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The Siddi (), also known as the Sheedi, Sidi, or Siddhi, are an ethno-religious group living mostly in
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
. Some Siddis also live in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. They are primarily descended from the
Bantu peoples The Bantu peoples are an Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct native Demographics of Africa, African List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. The language ...
of the
Zanj Zanj (, adj. , ''Zanjī''; from ) is a term used by medieval Muslim geographers to refer to both a certain portion of Southeast Africa (primarily the Swahili Coast) and to its Bantu inhabitants. It has also been used to refer to Africans col ...
coast in Southeast Africa, most of whom came to the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
through the
Indian Ocean slave trade The Indian Ocean slave trade, sometimes known as the East African slave trade, involved the capture and transportation of predominately sub-Saharan African slaves along the coasts, such as the Swahili Coast and the Horn of Africa, and through ...
. Others arrived as merchants, sailors,
indentured servants Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as payment for some good or ser ...
, and mercenaries.


Etymology

There are conflicting hypotheses on the origin of the name ''Siddi''. One theory is that the word derives from ''sahibi'', an
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
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 ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...
''. A different name occasionally used for the Siddi is the term "Habshi". While originally used to refer specifically to the
Habesha peoples Habesha peoples (; ; ; commonly used exonym: Abyssinians) is an ethnic or pan-ethnic identifier that has historically been applied to Semitic-speaking, predominantly Oriental Orthodox Christian peoples native to the highlands of Ethiopia and ...
, Ethio-Semitic-speakers from
Abyssinia Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...
, the term later became more broadly used to refer to Africans of any ethnicity, but not necessarily referring to the Siddi specifically. Siddis are also sometimes referred to as Afro-Indians. Siddis were referred to as ''
Zanj Zanj (, adj. , ''Zanjī''; from ) is a term used by medieval Muslim geographers to refer to both a certain portion of Southeast Africa (primarily the Swahili Coast) and to its Bantu inhabitants. It has also been used to refer to Africans col ...
i'' by Arabs; in China, various transcriptions of this Arabic word were used, including ''Xinji'' (辛吉) and ''Jinzhi'' (津芝).David Brion Davis, ''Challenging the Boundaries of Slavery'' (Harvard University Press, 2006), p. 12.Roland Oliver, ''Africa in the Iron Age: c.500 BC-1400 AD'', (Cambridge University Press, 1975), p. 192.F. R. C. Bagley et al., ''The Last Great Muslim Empires'', (Brill: 1997), p. 174.


History

The Siddi population derived primarily from
Bantu peoples The Bantu peoples are an Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct native Demographics of Africa, African List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. The language ...
of Southeast Africa who were brought to the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
as slaves. Most of these migrants were or else became
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s, while a small minority became
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
. The
Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
also employed African-origin guards and soldiers. The first Siddis are thought to have arrived in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
in 628 CE at the
Bharuch Bharuch () is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District. The city of Bharuch and surroundings have been settled since times of antiquity. It was a shi ...
port. Several others followed with the first Arab Islamic conquest of the subcontinent in 712 CE. The latter group are believed to have been soldiers with
Muhammad bin Qasim Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim al-Thaqafī (; –) was an Arabs, Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh (and Punjab, part of ancient Sindh), inaugurating the Umayyad campaigns in India. His m ...
's Arab army, and were called ''
Zanj Zanj (, adj. , ''Zanjī''; from ) is a term used by medieval Muslim geographers to refer to both a certain portion of Southeast Africa (primarily the Swahili Coast) and to its Bantu inhabitants. It has also been used to refer to Africans col ...
is''. Some Siddis escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas. Siddis were also brought as slaves by the
Deccan Sultanates The Deccan sultanates is a historiographical term referring to five late medieval to early modern Persianate Indian Muslim kingdoms on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range. They were created from the disintegrati ...
. These Siddis embraced Deccani Muslim culture, and identified with the Deccani
Indian Muslim Islam is India's Religion in India, second-largest religion, with 14.2% of the country's population, or approximately 172.2 million people, identifying as adherents of Islam in a 2011 census. India also has the Islam by country, third-larg ...
political faction against the Iranian Shia immigrants. Several former slaves rose to high ranks in the military and administration, the most prominent of which was Malik Ambar.


