Desi

Desi ( or or ; Hindustani: देसी , , ) also Deshi, is a loose term used to describe the peoples, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and their diaspora, derived from Sanskrit (), meaning 'land' or 'country'. Desi traces its origin to the people from the South Asian republics of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, and may also sometimes be extended to include peoples, cultures and products of Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

Etymology

The ethnonym belongs in the endonymic category (i.e., it is a self-appellation). ''Desi'' (/ ''desī'') is a Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) word, meaning 'national', ultimately from Sanskrit ', derived from ' () 'region, province, country'. The first known usage of the Sanskrit word is found in the ''Natya Shastra'' (~200 BCE), where it defines the regional varieties of folk performing arts, as opposed to the classical, pan-Indian ''margi''. Thus, ' () refers to one's own country or homeland, while ' () refers to another's country or a foreign land.

Usage

The word ''Desi'' is widely used by South Asians, as well those of the South Asian diaspora, to describe themselves; those of South Asian origin, especially Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, use the term "as a means of asserting or reclaiming a sense of pride" in being South Asian, "particularly in the face of racism, discrimination, and stigmatization" of minorities in various parts of the world. With regard to usage of the word ''Desi'', Helen Kim writes:

Among teenagers who have ancestral roots in the Indian subcontinent, the term ''Desi'' is "embraced to elucidate a new inclusive identity of South Asians in the US, who participate as 'public consumers and producers of a distinctive, widely circulating cultural and linguistic forms'." To this end, channels such as MTV Desi have recognized "the transnational nature of Desi youth culture, writers, producers, and VJs" and have shared "a range of topics relating to life in South Asia and the South Asian diaspora worldwide".

"Desi" is sometimes perceived as offensive among some South Asian expatriates, as they claim that it erases the diversity of cultural identities within the South Asian community, and that it primarily identifies the dominant North Indian community while excluding other South Asian groups. Some resist the label, citing historical Indian imperialism and cultural hegemony. They believe that terms like "Desi" impose a homogenous identity and fail to acknowledge the pluralistic nature of South Asian communities. Alternatives like "South Asian" or "Brown" have been proposed, but they also have their limitations and can be perceived as misleading or exclusive. While some individuals find the term "South Asian" inclusive and encompassing, others feel it does not fully capture their specific backgrounds. The complexity and diversity of the diaspora necessitate recognizing multiple identities and resisting the tendency to homogenize or erase particular communities.

Among non-diasporic South Asians, the term ''Desi'' is sometimes used to indicate that a person is rural, unexposed to foreign/modern culture, and more deeply steeped in native South Asian culture.

History

The word "Desi" comes from the Sanskrit word "Desh" meaning "country". The word "Desi" is used to refer to something "from the country" and with time its usage shifted towards referring to people, cultures, and products of a specific region; for example, desi food, desi calendars, and desi dress.

Desi contrasts with the Bengali and Hindustani language word ''vilāyati'' (Anglicised as " Blighty") meaning 'foreign', which more specifically came to mean 'European', and 'British; English' during the time of the British Raj in colonial India. The word is a loan of Indian Persian (), from () meaning 'Iran' and later 'Europe' or 'Britain', ultimately from Arabic meaning 'state, province'.

After the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the United States dramatically increased immigration from the subcontinent. As increasing numbers of students from the subcontinent arrived in the US and UK, their countries of origin were colloquially referred to as '. For example, all things Indian including Indian expatriates were referred to as "desi".

Culture

Frank Anthony, an Anglo-Indian Christian leader who helped write the Constitution of India stated that unlike Europe, “ olonialIndia had achieved a basic ethnic and cultural unity.” (the boundaries of colonial India include the modern-day republics of independent India, as well as what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh.)

In the United States, as in other countries, some diaspora desis are creating a "fusion" culture, in which foods, fashions, music, and the like from many areas of South Asia are "fused" both with each other and with elements from Western culture. For example, Urban Desi is a genre of music formed by the fusion of traditional South Asian music and Western urban music. The growing demand of popular programming for South Asians caused MTV to launch the desi-targeted television channel MTV Desi.

In the United Kingdom, desi communities have continued the fusion culture which first emerged during the 89 year rule of the British Raj in colonial India, influencing British music, art, fashion and food. There are now dedicated radio stations catering to British-South Asians such as the BBC Asian Network.

In Canada, desis have established sizable ethnic enclaves in areas such as Brampton, Ontario (suburban Toronto) and Surrey, British Columbia (suburban Vancouver).

Performing arts

The Natya Shastra refers to the regional varieties of folk dance and music elements as ''desi'', and states that these are meant as pure entertainment for common people, while the pan-Indian ''margi'' elements are to spiritually enlighten the audience. The medieval developments of the classical Indian dance and music led to the introduction of desi gharanas, in addition to the classical gharanas codified in Natya Shastra. The ''desi'' gharanas further developed into the present-day adavus. There is raga in Indian classical music known as "Desi".

Food and drink

In regions of South Asia, ''desi'' in the context of food, implies "native" or "traditional". For example, "Desi chicken" may refer to a native breed of chicken. This word is also usually restricted to Sanskrit-derived (Indo-Aryan) languages.

Heritage varieties of vegetables and other produce can also be qualified as "desi". "Desi diet" refers to a diet and food choices followed by Indians around the world. '' Desi daru'' refers to "country liquor", such as fenny, toddy and arrack. It is differentiated from Indian-made foreign liquor such as Indian-made whisky, rum, or vodka.

Desi pubs

In the United Kingdom, the term Desi pub is used to describe a pub which is owned or managed by an Indian landlord, or which serves Punjabi food. They developed during the 1960s and 1970s at a time when some British pubs enforced color bars to prevent Indians and other immigrants from drinking there. Desi pubs are especially common in the Black Country and surrounding areas of the West Midlands. As well as drinking places, they also act as community hubs and meeting places for people from different backgrounds and are considered to be an example of successful integration of Indian immigrants into British culture.

See also

* American-born confused desi
* Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb
* Greater India
* Little Bangladesh
* Little India
* Little Pakistan
* South Asian Heritage Month
* Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
* Indian Arrival Day
* ''Pinoy'', an analogous term for Filipinos
* '' Habesha'', an analogous term for Ethiopians and Eritreans

Notes

References

{{South Asian topics
Culture of Indian diaspora
Culture of Pakistani diaspora
Desi culture
Ethnonyms
Hindi words and phrases
Indian slang
Culture of Pakistan
Pakistani slang
South Asian people
Culture of South Asia
Urdu-language words and phrases
Culture of Bengal
Bengali words and phrases