The Indian community in Malta ( mt, Il-Komunità Indjana f’Malta) is composed of around 3,200 people (estimate 2009), representing just under 0.5% of the population of
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. The majority have been living in Malta since the
Crown Colony Period.
Malta has a well-established small Sindhi trading community of about 45 families (200 people) of shop-keepers from the town of
Hyderabad, Sindh (in today's
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
) that traces its roots to migration starting around 1887 when Malta was under British colonial rule. While both countries were under British rule, Malta served as one of the trading roots for exporting silk. Indian-made hand loom clothes were sought after by Europe for many centuries. Following the
partition of India and due to immigration laws in Malta, Indian immigration to Malta stopped between 1952 and 1985.
Since the 1990s, a new wave of immigration from India brought to
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
a larger community from
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. There are currently about 3,000 Indians in Malta, working mainly in the health and hospitality sectors, almost half of whom stem from Kerala. Since 2017 Kerala Indians in Malta gather annually to celebrate the
Onam
Onam ( ) is an annual Indian harvest festival celebrated predominantly by the Hindus of Kerala. A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events.
Onam commemorates Vamana ...
festival.
History of the Sindhi community in Malta
The historical community of Indian Maltese derives from the ''bahiband''
jati of the tiny Hindu Sindhi community. Following the British annexation of Sindh in 1843, a group of entrepreneurs from
Hyderabad, Sindh set out for business opportunities in the rest of the Empire, originally trading in handicrafts from Sindhi (and hence becoming known as
Sindhi workies Sindhi workies, (''alternatively'' Sindworkis, Sindworkies ''or'' Sindwork merchants, ( sd, سِنڌُ وَرِڪِي ; ur, سندھ ورکی ; hi, सिंधवर्की), were wealthy Hindu traders and merchants from the Sindh region of Br ...
), establishing a
trade diaspora facilitated by the new
Suez canal, the
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
and the railway lines. Since the 1860s Hyderabadi traders soon set up business in Japan,
Ceylon,
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
,
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
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and Hong Kong.
The Sindhi trade diaspora intercepted the growing tourism from Britain and Northern Europe in the Mediterranean as a profitable market for high-value Sindhi handicrafts. They later diversified into silk and curiosities, adding products from the Far East, such as Japanese ceramics and kimono, to their catalogue. They also contributed to the growth of Gozo's
Maltese lace industry, exporting it as far as
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
and
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
.
In 1887 the firm ''Pohoomull Brothers'' applied to set up a shop in British-ruled
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. By 1910, more than 10 Sindhi firms had a business in Malta, which was a node in a global trade network. This small number of Sindhis held shops in the central shopping thoroughfare of
Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an administrative unit and capital of Malta. Located on the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, its population within administrative limits in 2014 wa ...
, ''Strada Reale'' (later Kingsway, today's Republic Street) to cater for a high-end tourist market (a typical shopfront sign would read "Grand Indo-Egyptian Persian Bazaar – Suppliers to the German Imperial Family"), as well as branch shops and itinerary peddlers.
"From the time a ship dropped anchor to the time it left Malta, the visitor was tempted constantly by the Sindworkis' wares" (Falzon 2001). Maltese shops were local branches of the central firm, in
Hyderabad, Sindh, from where personnel was selected (usually by kinship links) and sent to Malta for few years.
Sindhi workers, as young as 15, used to share firm-provided housing in Valletta or
Floriana
Floriana ( mt, Il-Furjana or ''Il-Floriana''), also known by its title Borgo Vilhena, is a fortified town in the South Eastern Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. It has a population of 2,205 as of March 2014. Floriana ...
, and migrant men were not allowed to bring along their spouses or dependants. Working time was extended (up to 15 hours a day, without any weekend) and workers were treated as personal servants by shop managers. Firms expected total loyalty from their employees and socialisation was not encouraged.
A change occurred in British ruled Malta in 1930s: with the great recession, the tourist market subsided, and many enterprising Sindh shop keepers cut their investments in Malta. The shops were sold to former employees, ready to operate at smaller profits. Shops became family-owned. The
partition of India did not lead to an influx of Sindhis (Malta was deemed too small to offer opportunities) and the strict immigration rules of the 1952–1985 period meant that only newly-wed men to Maltese Indian girls could move to Malta. Sindhi businesses adapted by diversification their product lines, to cater more for the domestic consumption of the Maltese, moving in the import, wholesale and retail of textiles.