Geographical distribution


India

Harris (1971) provides a historical survey of the eastward dispersal of slaves from Southeast Africa to places like India. Hamilton (1990) argues that Siddis in India, their histories, experiences, cultures, and expressions, are integral to the
African Diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from List of ethnic groups of Africa, people from Africa. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the native West Africa, West and Central Africans who were ...
and thus, help better understand the dynamics of dispersed peoples. More recent focused scholarship argues that although Siddis are numerically a minority, their historic presence in India for over five hundred years, as well as their self-perception, and how the broader Indian society relates to them, make them a distinct Bantu/Indian. Historically, Siddis have not existed only within binary relations to the nation state and imperial forces. They did not simply succumb to the ideologies and structures of imperial forces, nor did they simply rebel against imperial rule. The Siddi are recognized as a scheduled tribe in 3 states and 1 union territory:
Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...
,
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
,
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
and
Daman and Diu Daman and Diu (; ) was a union territory in northwestern India. With an area of , it was the smallest administrative subdivision of India on the mainland. The territory comprised two districts, Daman and Diu Island, geographically separated ...
.


Hyderabad

In the 18th century, a Siddi community arrived with the
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
, and frequently served as
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
guards to the Asif Jahi
Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
's army. The Asif Jahi rulers patronised them with rewards and the traditional Marfa music gained popularity and would be performed during official celebrations and ceremonies.


Gujarat

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. On the way to Deva-dungar is the village of Sirvan, inhabited entirely by Siddis. They were brought 300 years ago from Portuguese colonial territories 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 of their Bantu 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 traditional dance forms of the Bantu people inhabiting Central, East and Southern 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. ''Goma'' music comes from the
Kiswahili Swahili, also known as as it is referred to in the Swahili language, is a Bantu language originally spoken by the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent littoral i ...
word "ngoma", which means a drum or drums. It also denotes any dancing occasion where traditional drums are principally used. The majority of the Siddis in Gujarat are Muslims (98.7%), with very few following
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
(1%).Statistics spreadsheet
/ref>


Karnataka

The
Siddis of Karnataka The Siddis of Karnataka () (also spelled Siddhis) are an ethnic group inhabiting India. Members are descended from Bantu peoples from Southeast Africa that were brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves by Portuguese merchants. There is a 5 ...
(also spelled ''Siddhis'') are an ethnic minority group of mainly Bantu descent that has made
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
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 ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
. In Karnataka, they are concentrated around Yellapur, Haliyal, Ankola, Joida, Mundgod and Sirsi taluks of
Uttara Kannada Uttara Kannada is a fifth largest district in the Indian state of Karnataka, It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belagavi districts to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shivamogga District, and Udupi District to ...
and in
Khanapur Khanapur known as Khanapura is a panchayat town in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India. It is about 26 km from Belagavi, the administrative capital of the district. The Khanapur Municipal Council governs the town. Khanapur is the headquar ...
of
Belgaum Belgaum (Kannada ISO 15919, ISO: ''Bēḷagāma'', ), officially known as Belagavi (also Belgaon), is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located near its northern western border in the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters ...
and Kalaghatagi of Dharwad district. Many members of the Siddis community of Karnataka had migrated to
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
after independence and have settled in
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
,
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
. A plurality of the Siddis in Karnataka follow
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
(41.8%), followed by Islam (30.6%) and Christianity (27.4%).Statistics spreadsheet
/ref>


Pakistan

In Pakistan, locals of Bantu descent are called "Sheedi" and "Makrani". They live primarily along the
Makran Makran (), also mentioned in some sources as ''Mecran'' and ''Mokrān'', is the southern coastal region of Balochistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in the Balochistan province in Pakistan and in Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. I ...
in
Balochistan Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region o ...
, and Southern
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
. Even though most Sheedis today in Pakistan are of mixed heritage and the number population is complex to determine, the population in 2018 was estimated to be of around 250,000.Paracha, Nadeem (26 August 2018)
"Smokers' corner: Sindh's African roots "
''Dawn''.
Many Sheedis have largely assimilated into the larger Baloch identity, and linguistically, they speak variations of Balochi, Sindhi (in Karachi), and have created a distinct dialect of
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
named ''Makrani'', with Urdu words mixed with Balochi and Sindhi expressions and common English terms, mainly picked up from English films and TV series. Although Sheedi remains a neutral term, many individuals are moving away from it, instead adopting the surname Qambrani, in reverence to
Qambar Qambar, is the headquarter of the Qambar Shahdadkot District of Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in ...
, the freed slave of Ali, while others prefer the name Bilali, referencing
Bilal __NOTOC__ Bilal may refer to: People * Bilal (name), or Belal or Bilel, including a list of people with the name * Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Muhammad, made calls for prayers * Bilal (American singer) * Bilal (Lebanese singer) Places * Bi ...
, a companion of
Prophet Muhammad In Islam, Muhammad () is venerated as the Seal of the Prophets who transmitted the Quran, eternal word of God () from the Angels in Islam, angel Gabriel () to humans and jinn. Muslims believe that the Quran, the central religious text of Isl ...
.


