Portrait of a Siddi woman from Haliyal District of Karnataka, India.

The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi (Urdu: شیدی ; Hindi, Marathi, Konkani: सिद्दी or शीदि; Gujarati: સિદ્દી; Kannada: ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಳು), also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Black African and/or Afro-Arab descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India and Makran and Karachi in Pakistan as the main population centres.^[1][2] Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims, although some are Hindus and some Roman Catholic Christians.^[3] Villages in the forests of northern Karnataka, for instance, have residents who likely are descended from Mozambican/Angolan slaves who escaped from Portuguese traders and ships.

Etymology of name[link]

There are conflicting hypotheses on the origin of the name Siddi. One theory is that the word was a term of respect in North Africa, similar to the word sahib in modern India and Pakistan.^[2] 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.^[4]

Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia), is held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopian/Abyssinian ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent.^[5] The term eventually came to be applied to other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.^[6]

Siddis are also sometimes referred to as Afro-Indians.^[7][8][9] Siddis were referred to as Zanji by Arabs; in China, various transcriptions of this Arabic word were used, including Xinji (辛吉) and Jinzhi (津芝).^{[10][11][12][13]}

History[link]

A fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture, the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in Ahmedabad, India was constructed in 1572 by Sidi Saiyyed, a slave of Sultan Ahmad Shah.^[14]

The first Siddis are thought to have arrived in the Indian subcontinent in 628 AD at the Bharuch port. Several others followed with the first Arab Islamic invasions of the subcontinent in 712 AD.^[15] The latter group are believed to have been soldiers with Muhammad bin Qasim's Arab army, and were called Zanjis.

Most Siddis, however, are believed to be the descendants of slaves, sailors, servants and merchants from East Africa who arrived and became resident in the subcontinent during the 1200-1900 AD period.^[16] A large influx of Siddis to the region occurred in the 17th century when Portuguese slave traders sold a number of them to local princes.^[2]

Flag of the Siddis from Murud-Janjira an important vassal of the Mughal Empire.

In Western India (the modern Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra), the Siddi gained a reputation for physical strength and loyalty, and were sought out as mercenaries by local rulers, and as domestic servants and farm labor.^[2] Some Siddis escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas, and some even established small Siddi principalities on Janjira Island and at Jaffrabad as early as the twelfth century. A former alternative name of Janjira was Habshan (i.e., land of the Habshis). In the Delhi Sultanate period prior to the rise of the Mughals in India, Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was a prominent Siddi slave-turned-nobleman who was a close confidant of Razia Sultana (1205–1240 CE). Although this is disputed, he may also have been her lover.^[17]

As a power centre, Siddis were sometimes allied with the Mughal Empire in its power-struggle with the Maratha Confederacy.^[2] However, Malik Ambar, a prominent Siddi figure in Indian history at large, is sometimes regarded as the "military guru of the Marathas", and was deeply allied with them.^[18] He established the town of Khirki which later became the modern city of Aurangabad, and helped establish the Marathas as a major force in the Deccan. Later, the Marathas adapted Siddi guerrilla warfare tactics to grow their power and ultimately demolish the Mughal empire.^[18] Some accounts describe the Mughal emperor Jahangir as obsessed by Ambar due to the Mughal empire's consistent failures in crushing him and his Maratha cavalry, describing him derogatorily as "the black faced" and "the ill-starred" in the royal chronicles and even having a painting commissioned that showed Jahangir killing Ambar, a fantasy which was never realised in reality.^[19]

Some Indian Siddis are descended from Tanzanians and Mozambicans brought by the Portuguese. While most African slaves 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.^[20]

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Siddis of India[link]

Siddis of Gujarat[link]

Siddi Folk Dancers, at Devaliya Naka, Sasan Gir, Gujarat, made to dress like wild people with facial paint and leaf cloths for domestic Gujarati tourist.

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, the last refuge in the world of the almost extinct Asiatic Lions, in Junagadh a district of the state of Gujarat, India.^[21]

On the way to Deva-dungar is the quaint village of Sirvan, inhabited entirely by Siddis, a tribe of African people. They were brought 300 years ago from Africa, by the Portuguese for the Nawab of Junagadh. Today, they follow very few of their original customs, with a few exceptions like the traditional Dhamal dance.^[22]

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: ધમાલ, fun).^[23] The term is believed to be derived from the Ngoma drumming and dance forms of Bantu East Africa.^[23] 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.^[24]

Siddis of Karnataka[link]

Siddi girl from Yellapur District, Karnataka, India.

