Siddi
Encyclopedia
The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi ' onMouseout='HidePop("38182")' href="/topics/Hindi">Hindi
: सिद्दी or शीदि; Gujarati
: સિદ્દી; Kannada
: ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಳು), also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab
and/or Black African
descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims
, although some are Hindu
s and some Roman Catholic Christian
s. Villages in the forests of northern Karnataka
, for instance, have residents who likely are descended from Mozambican
/Angola
n slaves who escaped from Portuguese traders and ships.
Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia
), is held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopia
n/Abyssinian
ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent. The term eventually came to be applied to other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.
Siddis are also sometimes referred to as Afro-Indians. Siddis were referred to as Zanj
i by Arabs; in China, various transcriptions of this Arabic word were used, including Xinji (辛吉) and Jinzhi (津芝).
The first Siddis are thought to have arrived in the Indian subcontinent
in 628 CE at the Bharuch
port. Several others followed with the first Arab Islamic invasions of the subcontinent in 712 AD. The latter group are believed to have been soldiers with Muhammad bin Qasim
's Arab army, and were called Zanjis.
Most Siddis, however, are believed to be the descendants of slaves
, sailors, servants and merchants from East Africa
who arrived and became resident in the subcontinent during the 1200-1900 CE period. A large influx of Siddis to the region occurred in the 17th century when Portuguese
slave traders sold a number of them to local princes.
In Western India
(the modern Indian states
of Gujarat and Maharashtra
), the Siddi gained a reputation for physical strength and loyalty, and were sought out as mercenaries by local rulers, and as domestic servants and farm labor. Some Siddis escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas, and some even established small Siddi principalities on Janjira Island and at Jaffrabad as early as the twelfth century. A former alternative name of Janjira was Habshan (i.e., land of the Habshis). In the Delhi Sultanate
period prior to the rise of the Mughals in India, Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut
was a prominent Siddi slave-turned-nobleman who was a close confidant of Razia Sultana
(1205–1240 CE). Although this is disputed, he may also have been her lover.
As a power centre, Siddis were sometimes allied with the Mughal Empire
in its power-struggle with the Maratha Confederacy. However, Malik Ambar
, a prominent Siddi figure in Indian history at large, is sometimes regarded as the "military guru of the Marathas", and was deeply allied with them. He established the town of Khirki which later became the modern city of Aurangabad, and helped establish the Marathas as a major force in the Deccan. Later, the Marathas adapted Siddi guerrilla warfare
tactics to grow their power and ultimately demolish the Mughal empire. Some accounts describe the Mughal emperor Jahangir
as obsessed by Ambar due to the Mughal empire's consistent failures in crushing him and his Maratha cavalry, describing him derogatorily as "the black faced" and "the ill-starred" in the royal chronicles and even having a painting commissioned that showed Jahangir killing Ambar, a fantasy which was never realised in reality.
Some Indian Siddis are descended from Tanzanians
and Mozambicans brought by the Portuguese. While most African slaves became Muslim
and a small minority became Christian
, very few became Hindu
since they could not find themselves a position in the traditional Hindu caste
hierarchy.
Supposedly presented as slaves by the Portuguese
to the local Prince, Nawab of Junagadh, the Siddis also live around Gir Forest National Park
and Wildlife Sanctuary, the last refuge in the world of the almost extinct Asiatic Lions, in Junagadh
a district of the state of Gujarat, India.