Sindh

African presence in Sindh is documented from 711 A.D. after the
Umayyad conquest of Sindh The Umayyad conquest of Sindh took place in 711 AD and resulted in Sindh being incorporated as a province into the Umayyad Caliphate. The conquest resulted in the overthrow of the last Hindu dynasty of Sindh, the Brahmin dynasty, after the death ...
. However, significant African slave importation to Sindh occurred from the late 18th to mid-19th centuries, during the peak of the Omani-Arab slave trade. Slaves mostly from modern-day
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
and
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
, were captured and sold in
Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...
, then shipped to
Muscat Muscat (, ) is the capital and most populous city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million. ...
until reaching Karachi. The demand for African slaves increased in Sindh as the Talpur rulers granted land to Baloch warlords, who sought slaves. A few slaves, due to their intelligence and loyalty, rose to prominence. Hoshu Sheedi is known to have fought during the British invasion, particularly at the
Battle of Hyderabad The Battle of Hyderabad (), sometimes called the Battle of Dubbo, was one of the major campaigns of the British against Sindh, which was fought on 24 March 1843 between the forces of the British East India Company and the Talpur dynasty, Talpur ...
in 1843, where he died fighting. He is remembered as a hero and symbol of Sindhi resistance, with his battle cry: "My head you may take, but my Sindh I will not forsake." After the British defeated the Talpurs, slavery and the slave trade were ironically banned in Sindh, leading to the emancipation of the Sheedi community. Sheedis are largely populated in different towns and villages in southern
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
. In the city of
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
, the main Sheedi centre is the area of Lyari and other nearby coastal areas. The Mombasa street in Lyari is named after the city of
Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
in Kenya. The children of interracial marriage of a Sindhi man and a Sheedi woman are called Gadra/Gada/Guda. Most Sheedis in Karachi are historically associated with the fishing business, traditionally working as fishermen, sailors and small boat operators. They also constitute the largest labour force employed at the
Port of Karachi The Port of Karachi (, ''Bandar gāh Karāchī'') is one of South Asia's largest and busiest deep-water seaports, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo (25 million tons per annum) located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is located on the Karachi H ...
and harbour. Many increasingly have pursued higher professions. Muhammad Siddique Musafir was a popular writer and poet of the
Sindhi language Sindhi ( ; or , ) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by more than 30 million people in the Pakistani province of Sindh, where it has official status, as well as by 1.7 million people in India, where it is a Scheduled languages of India, schedu ...
. During the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
, notable Sheedi descent leaders emerged through local self-government initiatives, including the mayor of Karachi Allah Bakhsh Gabol. His son Abdul Sattar Gabol became one of the founding members of the
Pakistan People's Party The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is a political party in Pakistan and one of the three major Pakistani political parties alongside the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. With a centre-left political position, it is cu ...
. Tanzeela Qambrani became the first Sheedi woman to be elected as the member of
Provincial Assembly of Sindh The Provincial Assembly of Sindh is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the Pakistani province of Sindh, and is located in Karachi, its provincial capital. It was established under Article 106 of the Constitution of Pakis ...
in
2018 Pakistani general election General elections were held in Pakistan on 25 July 2018 to elect the members of the 15th National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies. The three major parties were Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Imran Khan, the Pakistan Muslim ...
.


Balochistan

The arrival of Africans on the
Makran Makran (), also mentioned in some sources as ''Mecran'' and ''Mokrān'', is the southern coastal region of Balochistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in the Balochistan province in Pakistan and in Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. I ...
coast of
Balochistan Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region o ...
is tied to the same slave trade that brought Sindhi Sheedis from East Africa. However, their journey was likely more intricate due to the historical recruitment of Baloch mercenaries by the rulers of
Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...
, along with African slaves as soldiers and laborers on date farms. This created a historical link between the two groups. In 1782, the ruler of the Khanate of Kalat, who controlled Makran, ceded
Gwadar Gwadar (, ) is a Port, port city on the southwestern coast of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan. The city is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, opposite Oman and has a populati ...
and surrounding territories to Oman, facilitating further interaction between the two groups. As the 18th century progressed, the Sultan of Oman expanded his influence along the Iranian coast acquiring various ports, which allowed African slaves engaged in maritime activities to reach Gwadar and other regions that are now part of Pakistan. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, famines and slave rebellions in coastal Iran led to the liberation and migration of many slaves and free individuals towards the East, with a significant number settling in eastern Makran. Many ultimately moved to Lyari in Karachi. In the interior of the Makran district and surrounding Balochistan areas, where Sheedis were historically used as slave laborers on date farms, many still find themselves in bonded labor situations today. Despite the formal abolition of slavery by the ruler of Kalat in 1914, the practice of keeping domestic slaves persisted until the late 1950s. Today, some landlords and religious leaders continue to employ black servants.