After the Second World War
After the second world war, the Sindhis were ready to profit from the newly-found affluence of British ruled Maltese society, monopolising the textile trade. With the groth of female workforce in Malta since the 1970s, Sindhi traders introduce ready-made to cater for the lower-middle end of the market. Thanks to their network of trans-local trade, they soon became wholesalers of cloths and textiles for the Maltese retailers. The few firms which had remained in the trade of curiosities opened up since the 1980s to cheap electronics and adapted to the new influx of tourists in Malta in the 1970s and 1980s, moving into the souvenir market thanks to their long-held position on
Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an administrative unit and capital of Malta. Located on the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, its population within administrative limits in 2014 wa ...
's thoroughfare. Further diversification and integration of Sindhi businesses within the wider Maltese economy is reported at the end of the 20th century.
Vaswani-Nandwani marriage in Malta, 1958.jpg, Two prominent Sindhi families in Malta: the Vaswanis and the Nandwanis
Sindhi Boys night out in Malta.jpg, Sindhi Boys night out in Malta, 1960s
Sindhi Community in Malta get-together 1.jpg, Sindhi Community in Malta get-together, 1960s
Sindhi Community in Malta get-together 2.jpg, Sindhi Community in Malta get-together, 1960s
Sindhi family day out in Malta.jpg, Sindhi family day out in Malta, 1960s
Sindhi kids playing in Malta, early 1960s.jpg, Sindhi kids playing in Malta, early 1960s
Associations and cult
![Cardinal Valerian Gracias in Malta](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Cardinal_Valerian_Gracias_in_Malta.jpg)
In 1955 the Sindhi traders in Malta gathered in the ''Indian Merchants' Association (Malta)'', as the links to Hyderabad had been severed with the Partition. The association was never particularly active, and in 1989 it was renamed the ''Maltese-Indian Community'' with following address: 1st floor, 'Sukh Sagar', 'The Maltese-Indian Community Centre', 25 Triq Bella Vista,
San Gwann SGN 2690 , marking the shift towards the self-perception as a localised ethno-cultural group.
The centre includes a
mandir open each Sunday from 11 to 12 am.
The small community continues to maintain Indian traditions in Malta, such as privately organising celebrations of
Diwali,
Holi
Holi (), also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love,The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...". is an ancient Hindu religious festival ...
Onam
Onam ( ) is an annual Indian harvest festival celebrated predominantly by the Hindus of Kerala. A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events.
Onam commemorates Vamana ...
and other
Hindu festivals
Across the globe, Hindus celebrate a diverse number of festivals and celebrations, typically marking events from ancient India and often coinciding with seasonal changes. These celebrations take place either on a fixed annual date on the solar ...
.
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and other religions of Indian origin (
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
,
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
and
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle bein ...
) are not officially recognized and are described as cults in Malta.
Typical surnames of the Sindhi Maltese community include Vaswani, Nandwani, Keswani, Bharwani and Balani.
Memorials
There is a memorial at
Ta' Braxia Cemetery
Ta' Braxia Cemetery ( mt, Iċ-Ċimiterju ta' Braxa) is a cemetery in Gwardamanġa, located near the boundary between Pietà and Ħamrun, Malta. It was built between 1855 and 1857 as a multi-denomination burial ground primarily intended for Britis ...
to twenty-eight Indians who fought on behalf of the British in World War I and died of wounds or illnesses in Malta. The bodies of 13 British-Indian soldiers and seven men of the Labour Corps were cremated at the
Lazzaretto
A lazaretto or lazaret (from it, lazzaretto a diminutive form of the Italian word for beggar cf. lazzaro) is a quarantine station for maritime travellers. Lazarets can be ships permanently at anchor, isolated islands, or mainland buildings. ...
Cemetery on
Manoel Island. Few of the Indians who died in Malta are Rifleman Dadrat Gurung, Havildar Jitbhadhur Thapa, Daffadar (Sergeant) Bal Ram, Driver Moti Lal, Driver Jai Ram and Labourer Khew Marak.
Deceased Hindus and of other eastern religions (Buddhists, Sikhs and Jain) are buried with Catholic funeral rites in Malta, instead of being cremated, with the permission of their families. This is, in part, due to cremation only having been legalized in Malta in 2019.
See also
*
India–Malta relations
India-Malta relations are the diplomatic relations between India and Malta. With the rapid economic rise of India as the fifth largest global economy Malta opened a High Commission in New Delhi in 2007. with Consulates in Chennai, Mumbai and Ko ...
*
Immigration to Malta
Immigration to Malta has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2011, immigration contributed to 4.9% of the total population of the Maltese islands in 2011, i.e. 20,289 persons of non-Maltese citizenship, of whom 643 were born in Malta. ...
*
Hinduism in Malta
References
Bibliography
*
Links
Multicultural Malta ''Times of Malta''
{{Indian diaspora
Immigration to Malta
Sindhi diaspora