The Siddis of Karnataka (Kannada: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಳು) (also spelled Siddhis) are a tribe of African descent that has made Karnataka 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. In Karnataka, they are concentrated around Yellapur, Haliyal, Ankola, Joida, Mundgod and Sirsi taluks of Uttara Kannada and in Khanapur of Belgaum and Kalghatgi of Dharwad district. 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. It has been reported that these Siddis believe that Barack Obama shares their genepool and that they wanted to gift a bottle of honey to him on his visit to India in 2010.^[25]

Siddis of Hyderabad, India[link]

In 18th century siddi community was established in Hyderabad State by the Arab Siddi community diaspora, who used to serve as a Cavalry Guards of Asif Jahi Nizams irregular army. Asif Jahi Nizams had patronized them with rewards and there music called Marfa Music got popular which was performed during there official celebrations and ceremonies.^[26][27][28]

Sheedis of Pakistan[link]

In Pakistan, locals of Black African descent are called "Makrani", or "Sheedi". They live primarily along the Makran Coast in Balochistan (see also Makrani), and lower Sindh. In the city of Karachi, the main Sheedi centre is the area of Lyari and other nearby coastal areas.^[29] Technically, the Sheedi are a brotherhood or community distinct from the other Afro-Pakistanis. The Sheedis are divided into four clans, or houses: Kharadar Makan, Hyderabad Makan, Lassi Makan and Belaro Makan.^[30] The sufi saint Pir Mangho is regarded by many as the patron saint of the Sheedis, and the annual Sheedi Mela festival, is the key event in the Sheedi community's cultural calendar.^[30] Some glimpses of the rituals at Sidi/Sheedi Festival 2010 include visit to sacred alligators at Mangho pir, playing music and dance.^[31] Clearly, the instrument, songs and dance appear to be derived from Africa.^[32][33]

Linguistically, Makranis are Balochi and Sindhi and speak a dialect of Urdu referred to as Makrani. In Sindh, the Sheedis have traditionally intermarried only with people such as the Mallahs (fisherpeople), Khaskeli (laborers), Katri (dyeing caste) and Kori (clothmakers). This accounts for the existence of non-African features such as the straight nose and lighter skin among some Sheedis. In Makran, many have intermarried with the Baloch.^[34]

Famous Sheedis include the historic Sindhi army leader Hoshu Sheedi^[35] and Urdu poet Noon Meem Danish.^[36][37] Sheedis are also well known for their excellence in sports, especially in football and boxing. The musical anthem of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, "Bija Teer", is a Balochi song in the musical style of the Sheedis with Black African style rhythm and drums.^[38] Younis Jani is a popular Sheedi singer famous for singing an Urdu version of the reggaeton song "Papi chulo... (te traigo el mmmm...)."^[39]

Most Makranis in Pakistan have Black Africans links from the female side. Many Sindhi feudals imported African female slaves; so did the Omani Arabs of Gwadar, a coastal city of Balochistan which was in control of Oman in the 17th century. According to Dr. Sengupta's seminal study, the Y-DNA analysis reveals E3a at a frequency distribution of 5%. On the other hand, mtDNA analysis reveals approx 40% L1a, L2a, L2b, L2d.^[40]

Famous Siddis or Sheedis[link]

Sidis of Bombay

• Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, confidante of Razia Sultana
• Yakut Khan, naval admiral
• Malik Ambar, prime minister of Ahmadnagar Sultanate
• Hoshu Sheedi, Sindhi commander
• Noon Meem Danish, Urdu poet
• Nawab of Janjira
• Juje Siddi, former Indian national football team and Salgaocar SC goalkeeper^[41]

Films[link]

• 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, Pooja Batra, Rushabh Patni, Satyajit Sharma.

• Razia Sultan (1983), an Indian Urdu film directed by Kamal Amrohi, is based on the life of Razia Sultan (played by Hema Malini) (1205–1240), the only female Sultan of Delhi (1236–1240), and her speculated love affair with the Abyssinian slave Jamal-ud-Din Yakut (played by Dharmendra). He was referred to in the movie as a habshee.

See also[link]

• African Pakistani
• Afro Asians (African Asians)
• Chaush
• List of Scheduled Tribes in India
• Lyari
• Makrani
• Malunga
• Manghopir Urs
• Murud-Janjira
• Noon Meem Danish
• Pir Mangho Urs
• Pir Mangho
• Sheedi
• Sheedi Mela
• Sri Lanka Kaffirs
• Siddis of Karnataka
• Zanj

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Siddi people

• Karnataka's Indian-African Tribe
• 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, pg 201
• Omar H. Ali, The African Diaspora in India, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library
• Bantu origins of the Sidis of India; By Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi (2008-10-29) in PAMBAZUKA NEWS
• Siddi Jana Vikas Sanga
• Indians of African Origin
• Black, Indian, & Hindu
• Habshis and Siddis – Africans and African descendants in South Asia
• The Global African Community/Great Habshis in Ethiopian/Indian History
• History of the Ethiopian Diaspora
• Historical overview of South Asian communities with African roots by Dr Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya
• Pakistan's Sidi keep heritage alive
• BBC: The lost Africans of India
• BBC In pictures: India's African communities
• http://travel.expressindia.com/story/20499.html
• http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=xtras&subsection=womensextra&xfile=January2007_extraspecial_standard805&child=extraspecial