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Ethnic identity in the age of Apatheid: How do Indian South Africans find their place?
Indo-South Africans refer to Indians who were employed as indentured labor and free immigrants who came to South Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The majority of South Africans of Indian descent live in Durban, making it one of the cities with the largest Indian ethnic populations in the world. Due to the apartheid policy, Indians (i.e. Asians) are regarded as an independent racial group in South Africa. During the colonial period in South Africa, Indians and blacks also suffered from the oppression of the white minority, and both were marginalized in terms of political power.
During the Apartheide period, Indo-South Africans were clearly defined by law as a separate racial group.
Over time, politically awakened Indo-South Africans began to seek to express their cultural heritage and local roots. Many people began to self-identify as "Africans", "South Africans" and, when necessary, the labels "Indo-South Africans". The construction of ethnic identity was facilitated by internal political movements and the Aftertahyde government, which sought to solidify support among the various Indian ethnic groups in the face of discrimination. Although Indo-South Africans have lived in South Africa for more than 150 years and have been officially recognized since 1961, they are sometimes treated as outsiders and must constantly prove that they are legitimate members of South Africa.
History
Indentured Laborers and Passenger Indians
The modern South African Indian community originated primarily from Indians who arrived in South Africa from 1860 onwards. The first batch of 342 Indian laborers set out from Madras on the Traro, followed by other ships. They were transported as indentured laborers to work on the sugar cane plantations in Natal Province. The entire process lasted for fifty years, and a total of about 200,000 Indians arrived in South Africa.
The treatment of indentured laborers was extremely poor. Many returned to India after their contracts expired and reported to the local government the mistreatment suffered by Indians stranded in South Africa.
These indentured laborers usually spoke Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi, and the majority were Hindus. As the indenture period ended, many of the laborers who did not return to India gradually established a solid socioeconomic status in Natal.
Early Discrimination (1860–1910)
Indians suffer varying degrees of discrimination across South Africa. In the province of Natal, for example, Indians were forced to hold passes in 1888; and in the Transvaal, the government of the Republic of South Africa enacted discriminatory laws against Indians, prohibiting their right to work in the mining industry. This generally discriminatory policy only changed after the formation of the Union of South Africa, but the discrimination remains deeply entrenched.
Apartheid Period (1948–1994)
The 1949 Durban riots were a violent incident against Indians that resulted in the death of 142 people and the destruction of a large amount of property. Apartheid laws continued to force Indians to live in exclusive Indian towns and restricted their mobility. Even so, Indo-South Africans played an important role in the anti-apartheid movement and came to occupy a prominent place in subsequent South African politics.
After the end of apartheid in South Africa, Indian-American South Africans gained equal political and social status.
Many Indo-South Africans were active in the resistance movement and played important roles in later politics. They occupied a place in the African National Congress and became part of the political ecology of the new South Africa. Despite some challenges regarding racial identity, Indo-South Africans continue to advance cultural integration and identity.
Challenges of the post-apartheid era
A new wave of South Asian immigrants also began arriving in the post-apartheid era, including those from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These new immigrants are often not considered part of the Indian community, but live in traditional Indian areas. This has created some ambiguity in identity, causing many people to rethink what it means to be a "South African Indian". These challenges intersect with opportunities to become the reality facing Indian-South Africans today.
After generations of racial discrimination and identity struggles, Indo-South Africans are trying to find their place in a diverse society. Can their stories inspire other groups seeking identity?
