] The diaspora's proficiency in English has also led to South Asian media catering to them usingHinglish, a hybrid of Hindi and English.[19]
A member of the diaspora playing cricket inVirginia,America.
In general, South Asians have a complicated relationship to sport, as it can allow for cultural continuity in certain ways but can be used in other ways to disrupt negative social and physical perceptions of the diaspora.[20]
South Asians introduced some of theirtraditional games, such askabaddi andkho-kho, into countries like South Africa and Malaysia during the colonial era.[21][22][23] In post-colonial times, kabaddi and kho-kho have been brought by the diaspora to some of the Western countries,[24][25][26] with kabaddi used in some contexts to show masculinity in hostile environments.[27]
ADesi pub is a Britishpub owned or managed by a landlord ofIndian origin. They generally servePunjabi food while maintaining traditional British pub elements, such asale andpub games. The term "Desi" comes fromHindustani, and is derived from theSanskrit word for "land" or "country". Desi pubs originated during the 1960s following migration from the Indian subcontinent to the UK. They have been cited as a successful example ofcultural integration between Asian and British communities.
South Asian diasporas represent a wide variety of linguistic, cultural, ethnic, and religious groups from across the subcontinent.[33] There are sometimes tensions between these different groups within the diaspora. For example, the Hindu-Muslim tensions created by the 1947Partition of India sometimes manifest themselves in divisions among Hindus and Muslims in the diaspora, particularly between those of Indian descent and those of Pakistani or Bangladeshi descent.[34][35] These tensions have been noted more frequently among the diaspora in the United Kingdom since incidents such as theBabri Masjid demolition and the 2014 election of theHindu nationalistBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India.[36][37][38]
Discrimination based on thecaste system occurs to some extent primarily within theIndian diaspora; in America, a non-scientific survey showed 67% of lower-casteDalits had experienced caste discrimination in the workplace,[39] and in California, there was heated debate within the diaspora as to whether to pass legislation explicitly banning caste discrimination.[40]
Diaspora communities have been noted for providing crucial economic support and remittances to countries within South Asia.[41] India has issued diaspora bonds in certain crisis situations, such as the1991 Indian economic crisis,[42] and has given increasing priority to involving its diaspora.[43] Diaspora graduates fromMIT played a significant role in establishing theIndian Institutes of Technology.[44]
Tensions have occurred between South Asian countries and their diasporas over support for separatist movements, as in the case of India and its Punjabi diaspora over theKhalistan movement.[41] These tensions have sometimes boiled over to harming relations between South Asian countries and the host countries of the diaspora, as with the 2023Canada-India diplomatic row.[45]
The Hindu diaspora has come under some scrutiny in its host countries for playing an increasingly significant role in promotingHindu nationalism, with some diaspora members disapproving of the scrutiny and opposing Hindu nationalism.[46][47][48][49]
In the United States, representation of the South Asian diaspora has steadily increased; in previous decades,Apu ofThe Simpsons had been the most prominent South Asian representation, but now there is significantly more varied representation, with comedians likeHasan Minhaj achieving success.[51]
^Khanduri, Ritu Gairola (2 October 2014).Caricaturing Culture in India: Cartoons and History in the Modern World. Cambridge University Press. p. 202.ISBN978-1-107-04332-9.
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