Genetics

Recent advances in genetic analyses have helped shed some light on the
ethnogenesis Ethnogenesis (; ) is the formation and development of an ethnic group. This can originate by group self-identification or by outside identification. The term ''ethnogenesis'' was originally a mid-19th-century neologism that was later introduce ...
of the Siddi.
Genetic genealogy Genetic genealogy is the use of genealogical DNA tests, i.e., DNA profiling and DNA testing, in combination with traditional genealogical methods, to infer genetic relationships between individuals. This application of genetics came to be use ...
, although a novel tool that uses the genes of modern populations to trace their ethnic and geographic origins, has also helped clarify the possible background of the modern Siddi.


Y DNA

A
Y-chromosome The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes in therian mammals and other organisms. Along with the X chromosome, it is part of the XY sex-determination system, in which the Y is the sex-determining chromosome because the presence of the Y ...
study by Shah et al. (2011) tested Siddi individuals in India for paternal lineages. The authors observed the E1b1a1-M2 haplogroup, which is frequent among
Bantu peoples The Bantu peoples are an Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct native Demographics of Africa, African List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. The language ...
, in about 42% and 34% of Siddis from
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
and
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
, respectively. Around 14% of Siddis from Karnataka and 35% of Siddis from Gujarat also belonged to the Sub-Saharan B-M60. The remaining Siddis had Indian associated or Near Eastern-linked clades, including haplogroups P, H, R1a-M17, J2 and L-M20. Thangaraj (2009) observed similar, mainly Bantu-linked paternal affinities amongst the Siddi. Qamar et al. (2002) analysed Makrani Sheedis in Pakistan and found that they instead predominantly carried Indian-associated or Near Eastern-linked haplogroups. R1a1a-M17 (30.30%), J2 (18.18%) and R2 (18.18%) were their most common male lineages. Only around 12% carried Africa-derived clades, which mainly consisted of the archaic haplogroup B-M60, of which they bore the highest frequency of any Pakistani population Underhill et al. (2009) likewise detected a relatively high frequency of R1a1a-M17 (25%) subclade among Makrani Sheedis.


mtDNA

According to an
mtDNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the DNA contained in ...
study by Shah et al. (2011), the maternal ancestry of the Siddi consists of mostly Bantu-associated haplogroups with barely any Indian-associated haplogroups, reflecting insignificant female gene flow from neighbouring Indian populations. About 95% of the Siddis from Gujarat and 99% of the Siddis from Karnataka belonged to various Bantu-derived
macro-haplogroup L In human mitochondrial genetics, L is the Human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup, mitochondrial DNA macro-haplogroup that is at the root of the anatomically modern human (''Homo sapiens'') mtDNA phylogenetic tree. As such, it represents the most an ...
subclades. The latter mainly consisted of L0 and L2a sublineages associated with Bantu women. The remainder possessed Indian-specific subclades of the Eurasian haplogroups M and N, which points to recent admixture with autochthonous Indian groups.


Autosomal DNA

Narang et al. (2011) examined the
autosomal An autosome is any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. The members of an autosome pair in a diploid cell have the same morphology, unlike those in allosomal (sex chromosome) pairs, which may have different structures. The DNA in autosome ...
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
of Siddis in India. According to the researchers, about 58% of the Siddis' ancestry is derived from Bantu peoples. The remainder is associated with locals North and Northwest Indian populations, due to recent admixture events. Similarly, Shah et al. (2011) observed that Siddis in Gujarat derive 66.90%–70.50% of their ancestry from Bantu forebears, while the Siddis in Karnataka possess 64.80%–74.40% such Southeast African ancestry. The remaining autosomal DNA components in the studied Siddi were mainly associated with local South Asian populations. According to the authors, gene flow between the Siddis' Bantu ancestors and local Indian populations was also largely unidirectional. They estimate this admixture episode's time of occurrence at within the past 200 years or eight generations.


