Diaspora and africanity among the siddis of Karnataka

Abstract

Should the Siddis of Karnataka be understood as part of the African Diaspora? Setting out from a theoretical reflection on some paradigmatic conceptions of the term diaspora, this article examines not only rival academic positions on ‘African descendants’ in India, but above all recent transformations in their communities that have made Africanity and diaspora important references in the political struggle of the so-called Siddis. I argue that neither Africanities nor diasporas are ahistorical ideas and / or social practices with fixed contents; its analysis needs to contemplate the mutual repercussions between theoretical-conceptual discussions and concrete historical contexts.

Keywords

• diáspora, africanidade, índia