THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT

An East African community arrived and settled in the Indian subcontinent during the 1200AD and 1900AD period. They are believed to have been descendants of slaves, sailors, servants and merchants from East Africa. They were to be known as the sidis. A large number occurred in the region in the 17^th century when Portuguese slave traders sold a number of the slaves to the local princes.

The origins of the name sidis is believed either to be from a term of respect from North Africa or derived from the name of captains of Arab vessels that first brought the sidi settlers to India. They are currently estimated to be a population of 20 000 – 55,000 within the regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka states of India and Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Some Indian Siddis are descended from Tanzanians and Mozambicans brought by the Portuguese. While most enslaved African people became Muslim and a small minority became Christian, very few became Hindu since they could not find themselves a position in the traditional Hindu caste hierarchy

In western India (the modern states of Gujarat and Maharashtra), they were known for their physical strength and loyalty, they were sought out as mercenaries by local rulers and as domestic servants and farm laborers. Some escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas,.

Although Gujarati Siddis have adopted the language and many customs of their surrounding populations, some African traditions have been preserved. These include the Goma music and dance form, which is sometimes called Dhamaal (Gujarati).The term is believed to be derived from the Ngoma drumming and dance forms of Bantu East 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.

Many members of the Siddis community of Karnataka had migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi, Sindh. The majority of the Siddhis in Karnataka are descendants of Siddhi slaves who were brought from East Africa (mostly Mozambique) and Ethiopia to Goa by the Portuguese, British and the Arabs between the 16th and 19th centuries. During the Goan Inquisition, some of these slaves were freed and some escaped into the forests of the neighbouring Karnataka state.

A number of Africans (Ethiopians aka Abyssinians aka  Habshis) who  were enslaved and taken to India in medieval and post-medieval times eventually rose to positions of power and influence in the 16th century e.g.  Shams ud-Dawlah Muhammad al-Habshi, Bilal Habshi, Said Safar Salami and Shaik Said al-Habshi Sultani (perhaps best remembered as the builder of a famous mosque, known by his name, in Ahmedabad)