Culture

While they have assimilated in many ways to the dominant culture, they have also kept some ancestral practices especially in music and dance. Like other ethnic groups separated by geography, there are both differences and similarities in cultural practices among the Siddi.


Clothing

When it comes to dress, women and men dress in typical South Asian attires. Siddi women wear the garments predominant in their locale, which can be colorful
sari A sari (also called sharee, saree or sadi)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * is a drape (cloth) and a women's garment in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of an un-sti ...
s accessorised with bindis in India or salwar kameez in Pakistan. Men wear what is generally appropriate for men in their communities.


Festivals

The annual Sheedi Mela festival in Pakistan is the key event in the Sheedi community's cultural calendar.Sheedi Mela begins with ritual aplomb
''
The News International ''The News International'', published in broadsheet size, is one of the largest English language newspapers in Pakistan. It is published daily from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/ Islamabad. An overseas edition is published from London th ...
'', 7 July 2008.
Some glimpses of the rituals at the festival include visit to sacred alligators at Mangopir, playing music and dance. Clearly, the instrument, songs and dance appear to be derived from Africa. They are also active in cultural activities and annual festivals, like the Habash Festival, with the support of several community organisations. In
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
, Sheedi men perform a unique dance on "mugarman" an ancestral traditional musical instrument of Sheedis, dressed in their traditional attire with markings on face, they also perform dangerous stunts while performing like spitting fire out of mouth, the dance is generally called as Sheedi dance.


Music

In the nascent Baloch culture awareness in the 20th century, many individuals involved in this cultural and political revitalization were of African descent. Among them was Bilawal Belgium from Lyari, who gained national and international acclaim for his mastery of the
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...
for Sindhi and Balochi music on
Radio Pakistan The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (); also known as ''Radio Pakistan'', serves as the national public broadcaster for radio in Pakistan. Although some local stations predate its founding, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in P ...
and as a member of Pakistan's official music groups travelling to different countries.


Assimilation

Generally, the Siddi primarily associate and marry members of their own communities. It is rare for the Siddi to marry outside of their communities although in Pakistan a growing number of the Sheedi intermarry as a way to dilute their African lineage and reduce racial discrimination and prejudice. Siddi communities, although classified as a tribe by the Indian government, primarily live in agricultural communities where men are responsible for the farming and women are responsible for the home and children. Outside of their communities, men also tend to be employed as farm hands, drivers, manual laborers, and security guards. As in other aspects of life, the Siddi have adopted the common dietary practices of the dominant society. An example of a staple meal would be a large portions of rice with dal and pickles.


Sports

Athletics has been an important part of the Siddi community and has been a means to uplift youth and a means of escape from poverty and discrimination.
Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
and
boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
are the most popular sports, and some of the most notable boxers and footballers in Pakistan have emerged from the Sheedi community. The Sheedi community has played a large role in Pakistani football history. In its early years, football in Pakistan was mainly concentrated to
Balochistan Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region o ...
and the locality of Lyari, from where majority of players of the
Pakistan national football team The Pakistan national football team () represents Pakistan in men's international Association football, football in FIFA-authorized events and is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Pakistan. Paki ...
were recruited mainly in the 1960s, which is often regarded as the early
golden age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...
of Pakistani football. Notable Sheedi players during this period include Abdul Ghafoor, nicknamed the "Pakistani
Pelé Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; 23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), better known by his nickname Pelé (), was a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Widely reg ...
" and "Black Pearl of Pakistan", Muhammad Umer, Moosa Ghazi, Abid Ghazi, Turab Ali, Abdullah Rahi,
Murad Bakhsh Mirza Muhammad Murad Bakhsh (9 October 1624 – 14 December 1661) was a Mughal Empire, Mughal prince and the youngest surviving son of Mughal Empire, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Empress Mumtaz Mahal. He was the Subahdar of Balkh, till he ...
, Qadir Bakhsh, Maula Bakhsh, among others.


Religion

Siddis are primarily Muslims, although some are
Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
and others belong to the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. Majority of Sheedis in Pakistan belong to the Sunni
Barelvi The Barelvi movement, also known as Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah (People of the Prophet's Way and the Community) is a Sunni revivalist movement that generally adheres to the Hanafi school, Hanafi and Shafi'i school, Shafi'i schools of jurisprudenc ...
school of faith. The
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
saint Pir Mangho is regarded by many as an important
Wali The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...
, and the annual Sheedi Mela festival is the key event in the Sheedi community's cultural calendar.