Although Gujarati Siddis have adopted the language and many customs of their surrounding populations, some African traditions have been preserved. These include the Goma music and dance form, which is sometimes called Dhamaal (Gujarati: ધમાલ, fun). The term is believed to be derived from the Ngoma drumming and dance forms of Bantu East Africa. The Goma also has a spiritual significance and, at the climax of the dance, some dancers are believed to be vehicles for the presence of Siddi saints of the past.
n descent that has made Karnataka
their home for the last 400 years. There is a 50,000 strong Siddhi population across India, of which more than a third live in Karnataka
. In Karnataka, they are concentrated around Yellapur, Haliyal
, Ankola
, Joida
, Mundagod and Sirsi taluks of Uttara Kannada
and in Khanapur
of Belgaum
and Kalagatgi of Dharwad district
. Many members of the Siddis community of Karnataka had migrated to Pakistan
after independence and have settled in Karachi
, Sindh
. The majority of the Siddhis in Karnataka are descendants of Siddhi slaves who were brought from East Africa
(mostly Mozambique
) and Ethiopia to Goa
by the Portuguese
, British and the Arabs between the 16th and 19th centuries. During the Goan Inquisition
, some of these slaves were freed and some escaped into the forests of the neighbouring Karnataka state. It has been reported that these Siddis believe that Barack Obama
shares their genepool and that they wanted to gift a bottle of honey to him on his visit to India in 2010.
by the Arab
Siddi community
diaspora, who used to serve as a Cavalry
Guards of Asif Jahi Nizams irregular army. Asif Jahi Nizams had patronized them with rewards and there music called Marfa Music
got popular which was performed during there official celebrations and ceremonies.
(see also Makrani
), and lower Sindh
. In the city of Karachi
, the main Sheedi centre is the area of Lyari
and other nearby coastal areas. Technically, the Sheedi are a brotherhood or community distinct from the other Afro-Pakistanis. The Sheedis are divided into four clans, or houses: Kharadar Makan, Hyderabad Makan, Lassi Makan and Belaro Makan. The sufi saint Pir Mangho
is regarded by many as the patron saint of the Sheedis, and the annual Sheedi Mela
festival, is the key event in the Sheedi community's cultural calendar. Some glimpses of the rituals at Sidi/Sheedi Festival 2010 include visit to sacred alligators at Mangho pir, playing music and dance. Clearly, the instrument, songs and dance appear to be derived from Africa.
Linguistically, Makranis are Balochi
and Sindhi
and speak a dialect of Urdu referred to as Makrani. In Sindh
, the Sheedis have traditionally intermarried only with lower caste Muslims such as the Mallahs (fisherpeople), Khaskeli (laborers), Katri (dyeing caste) and Kori (clothmakers). This accounts for the existence of non-African features such as the straight nose and lighter skin among some Sheedis. In Makran
, many have intermarried with the Baloch
.
Famous Sheedis include the historic Sindhi army leader Hoshu Sheedi
and Urdu poet Noon Meem Danish
. Sheedis are also well known for their excellence in sports, especially in football and boxing
. The musical anthem of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party
, "Bija Teer", is a Balochi song in the musical style of the Sheedis with Black African style rhythm and drums. Younis Jani is a popular Sheedi singer famous for singing an Urdu
version of the reggaeton
song "Papi chulo... (te traigo el mmmm...)
."
Most Makranis in Pakistan
have Black Africans
links from the female side. Many Sindhi feudals
imported African female slaves; so did the Omani Arabs of Gwadar
, a coastal city of Balochistan which was in control of Oman
in the 17th century. According to Dr. Sengupta's seminal study, the Y-DNA analysis reveals E3a at a frequency distribution of 5%. On the other hand, mtDNA analysis reveals approx 40% L1a
, L2a, L2b, L2d.
Nwab of janjira Murud
Dr.Sanaullah Mohd Chogle
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
: सिद्दी or शीदि; Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
: સિદ્દી; Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
: ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಳು), also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab
Afro-Arab
Afro-Arab refers to people of mixed Black African and genealogical Arab ancestral heritage and/or linguistically and culturally Arabized Black Africans...
and/or Black African
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, although some are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and some Roman Catholic Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s. Villages in the forests of northern Karnataka
North Karnataka
North Karnataka is an arid plateau from elevation in the Karnataka state of southwest India. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra...
, for instance, have residents who likely are descended from Mozambican
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
/Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n slaves who escaped from Portuguese traders and ships.
