I know SAF has a few percent, 2% I believe, so a shade over a million, but where else are there sizable desi communities in Africa?
Kenya I know off, but how many?
Tanzania? Uganda (have desis returned)?
Any insight will be greatly appreciated.
Re: Asians in Africa?
Tanzania has a lot of Patels.
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Re: Asians in Africa?
We have pakistanis working and owning businesses in Botswana and Mozamabique as well.
Re: Asians in Africa?
basically mostly ex british colonies
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My lot are mainly in Kenya - Nairobi and Mombasa.
Re: Asians in Africa?
Oh guppies actually have family members on the dark continent?
Re: Asians in Africa?
You should know that desis find themselves in every corner of the world.
Re: Asians in Africa?
:D
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So do Desis in Africa go after the local girls? Do their parents approve? When someone marries a local girl, do parents say "Haiii, munda bigar gaya, kali say shaadi kar li."?
Re: Asians in Africa?
One can only hope that rationalism prevails.
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So do Desis in Africa go after the local girls? Do their parents approve? When someone marries a local girl, do parents say "Haiii, munda bigar gaya, kali say shaadi kar li."?
Some (very very tiny amount of people do) but majority do not marry local africans. Still a big taboo. Although upto friendship level, schooling, doing business there is a lot of openness and much mixing. The people who have recently moved from India Pak do not mix as much with african community as those born or lived for a long time in african countries. Its understandable.
Re: Asians in Africa?
Some (very very tiny amount of people do) but majority do not marry local africans. Still a big taboo. Although upto friendship level, schooling, doing business there is a lot of openness and much mixing. The people who have recently moved from India Pak do not mix as much with african community as those born or lived for a long time in african countries. Its understandable.
thanks for the info.
How do visas and stuff work out for recently arrived ones? Is it hard, or hardly necessary?
How do the long time residents get along with the locals? Do they feel superior, inferior, or equal to the locals? Do long time residents feel superior to new comers due to new comers' lack of familiarity with language and culture? Is there any kind of segregation, prejudice or hatred towards our kind?
I know too many questions.
Re: Asians in Africa?
Very difficult now to get residential visas...altho asian people being asian people (including chinese) do find some way or the other...corruption being so rampant. Tourist visas necessary but easy to get...some people pay for visas at airport and get charged various fees ranging from $5 - $100
Upto about 10 yrs ago there was big income-gap btwn asians and africans and europeans. So lot of asians had superior attitude...also were considered generally as "bad" employers. Used to be lot of prejudice towards the asian community...cos we tend to flaunt our money about!! Things have now changed and there is an emerging educated middle class african society highly influenced by western ideals....and really there is very little difference in thinking btwn asians europeans and africans of the similar age range...so all get along pretty happily....generally speaking. The younger asians dont have superiority complex, but there are some old timers who had assimilated so well with local africans that they are remembered by their local community well after their deaths.
Long time asian resident and newly arrivals...lot of superiority attitude from long time resident. But now long time residents have kind of come to accept that the newly arrivals and seen their hard work...so well we all get along quite OK too. Of course language and culture is a must to know if you truly want to be appreciated by locals (of any country).
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Oh guppies actually have family members on the dark continent?
My husbands relatives/friends are in Uganda.
You need help/info?
Re: Asians in Africa?
Depends, here in South Africa it's quite difficult to get a work permit, especially if you're a doctor(?) the UN apparently had told SA that they can't employ drs. from 3rd world countries... this despite the lack of competent drs. here.
Also schools and universities are made in favour of Blacks, due to affirmative action, so it's incredibly difficult for Indians/Pakistanis' to get in to degrees like medicine (Although many still do).
And yeah... that's pretty much it... we have some nice muslim communities here in SA, but they're a bit too holy for me... but my father's in tabligh so, I spend a lot of time with them. Nice people, just holy.
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My husbands relatives/friends are in Uganda. You need help/info?
It just seems to incredibly interesting experience. I assume the desis in Africa are mostly better off by "local" standards, being in biz etc?
Re: Asians in Africa?
^ Yes, that is the case with my in-laws. They are owners of very blooming businesses (varying from steel companies to safari lodges). They're one of the few asian families that decided to stick around during the time of Idi Amin's tiranny. I myself am also very much intrigued by the history of asians there. We're planning to visit some time soon ...
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We're planning to visit some time soon ...
You'd love it. They really like Indian people these days, very open to them.
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^Thanks for the sarcasm LI
I'll be more than safe with my in-laws!
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wow…this thread is soooo annoying
“indians and africans get along so well over here” :halo:
thats far from the truth…the same treatment that the Indian/Pakistani community gives to Black Americans…its the same way Africans are treated by Indians on the African continent…what is worse about this…is that your doing it on their own continent
the Indians and Blacks live in separate communities…the Indians never assimilated into the local culture…that is fine if thats how people choose to live…but dont lie about it…of course Indians and Africans dont intermarry…why would u even think that?
what is bad about this though…is that the Indian community is so segregated… and they keep the wealth within their own community…yet they hire the Africans as their laborers…
yes things are beginning to change…but the Indian community was not the ones to first bring about that change…which should tell you alot about their feelings towards the Africans…
like i said…i am not complaining so much about the way Indians have treated the Africans…because when some people are even the opportunity…they will exploit those less powerful…my complaint is that they would not even be there unless the British gave them the opportunity…and once they set up their communities they chose to exploit the native people living there by the masses…and instead of telling the truth…now they choose to wipe away history and say that “we are getting along so well over here…even though we are rich and utilize our collective wealth and power to exploit”…if the Africans are poor it is “their fault”
im sorry…if my comments are too harsh…but if your going to tell one version of “reality”…and can tell my own as well…i dont think its my job to “save face”…just because im pakistani..i was brought up differently