That special tribe of NRIs from East Africa

By Kul Bhushan Jul 16, 2007, 5:21 GMT

East African NRIs are a special tribe. After settling in the three countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in the 1890s, they have moved to Britain, Canada and the US in large numbers and even to Australia and New Zealand from the late 1960s onwards. But very few moved back to India.

Before they go to any of these countries, they identify some of their own tribe and make instant connections on arrival. Even meeting by chance, they greet each other in Swahili with 'Jambo' and 'Habari' and are on the same wavelength as they are all 'Muhindis' - Swahili for Indians.

In the West, the East African NRIs are different from other NRIs. The Asian Exodus in 1968 was the first wave of Kenyan Indians to arrive in large numbers in Britain. The Uganda Indians arrived in 1972 after being expelled by the dictator Idi Amin, and this was followed by a steady trickle to the West. They were accused of making their fortunes in East Africa, stashing their savings in Britain but having their hearts in India. By cashing their fixed deposits and their exposure to the British way of life, they established themselves in the West in no time to the amazement of 'Indian' NRIs who arrived many years earlier.

More than other NRIs, their identity problem is magnified. When an East African NRI travels to another country, say in Europe or the Far East, he is thought to come from India but he explains at length that he is an Indian from Africa. Now this is confusing until he explains that his forefathers went to East Africa and he lives there. Muhindis are confused in reconciling three powerful influences - their African background, English education and the Indian way of life. They love Africa, its vast landscape, its wildlife, its peoples and the wonderful time they have enjoyed there. They appreciate the advantage of good schooling in the English language and they also treasure the Indian heritage they are proud of. So where are they rooted in Africa, the West or India?

A Kenyan, Neera Kapur-Dramson, has explored her identity and traced it back to pre-partition India from where her great grandfather went to Kenya by sailboat to build the railway at the turn of the 19th Century. Growing up in Kenya, she appreciated her country, its beauty and peoples. Proud of her heritage, she learnt Indian classical dancing. Now she is married to a Frenchman and lives in the south of France. 'India is my mother, Kenya my grandmother,' she maintains, 'Kenya gave me birth but India is the strong genetic make-up.'

Most Muhindis, with less direct links with India, would say, 'Kenya is my mother, India is my grandmother.' For a long time, Neera was trying to discover her identity. 'I never felt French. I never felt Indian. In Kenya, we are called 'paper citizens', ' she said. So she started her quest when she lived in Delhi a few years ago when her husband worked for the French embassy here.

Now she is at peace because she has written a book 'From Jhelum to Tana' (Penguin) that traces her family history. It all started when she looked at a faded portrait of her ancestor and asked her grandmother and mother the stories of their lives. Gradually, she pieced together the adventures of a young confectioner who survived a perilous voyage to Mombasa, toiled to build the railway link from Mombasa to Kisumu and then settled in Nairobi.

Now for the first time, Neera has documented the major role played by Indian workers in this impossible enterprise. More significantly, she has chronicled how these workers became shopkeepers and craftsmen to build these three countries with their skills and hard labour. Her grandfather went on adventurous business safaris across Kenya to establish a chain of stores to become a leading businessman. After a lot of research and writing, the finale is her trip with her husband to Pakistan where she visits the village and the river of her ancestors.

'My ancestors came from river Jhelum - now in Pakistan - to river Tana in Kenya,' she explains. 'It took years to understand that I had to make the trip from Tana to Jhelum - a trip in the memory of four generations and three countries. The cycle is now complete. I offer it to the younger generation so that it may realise that a tree whose roots have not dug deep can easily be blown off by the wind - nor will it blossom.'

Many 'Muhindis' just keep talking about embarking upon this personal journey of discovery. Neera has done it.

(A media consultant to a UN Agency, Kul Bhushan previously worked abroad as a newspaper editor and has travelled to over 55 countries. He lives in New Delhi and can be contacted at: kulbhushan2038@gmail.com.)

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service