Films and books

* ''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 Om Prakash Puri, (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Hindi films as well as Urdu, Malayalam, Bengali, Kannada, English, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, and Marathi films, as well as ind ...
,
Pooja Batra Pooja Batra Shah (born 27 October 1975) is an Indian-American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She primarily works in Hindi films. She won the runner-up title at the Femina Miss India contest in 1993 and was crowned Femina Miss ...
, Rushabh Patni,
Satyajit Sharma Satyajit Sharma is an Indian actor who works in Indian films and television. Filmography Television References External links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Satyajit 1969 births Living people People from Mahendragarh Male actors fro ...
. * ''
Razia Sultan Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din ( Hindustani (Hindi): रज़िय्यत उद दुन्या व उद दीन, ; 1205 – 15 October 1240, ), popularly known as Razia Sultan, was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the northern part ...
'' (1983), an Indian Urdu film directed by Kamal Amrohi, is based on the life of
Razia Sultan Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din ( Hindustani (Hindi): रज़िय्यत उद दुन्या व उद दीन, ; 1205 – 15 October 1240, ), popularly known as Razia Sultan, was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the northern part ...
(played by
Hema Malini Hema Malini Dharmendra Deol (born 16 October 1948; ) is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician who is currently serving as a member of the Lok Sabha from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), representing Mathura constituency since 2 ...
) (1205–1240), the only female
Sultan of Delhi The Sultan of Delhi was the absolute monarch of the Delhi Sultanate which stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent during the period of medieval era, for 320 years (1206–1526).Jamal-ud-Din Yakut (played by
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
). He was referred to in the movie as a ''habshee''. * ''A Certain Grace: The Sidi, Indians of African Descent'' by Ketaki Sheth, Photolink, 2013. * ''Shaping Membership, Defining Nation: The Cultural Politics of African Indians in South Asia'' (2007) by Pashington Obeng. * ''Inside a Lost African Tribe Still Living in India Today'' (2018) by Asha Stuart *
#unfair
' (2019) a film produced b
Public Service Broadcast Trust
directed by Wenceslaus Mendes, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Anushka Matthews, Mohit Bhalla


Notable Siddis

* Malik Ambar, military leader * Hassan Ali Mirza, first nawab of Murshidabad * Shantaram Siddi, politician; first ever Indian legislator of African descent * Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, slave-turned-nobleman and a close confidant of Delhi Sultanate monarch Razia Sultana * Zamor, French revolutionary


See also

* Afro-Iranians *
Afro-Asians in South Asia Afro-Asians (or African Asians) are African communities that have been living on the Indian subcontinent for centuries and have settled in countries such as India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This includes the Siddis (who have been living in India ...
* Africa–India relations *
Dougla people Dougla people (plural ''Dougla’s'') is the term used to describe Caribbean people who are of mixed Afro-Caribbean and Indo-Caribbean. Definition The word ''Dougla'' originated from dogala (), which is a Caribbean Hindustani word that literall ...
* Habshi dynasty *
Sri Lanka Kaffirs The Sri Lankan Kaffirs (cafrinhas in Portuguese language, Portuguese, කාපිරි ''kāpiriyō'' in Sinhalese language, Sinhala, and காப்பிலி ''kāppili'' in Tamil language, Tamil) are an ethnic group in Sri Lanka who are pa ...
* List of Scheduled Tribes in India


References


External links


"Karnataka's Indian-African Tribe"
''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'', 26 March 2012. * 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, p. 201. * Omar H. Ali
''The African Diaspora in India''
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library. * Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi
"Bantu origins of the Sidis of India"
in ''Pambazuka News'', 29 October 2008.
"Habshis and Siddis – Africans and African descendants in South Asia"
ColorQ World.

* ttp://www.addistribune.com/Archives/2000/04/21-04-00/Hist.htm History of the Ethiopian Diaspora* Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya
"South Asia's Africans: A Forgotten People"
History Workshop, 5 February 2011.

The Express Travel * Willie Molesi, ''Africans and Indians: The Gulf Between'', {{Authority control * African diaspora in Pakistan Social groups of Balochistan, Pakistan Social groups of Sindh African diaspora in India Ethnic groups in India Muslim communities of India Tribal communities of Gujarat Muslim communities of Karnataka Tribal communities of Maharashtra Sindhi tribes Tribal communities of Telangana Indian Ocean slave trade