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The Surprising History of Indian South Africans: How They Became an Integral Part of South Africa
Indo-South Africans are descendants of indentured servants and free immigrants from British India who arrived in South Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most Indian South Africans live in and around Durban, making the city one of the largest Indian populations in the world. Due to the apartheid policy, Indians (often synonymous with Asians) are considered a racial group in South Africa.
Racial identity
During the colonial era, the white minority held most of the political power in South Africa, and Indian South Africans were given the same low social status as black people in society. During the apartheid era from 1948 to 1994, Indian South Africans were legally classified as a separate racial group. Some Indian South Africans see these terms as an improvement over their previous identity as "non-white". They wanted to celebrate their heritage and their roots in South Africa.
During the height of apartheid and separation, identities as “Indian,” “Colored,” and “Malay” controlled many aspects of daily life, including where one lived and studied.
History
Indentured servants and Indian passengers
The modern Indian community in South Africa is mainly composed of descendants of Indians who arrived in South Africa from 1860 onwards. They were initially brought in as indentured servants, mainly to work on sugarcane plantations in the colony of Natal; in total, around 200,000 Indians arrived in South Africa as indentured servants over a period of fifty years. Most of the people in this group speak Tamil, Telugu, Bhojpuri and Awadhi, etc., and their religion is mainly Hindu, with a small number of Muslims and Christians.
Early Discrimination (1860-1910)Contract workers were often abused and lived in unsanitary conditions, and many chose to return to India after their terms expired.
In all regions of South Africa, Indians face varying degrees of discrimination. In Natal, Indians were forced to carry passes in 1888. In 1893, Gundy arrived in South Africa and experienced racial discrimination. This prompted him to organize resistance, which eventually led to the formation of the Natal Indian Congress. Although the bill was ultimately defeated, it was reintroduced in 1896 and successfully passed.
Union of South Africa (1910-1948)
During this period, the South African government attempted to encourage Indian repatriation with financial incentives. Racial tensions continued to escalate, especially between Indians and whites, which became increasingly evident in the 1940s.
Apartheid (1948-1994)The 1949 Durban riots were an incident of violence against South Africans of Indian descent that left 142 people dead and approximately 1,087 injured. The government's apartheid legislation further restricted Indians' freedoms, including moving into areas designated as Indian and subjecting them to an inferior education system.
In 1961, Indians were officially recognised as part of the South African population and a Department of Indian Affairs was established, with white democrats as officials.
Post-Apartheid
Many Indians played an important role in the anti-apartheid struggle and have also occupied important political positions in post-apartheid South Africa. Despite this, there are still misunderstandings about Indians in parts of the white community.
Religious beliefs
Almost all South African Indians are Hindus, Christians or Muslims. Over time, the proportion of Hindus decreased, partly due to the influence of missionaries.
Education
Until the end of apartheid, Indian schoolchildren were generally educated in separate Indian government schools, a system that was only ended in 1997.
Language
South African Indian English
Since the 1950s, English has gradually become the first language of most Indian South Africans, which has led to a different development path for their English and South African English.
The current situation of Indian languages
As society changes, fewer and fewer young people are able to speak their native language fluently, leading to the gradual extinction of the language.
Food Culture
Curry dishes are loved by all ethnic groups in South Africa. Many foods were brought into South Africa with indentured laborers, and the unique South African Indian cuisine was developed by adapting to local ingredients.
Media and Entertainment
Although Indian languages are less commonly spoken by young Indians, they continue to watch Indian films and television shows with English subtitles, demonstrating a continued interest in Indian culture.
In this country undergoing a transformation, how can Indian South Africans further integrate with the entire South African society and jointly create a new future?
