Indo-Caribbean

Indo-Caribbean

Bharrat Jagdeo Mervyn M. Dymally Hedy Fry Nicki Minaj Dave Baksh Melanie Fiona Valene Maharaj Fareisa Joemmanbaks Yendi Phillipps Rajiv Maragh Mark Ramprakash Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Total population
2 million +
Regions with significant populations
Trinidad and Tobago 525,000 Guyana 327,000 Suriname 135,000 Jamaica 100,000 Guadeloupe 55,000 Martinique 43,600 Cuba 34,000 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21,500 French Guiana 19,276 Grenada 12,000 Belize 6,000 Saint Lucia 4,700 Puerto Rico 4,500 Barbados 2,200 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,100 Netherlands Antilles 600 Antigua and Barbuda 300
Languages
Colonial Languages: English (Guyanese · Jamaican · Trinidadian) · Spanish · French (French West Indies) · Dutch Indian Languages: Hindustani · Bhojpuri · Tamil · Other Languages of India
Religion
Predominantly: Hinduism · Christianity · Islam Minority: Sikhism · Buddhism · Jainism · Zoroastrianism · Atheism · Agnosticism · Others
Related ethnic groups
other Dravidian people, Indo-Aryan peoples and the Indian Diaspora Indian Americans · Indo-Canadians · British Indians

Indo-Caribbean people or Indo-Caribbeans are Caribbean people with roots in India or the Indian subcontinent. They are mostly descendants of the original indentured workers brought by the British, the Dutch and the French during colonial times. The antiquated term East Indian is still used in the English-speaking Caribbean and by the Canadian mainstream media.

Most Indo-Caribbean people live in English speaking Caribbean nations, Suriname and Netherlands, as well as in the French overseas departments in the West Indies.

Sub-groups

Caribbean Islands

• Indians in Barbados
• Indo-Haitian
• Indo-Grenadians
• Indians in Guadeloupe
• Indo-Martiniquais
• Indo-Jamaican
• Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian

Mainland Caribbean

• Indians in Belize
• Indians in French Guiana
• Indo-Guyanese
• Indo-Surinamese

Diaspora

• Indo-Caribbean American
• British Indo-Caribbean community
• Indians in Venezuela

Migration history

From 1838 to 1917, over half a million Indians from the former British Raj or British India, were taken to thirteen mainland and island nations in the Caribbean as Indentured workers to address the demand for labour following the abolition of slavery. Attempts at importing Chinese, Portuguese and others as indentured labourers failed.

The first two shiploads of Indians arrived in British Guiana (now Guyana) on May 5, 1838.

The majority of the Indians living in the English-speaking Caribbean came from eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar, while those brought to Guadeloupe and Martinique were mostly from, but not only, from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A great amount of Tamils and Telugus were also brought to Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

A minority emigrated from other parts of South Asia, including present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Indo-Caribbeans comprise the largest ethnic group in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

They are the second largest group in Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

There are also small populations in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, French Guiana, Panama, Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Netherlands Antilles. There are also small groups often called "mulatts" who are of Indian descent in Haiti.

Modern-day immigrants from India (mostly Sindhi merchants) are to be found on Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten, St. Thomas, Curaçao and other islands with duty-free commercial capabilities, where they are active in business. Other Indo-Caribbean people descend from later migrants, including Indian doctors, Gujarati businessmen and migrants from Kenya and Uganda.

Many Indo-Caribbean people have migrated to the United States, Canada, Hispanic America (notably Panama & Venezuela), The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom, and to other parts of the Caribbean.

Culture

The indentured Indians and their descendants have actively contributed to the evolution of their adopted lands in spite of many difficulties.

In recent years, attempts to commemorate the Indian presence and contributions have come to fruition:

In 1995, Jamaica started to celebrate the arrival of Indians in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine Parish on May 13.

In 2003, Martinique celebrated the 150th anniversary of Indian arrival. Guadeloupe did the same in 2004. These celebrations were not the fact of just the Indian minority, but the official recognition by the French and local authorities of their integration and their wide-scale contributions in various fields from Agriculture to Education, Politics and to the diversification of the culture of the Creole peoples. Thus, the noted participation of the whole multi-ethnic population of the two islands were in these events.

Media

There are three Indo-Caribbean newspapers based in Toronto:

• Indo-Caribbean World - has been in existence for 25 years.
• Caribbean Xpress - has been in existence for 5 years.
• Indo-Caribbean Times - has been in existence for about 2 years.

Notable Indo Caribbeans

• Anjulie - singer/songwriter. Her parents migrated from Guyana.
• Tatyana Marisol Ali- American actress and R&B singer. Also of Afro-Caribbean descent.
• Dave Baksh - former lead guitarist of the band Sum 41. A founding member of the mainly reggae band Brown Brigade. His parents migrated from Guyana.
• Bas Balkissoon - born in Trinidad and Tobago, is a member of the Provincial Parliament of the Province of Ontario.
• Jacques Bangou - the incumbent mayor of Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.
• Neil Bissoondath - Writer, born in Trinidad and Tobago.
• Shivnarine Chanderpaul - Current West Indies cricketer and former captain of the side; from Guyana.
• Melanie Fiona - R&B singer and songwriter, born to Guyanese parents. Also of Afro-Caribbean descent.
• Kamala-Jean Gopie - Educator and Political Activist (Jamaican born).
• Ian Hanomansing - born in Trinidad and Tobago, is a television anchor & reporter with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
• Serge Letchimy - President of Martinique Regional Council. Also of Afro-Caribbean descent.
• Shani Mootoo - Writer, born in Ireland to Trinidadian parents.
• Thierry Moutoussamy - is a ragga-zouk musician of Martiniquais heritage. Also of Afro-Caribbean descent.
• V. S. Naipaul - Writer, born in Trinidad, Nobel Prize in Literature (2001).
• Nicole Narain - Nicole Narain is a Guyanese-American model and actress. Also of Afro-Caribbean descent.
• Rozonda Ocelean Thomas - best known by her stage name Chilli. Also of African American descent.
• Hedy Fry - Long-standing Canadian federal politician and physician, born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. She was the fifth person to ever unseat a sitting prime minister, doing so in 1993.
• Aimee Balkissoon - Youngest West Indian dance director in Ontario, Canada with Upscale Dance Academy. Her parents migrated from Trinidad & Tobago.

See also

• Hinduism in the West Indies
• Tamil diaspora
• Indo-Caribbean music
• British Indo-Caribbean community
• Indo-Caribbean American
• Anglophone Caribbean

External links

• Indo-Caribbean Alliance, Inc. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing services and advocacy to New York City's growing Indo-Caribbean community.
• Jahajee Sisters: Empowering Indo-Caribbean Women A movement-building organization, led by Indo-Caribbean women, committed to creating a safe and equitable society. Jahajee Sisters fosters solidarity and empowerment through dialogue, arts, leadership development and grassroots organizing.
• Indian Heritage Foundation in St. Vincent - Unfortunately the site is currently inactive (Feb 2009).