The Siddi are a unique people in that they are both African and Indian, speaking the Gujariti language. The Siddi people, who trace their roots to Africa, have been living in India and Pakistan virtually unnoticed for thousands of years. The Siddi ancestors originated among the Bantu people of East Africa and were brought to India first by the Arabs in the 7th century and then by the Portuguese and the British as slaves and indentured laborers. Other free people, including merchants, sailors, and mercenaries, also made their way to India.
After slavery was abolished in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Siddis fled into the country' s deep forests for fear of being captured and tortured. The name " Abyssinian, " which is Persian for " Abyssinian, " is the name by which these Africans arrived in India (the former name of Ethiopia was Abyssinia).
Siddi, which may derive from the Arabic word for master (sayed/sayyid) and was bestowed upon members of the royal family, was, nevertheless, the chosen title of individuals who had already attained a high position in society.
All people of African descent in India are now referred to as Siddi, but when this shift occurred is unknown. The Siddi are currently estimated to number at least 850 000 people. However, they are an oppressed and marginalized minority ethnicity in India.
They have settled in the cities of Gujarat, Karnataka, and Hyderabad in India. mainly in the Makran and Karachi regions of Pakistan.
The vast majority of Siddis are Muslims, but there are also Christians and Hindus among them.
They have managed to keep their distinct African identity through the years despite being marginalized and other circumstances such as intra- tribal marriage. African cultures, including music and dance, have survived almost unchanged.
The African people are also distinguished by another one of their distinctive characteristics: their exceptional athleticism. Their most famous athlete is the internationally renowned Kamala Mingel Siddi.
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