Etymology of name
There are conflicting hypotheses on the origin of the name Siddi. One theory is that the word was a term of respect in North Africa, similar to the word sahib in modern India and Pakistan. A second theory is that the term Siddi is derived from the title borne by the captains of the Arab vessels that first brought Siddi settlers to India. These captains were known as Sayyid.Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
), is held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n/Abyssinian
Habesha people
The term Habesha ābešā, Ḥābešā; al-Ḥabašah) refers to the South Semitic-speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in certain cases, ancestral origins trace back to those people who ruled the Axumite Empire and the kingdom known as DʿMT .Peoples referred to as "Habesha" today...
ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent. The term eventually came to be applied to other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.
Siddis are also sometimes referred to as Afro-Indians. Siddis were referred to as Zanj
Zanj
Zanj was a name used by medieval Arab geographers to refer to both a certain portion of the coast of East Africa and its inhabitants, Bantu-speaking peoples called the Zanj...
i by Arabs; in China, various transcriptions of this Arabic word were used, including Xinji (辛吉) and Jinzhi (津芝).
History
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
in 628 CE at the Bharuch
Bharuch
Bharuch , also known as Broach, is the oldest city in Gujarat, situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District and a municipality of more than 1,50,000 inhabitants. As Bharuch is a major seaport city, a number of trade activities have...
port. Several others followed with the first Arab Islamic invasions of the subcontinent in 712 AD. The latter group are believed to have been soldiers with Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi was a Umayyad general who, at the age of 17, began the conquest of the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River for the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the city of Taif...
's Arab army, and were called Zanjis.
Most Siddis, however, are believed to be the descendants of slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, sailors, servants and merchants from East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
who arrived and became resident in the subcontinent during the 1200-1900 CE period. A large influx of Siddis to the region occurred in the 17th century when Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
slave traders sold a number of them to local princes.
West India
West India or the Western region of India consists of the states of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra, along with the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is highly industrialized, with a large urban population. Most of Western India was part of the Maratha Empire before...
(the modern Indian states
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Gujarat and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
), the Siddi gained a reputation for physical strength and loyalty, and were sought out as mercenaries by local rulers, and as domestic servants and farm labor. Some Siddis escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas, and some even established small Siddi principalities on Janjira Island and at Jaffrabad as early as the twelfth century. A former alternative name of Janjira was Habshan (i.e., land of the Habshis). In the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
period prior to the rise of the Mughals in India, Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut
Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut
Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was an Abyssinian slave who was a close confidante of Razia Sultana, the first female monarch of the Delhi Sultanate in India and is speculated to have been her lover...
was a prominent Siddi slave-turned-nobleman who was a close confidant of Razia Sultana
Razia Sultana
Razia al-Din , throne name Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ , usually referred to in history as Razia Sultan, was the Sultan of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if...
(1205–1240 CE). Although this is disputed, he may also have been her lover.
As a power centre, Siddis were sometimes allied with the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in its power-struggle with the Maratha Confederacy. However, Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
, a prominent Siddi figure in Indian history at large, is sometimes regarded as the "military guru of the Marathas", and was deeply allied with them. He established the town of Khirki which later became the modern city of Aurangabad, and helped establish the Marathas as a major force in the Deccan. Later, the Marathas adapted Siddi guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
tactics to grow their power and ultimately demolish the Mughal empire. Some accounts describe the Mughal emperor Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
as obsessed by Ambar due to the Mughal empire's consistent failures in crushing him and his Maratha cavalry, describing him derogatorily as "the black faced" and "the ill-starred" in the royal chronicles and even having a painting commissioned that showed Jahangir killing Ambar, a fantasy which was never realised in reality.
Some Indian Siddis are descended from Tanzanians
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Mozambicans brought by the Portuguese. While most African slaves became Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and a small minority became Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, very few became Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
since they could not find themselves a position in the traditional Hindu caste
Caste system in India
The Indian caste system is a system of social stratification and social restriction in India in which communities are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups called Jātis....
hierarchy.
