The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean

by Richard Keir Pethick Pankhurst (Editor)

Although much has been written about the African Diaspora in the Atlantic Ocean, the Diaspora in the Indian Ocean is virtually unrecognized. Concerned with Africans, who lived south of the Sahara and were dispersed by free will or forcefully to the non-African lands in the Indian Ocean region, this books deals with a topic that has long been overlooked. Eight scholars, researching the African Diaspora in distinct geographical locations in the Indian Ocean region and with expertise in the areas of history, anthropology, linguistics, international relations, politics and sociology, have contributed papers to this book. Edward Alpers compares the African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean with that of the Atlantic Ocean. Eduardo Medeiros surveys the Mozambican Diaspora in the Indian Ocean Islands (Madagascar, Seychelles, the Mascarenhas, Mauritius and Reunion) and the cultural identities that they developed. Malyn Newitt's paper on African migration to Madagascar, which has taken place for two millennia, focuses on the African contribution to contemporary Malagasy culture. Helen Hintjens demonstrates the African Diaspora in reunion and focuses on the transformation of the Diaspora into French citizens. Jean Houbert surveys the colonization-decolonization of the Indian Ocean Islands of Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues, Seychelles and Chagos. Richard Pankhurst surveys the African Diaspora in India from Medieval times to the end of the 18th century. Helene Basu focuses on the Diaspora from the global and political elite context and delineates local constructions of Sidi identity in Gujarat (Western India) that are embedded in a cult of African saints. Finally, Shihan de S Jayasuriya surveys the African Diaspora in Sri Lanka and examines the largest community of African descendants in Sri Lanka whose presence is signalled through dance and music.

Genres: History

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Richard Keir Pethick Pankhurst OBE (3 December 1927 – 16 February 2017) was a British-Ethiopian scholar, founding member of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and former professor at the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. His books have been reviewed in scholarly journals, with Edward Ullendorff calling his The Ethiopians as another testimony to his "remarkable diligence and industry in the service of Ethiopian studies". He is known for his research on economic history and socio-cultural studies on Ethiopia.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Wendelle]

Terribly, slavery and enforced diaspora of Africans didn't just happen in the Western world; it happened within the Indian ocean, as well, in Asia, and the Arab peninsula. African men were bought and traded to crew ships, to labor in agricultural plantations and salt marshes, and to serve as administrators, teachers and warriors. African women became mostly concubines, but also cooks, nurses, cleaners, washerwomen, dancers and musicians. This condition led to revolts such as the Zanj rebellion and Basra revolts. Like a lot of countries with an ethnically distinct minority, countries like Oman and Yemen have struggled to provide the 'black Yemeni' and 'black Omani' the same living conditions as the natives. These circumstances and history have led to movements such as the 'Movement of Free iraqis' to campaign for: "the recognition of blacks as an official minority, an apology for slavery, laws against racial discrimination, and representation in Parliament"

Source: http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africansi...