Where are they now?
The private sadness of lonely fathers...and mothers.
The story of Asian migration into East Africa consists of many cycles of arrivals lasting 80 odd years from 1890 onwards. The rapid departure of a different generation of Asian people from 1968 to 1972 also shows how a large number of the descendents of the early migrants and of the late arrivals left the three countries in a relatively short period.
It seems safe to say that the Asians followed patterns of chain migration into Africa in very much the same way that their descendants and the aging band of early Asians left the three countries on their way out to find their fortunes in UK, US, Canada, Europe and other parts of the world.
The pattern of dispersal of arrivals into Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania was fairly predictable. Incoming Asians tended to settle in the main cities, Nairobi, Kampala and Dar-es-salaam and the minor towns while many went to the rural areas to run shops or to build new centres for development under the watchful eye of the colonial ruler. Some communities such as the Gujaratis were fairly sedentary, having decided where to set up their businesses they remained there until they were expelled. Others like the Sikhs, Goans and Muslims were fairly mobile. They were not tied to specific locations to earn their living. They moved where there were better prospects.
One thing that was common, regardless of the pattern of arrival or dispersal within the three countries, was how many older Asians acquired secret African mistresses, partners or wives depending on how they wanted to express their relationship in law or in terms of morality. The African women were also sometimes aware that the men had left wives ‘back home’ and that they preferred to have children with their Asian wives than with their African partners. Many Asian families were made up of children that were born after their fathers went on ‘home leave’ after three or four years. The childrens’ ages confirmed these returns.
There were also many children of ‘mixed race’ born to African wives or ‘consorts’ of the departing Asian men. They were almost certainly hidden away in the bush towns and left behind with their mothers. There is no evidence of numbers involved but the Asian men carried their secret children in their hearts and minds. There was also acute sadness in a few cases that I am aware of …. the men, who did not have any other children or partners after they were expelled. They lived alone until they died. How did those children cope after they were abandoned?
The story of Asian migration into East Africa consists of many cycles of arrivals lasting 80 odd years from 1890 onwards. The rapid departure of a different generation of Asian people from 1968 to 1972 also shows how a large number of the descendents of the early migrants and of the late arrivals left the three countries in a relatively short period.
It seems safe to say that the Asians followed patterns of chain migration into Africa in very much the same way that their descendants and the aging band of early Asians left the three countries on their way out to find their fortunes in UK, US, Canada, Europe and other parts of the world.
The pattern of dispersal of arrivals into Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania was fairly predictable. Incoming Asians tended to settle in the main cities, Nairobi, Kampala and Dar-es-salaam and the minor towns while many went to the rural areas to run shops or to build new centres for development under the watchful eye of the colonial ruler. Some communities such as the Gujaratis were fairly sedentary, having decided where to set up their businesses they remained there until they were expelled. Others like the Sikhs, Goans and Muslims were fairly mobile. They were not tied to specific locations to earn their living. They moved where there were better prospects.
One thing that was common, regardless of the pattern of arrival or dispersal within the three countries, was how many older Asians acquired secret African mistresses, partners or wives depending on how they wanted to express their relationship in law or in terms of morality. The African women were also sometimes aware that the men had left wives ‘back home’ and that they preferred to have children with their Asian wives than with their African partners. Many Asian families were made up of children that were born after their fathers went on ‘home leave’ after three or four years. The childrens’ ages confirmed these returns.
There were also many children of ‘mixed race’ born to African wives or ‘consorts’ of the departing Asian men. They were almost certainly hidden away in the bush towns and left behind with their mothers. There is no evidence of numbers involved but the Asian men carried their secret children in their hearts and minds. There was also acute sadness in a few cases that I am aware of …. the men, who did not have any other children or partners after they were expelled. They lived alone until they died. How did those children cope after they were abandoned?
posted by K Singh Ajimal at
2:48 am
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