Siddis of Gujarat
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
to the local Prince, Nawab of Junagadh, the Siddis also live around Gir Forest National Park
Gir Forest National Park
The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India...
and Wildlife Sanctuary, the last refuge in the world of the almost extinct Asiatic Lions, in Junagadh
Junagadh
Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
a district of the state of Gujarat, India.
On the way to Deva-dungar is the quaint village of Sirvan, inhabited entirely by Siddis, a tribe of African people. They were brought 300 years ago from Africa, by the Portuguese for the Nawab of Junagadh. Today, they follow very few of their original customs, with a few exceptions like the traditional Dhamal dance.
Although Gujarati Siddis have adopted the language and many customs of their surrounding populations, some African traditions have been preserved. These include the Goma music and dance form, which is sometimes called Dhamaal (Gujarati: ધમાલ, fun). The term is believed to be derived from the Ngoma drumming and dance forms of Bantu East Africa. The Goma also has a spiritual significance and, at the climax of the dance, some dancers are believed to be vehicles for the presence of Siddi saints of the past.
Siddis of Karnataka
The Siddis of Karnataka (also spelled Siddhis) are a tribe of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n descent that has made Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
their home for the last 400 years. There is a 50,000 strong Siddhi population across India, of which more than a third live in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. In Karnataka, they are concentrated around Yellapur, Haliyal
Haliyal
Haliyal is a Panchayat town in Uttara Kannada in the Indian state of Karnataka. It can be classified as a main-road town. The NH-63 highway passes through this town.-Geography:Haliyal is located at...
, Ankola
Ankola
Ankola which is a Taluk is in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state, India. A small town by any standard surrounded by numerous temples. It is in line with Arabian sea. The beaches present at this place are Baskal gudda, nadibag, shedikuli, keni, Belekeri and many more...
, Joida
Joida
Joida is a small town in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. The town is the headquarters of the eponymous taluk, lying in the Uttara Kannada district. Located close to Ambikanagar, Joida is also called Supa by locals. KPCL maintains the Supa Dam, which straddles the Kali River nearby.Joida...
, Mundagod and Sirsi taluks of Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada also known as North Canara or North Kanara, is a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belgaum District to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shimoga District and Udupi District to the south and the...
and in Khanapur
Khanapur
Khanapur is a Town Council in Belgaum district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is about 26 km from Belgaum. The town is governed by the Khanapur Municipal Council. Khanapur taluka falls under Belgaum District. The town is on the Belgaum - Panaji National Highway 4A...
of Belgaum
Belgaum
Belgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the fourth largest city of the state of Karnataka, the first three being Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad....
and Kalagatgi of Dharwad district
Dharwad District
Dharwad District is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India. Dharwad is the cultural headquarters of North Karnataka....
. Many members of the Siddis community of Karnataka had migrated to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
after independence and have settled in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. The majority of the Siddhis in Karnataka are descendants of Siddhi slaves who were brought from East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
(mostly Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
) and Ethiopia to Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, British and the Arabs between the 16th and 19th centuries. During the Goan Inquisition
Goa Inquisition
The Goa Inquisition was the office of the Inquisition acting in the Indian state of Goa and the rest of the Portuguese empire in Asia. It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774–1778, and finally abolished in 1812. The Goan Inquisition is considered a blot on the history of...
, some of these slaves were freed and some escaped into the forests of the neighbouring Karnataka state. It has been reported that these Siddis believe that Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
shares their genepool and that they wanted to gift a bottle of honey to him on his visit to India in 2010.
Siddis of Hyderabad, India
In 18th century siddi community was established in Hyderabad StateHyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
by the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
Siddi community
Siddi
The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi , also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab and/or Black African descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims,...
diaspora, who used to serve as a Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
Guards of Asif Jahi Nizams irregular army. Asif Jahi Nizams had patronized them with rewards and there music called Marfa Music
Marfa Music
The Marfa is an Arab rhythmic music. played with high tempo using daff, Dhol, sticks, steel pots and wooden strips called thapi. The Chorus effects and vocal meter are set according to beats....
got popular which was performed during there official celebrations and ceremonies.
Sheedis of Pakistan
In Pakistan, locals of Black African descent are called "Makrani", "Sheedi" or "Habshi". They live primarily along the Makran Coast in BalochistanBalochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
(see also Makrani
Makrani
Makrani are the inhabitants of Makran coast of Balochistan in Iran and Pakistan.-Sheedi:Black Africans were enslaved and brought to Balochistan in medieval times. The descendants are called Makrani or Sheedi. The Sheedis are a Negroid people in Pakistan...
), and lower Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. In the city of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, the main Sheedi centre is the area of Lyari
Lyari
Lyari is one of the neighbourhoods of Lyari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Lyari including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim...
and other nearby coastal areas. Technically, the Sheedi are a brotherhood or community distinct from the other Afro-Pakistanis. The Sheedis are divided into four clans, or houses: Kharadar Makan, Hyderabad Makan, Lassi Makan and Belaro Makan. The sufi saint Pir Mangho
Pir Mangho
Pir Mangho is the popular name for Sufi Pir Haji Syed Khawaja Hassan Sakhi Sultan. Legends dating to the 12th century say that Mangho was an adult convert to Islam, a Hindu dacoit caravan looter who changed under the influence of Baba Farid. He was titled a Pir by Baba Farid, whose disciple he...
is regarded by many as the patron saint of the Sheedis, and the annual Sheedi Mela
Sheedi Mela
The Sheedi Mela or Sheedi Jaat or Pir Mangho Urs The festival is famous for the role of the sacred crocodiles of the shrine, and the African-influence rituals of the Sheedi community. The festival attracts many people of all ethnic groups...
festival, is the key event in the Sheedi community's cultural calendar. Some glimpses of the rituals at Sidi/Sheedi Festival 2010 include visit to sacred alligators at Mangho pir, playing music and dance. Clearly, the instrument, songs and dance appear to be derived from Africa.
Linguistically, Makranis are Balochi
Balochi language
Balochi is a Northwestern Iranian language. It is the principal language of the Baloch of Balochistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. It is also spoken as a second language by some Brahui. It is designated as one of nine official languages of Pakistan.-Vowels:The Balochi vowel...
and Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
and speak a dialect of Urdu referred to as Makrani. In Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, the Sheedis have traditionally intermarried only with lower caste Muslims such as the Mallahs (fisherpeople), Khaskeli (laborers), Katri (dyeing caste) and Kori (clothmakers). This accounts for the existence of non-African features such as the straight nose and lighter skin among some Sheedis. In Makran
Makran
The present day Makran is a semi-desert coastal strip in the south of Sindh, Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan, along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. The present day Makran derived its name from Maka, a satrap of Achaemenid Empire....
, many have intermarried with the Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
.
Famous Sheedis include the historic Sindhi army leader Hoshu Sheedi
Hoshu Sheedi
Emir Hosh Muhammad Sheedi, Hoshu Sheedi جنرل هوش محمد شيدي, جنرل ہوش محمّد شیدی, whose full name is Shaheed Hosh Mohammad Sheedi was the General of Talpur Mirs' Army which fought against British in the Battles of Miani and last Battle of Dubbo...
and Urdu poet Noon Meem Danish
Noon Meem Danish
Noor Mohammed Danish is a Pakistani poet of African and Baloch descent. He is more commonly known as Noon Meem Danish or N. M. Danish.-Early life and education:...
. Sheedis are also well known for their excellence in sports, especially in football and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. The musical anthem of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
, "Bija Teer", is a Balochi song in the musical style of the Sheedis with Black African style rhythm and drums. Younis Jani is a popular Sheedi singer famous for singing an Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
version of the reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
song "Papi chulo... (te traigo el mmmm...)
Papi chulo... (te traigo el mmmm...)
"Papi Chulo... " is a 2003 song recorded by rapper and reggaeton artist Lorna. Released as her debut single in 2003 summer, the song achieved a huge success in many countries, becoming a top five hit in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.-Song information:Sponsored by NRJ, the song also...
."
Most Makranis in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
have Black Africans
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
links from the female side. Many Sindhi feudals
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
imported African female slaves; so did the Omani Arabs of Gwadar
Gwadar
Gwadar also known as Godar is a developing port city on the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan. It is the district headquarters of Gwadar District in Balochistan province and has a population of approximately 50,000.Gwadar is strategically located at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the...
, a coastal city of Balochistan which was in control of Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
in the 17th century. According to Dr. Sengupta's seminal study, the Y-DNA analysis reveals E3a at a frequency distribution of 5%. On the other hand, mtDNA analysis reveals approx 40% L1a
Haplogroup L1 (mtDNA)
In human mitochondrial genetics, Haplogroup L1 is a human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup common in Central and West Africa.-Origin:Haplogroup L1 is believed to have appeared approximately 110,000 to 170,000 years ago...
, L2a, L2b, L2d.
Famous Siddis or Sheedis
- Jamal-ud-Din YaqutJamal-ud-Din YaqutJamal-ud-Din Yaqut was an Abyssinian slave who was a close confidante of Razia Sultana, the first female monarch of the Delhi Sultanate in India and is speculated to have been her lover...
, confidante of Razia SultanaRazia SultanaRazia al-Din , throne name Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ , usually referred to in history as Razia Sultan, was the Sultan of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if... - Yakut KhanYakut KhanYakut Khan was a Siddi Naval Admiral and administrator of Janjira Fort who first served under Bijapur Sultanate and later under the Mughal Empire. His real name was Siddi Qasim Khan but was given the title of Yakut Khan by Emperor Alamgir...
, naval admiral - Malik AmbarMalik AmbarMalik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
, prime minister of Ahmadnagar SultanateAhmadnagar SultanateThe Ahmadnagar Sultanate سلطان احمد نگر was a late medieval Indian kingdom, located in the northwestern Deccan, between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur. Malik Ahmad, the Bahmani governor of Junnar after defeating the Bahmani army led by general Jahangir Khan on 28 May 1490 declared... - Hoshu SheediHoshu SheediEmir Hosh Muhammad Sheedi, Hoshu Sheedi جنرل هوش محمد شيدي, جنرل ہوش محمّد شیدی, whose full name is Shaheed Hosh Mohammad Sheedi was the General of Talpur Mirs' Army which fought against British in the Battles of Miani and last Battle of Dubbo...
, Sindhi commander - Noon Meem DanishNoon Meem DanishNoor Mohammed Danish is a Pakistani poet of African and Baloch descent. He is more commonly known as Noon Meem Danish or N. M. Danish.-Early life and education:...
, Urdu poet - Nawab of Janjira
- Juje Siddi, former Indian national football team and Salgaocar SC goalkeeper
Films
- From Africa...To Indian Subcontinent: Sidi Music in the Indian Ocean Diaspora (2003) by Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy, in close collaboration with Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy and the Sidi community.
- Mon petit diable (My Little Devil) (1999) was directed by Gopi Desai. Om Puri, Pooja Batra, Rushabh Patni, Satyajit Sharma.
- Razia Sultan (1983), an Indian Urdu film directed by Kamal Amrohi, is based on the life of Razia Sultan (played by Hema MaliniHema MaliniHema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar , she went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra. She was initially promoted as...
) (1205–1240), the only female Sultan of Delhi (1236–1240), and her speculated love affair with the Abyssinian slave Jamal-ud-Din Yakut (played by DharmendraDharmendraDharmendra Singh Deol |Punjab]]), better known as Dharmendra, is an award-winning Hindi film actor who has appeared in more than 247 Hindi-language films as of 2011. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema and also another Lifetime...
). He was referred to in the movie as a habshee.
Nwab of janjira Murud
Dr.Sanaullah Mohd Chogle
See also
- African PakistaniAfrican PakistaniAfrican Pakistani or Pakistani African may refer to:*Pakistani migrants or descendants in Africa:**Pakistanis in Libya*Siddi, descendants of black African slaves in Pakistan...
- Afro Asians (African Asians)Afro Asians (African Asians)Afro-Asians are African communities have been living in India and the Indian subcontinent for several hundred years and have settled in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India....
- ChaushChaushThe Chaush are a Sunni Muslim community of Hadhrami Arab descent found in the Deccan region of India. An extension of these Arab descendants are also found in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro. It is a Turkish word used particularly during the Ottoman era of the Balkans, 'Chaush' or Čauši were...
- List of Scheduled Tribes in India
- LyariLyariLyari is one of the neighbourhoods of Lyari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Lyari including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim...
- MakraniMakraniMakrani are the inhabitants of Makran coast of Balochistan in Iran and Pakistan.-Sheedi:Black Africans were enslaved and brought to Balochistan in medieval times. The descendants are called Makrani or Sheedi. The Sheedis are a Negroid people in Pakistan...
- MalungaMalungaThe malunga is a single-stringed musical bow played by the Siddi of India, who are the descendants of East African immigrants. It produces two tones, an octave apart, and the knuckle of the hand supporting the instrument may also presses against the string to vary the pitch...
- Manghopir Urs
- Murud-JanjiraMurud-JanjiraMurud-Janjira is the local name for a fort situated on an island just off the coastal village of Murud, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India...
- Noon Meem DanishNoon Meem DanishNoor Mohammed Danish is a Pakistani poet of African and Baloch descent. He is more commonly known as Noon Meem Danish or N. M. Danish.-Early life and education:...
- Pir Mangho UrsPir Mangho UrsPir Mangho Urs is an annual festival at the shrine of Sufi Pir Mangho Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan at Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The urs marks the death anniversary of Pir Mangho and is held annually in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah...
- Pir ManghoPir ManghoPir Mangho is the popular name for Sufi Pir Haji Syed Khawaja Hassan Sakhi Sultan. Legends dating to the 12th century say that Mangho was an adult convert to Islam, a Hindu dacoit caravan looter who changed under the influence of Baba Farid. He was titled a Pir by Baba Farid, whose disciple he...
- Sheedi
- Sheedi MelaSheedi MelaThe Sheedi Mela or Sheedi Jaat or Pir Mangho Urs The festival is famous for the role of the sacred crocodiles of the shrine, and the African-influence rituals of the Sheedi community. The festival attracts many people of all ethnic groups...
- Sri Lanka Kaffirs
- Siddis of KarnatakaSiddis of KarnatakaThe Siddis of Karnataka are a tribe of African descent that has made Karnataka their home for the last 400 years. There is a 50,000 strong Siddhi population across India, of which more than a third live in Karnataka...
- ZanjZanjZanj was a name used by medieval Arab geographers to refer to both a certain portion of the coast of East Africa and its inhabitants, Bantu-speaking peoples called the Zanj...
External links
- Alice Albinia, Empires of the Indus, W. W. Norton & Company, 2010, 52–78.
- Shanti Sadiq Ali, The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times, Orient Blackswan, 1996
- Ababu Minda Yimene, An African Indian Community in Hyderabad: Siddi Identity, Its Maintenance and Change, Cuvillier Verlag, 2004, pg 201
- Omar H. Ali, The African Diaspora in India, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library
- Bantu origins of the Sidis of India; By Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi (2008-10-29) in PAMBAZUKA NEWS
- Indians of African Origin
- Black, Indian, & Hindu
- Habshis and Siddis – Africans and African descendants in South Asia
- The Global African Community/Great Habshis in Ethiopian/Indian History
- History of the Ethiopian Diaspora
- Historical overview of South Asian communities with African roots by Dr Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya
- Pakistan's Sidi keep heritage alive
- BBC: The lost Africans of India
- BBC In pictures: India's African communities
- http://travel.expressindia.com/story/20499.html
- http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=xtras&subsection=womensextra&xfile=January2007_extraspecial_standard805&child=extraspecial