Hinduism in South Africa
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Hinduism in South Africa has a following primarily in KwaZulu-Natal, due to historical patterns of migration to the region. But now a significant population exists also in Gauteng, especially around Lenasia. Approximately 1.22% or 551,669 of the South African population identifies as Hindu, according to the 2001 census.[1]
[edit] History
After slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in the early 19th century, farmers found themselves with a shortage of cheap skilled labour. A unique British solution to this problem was to allow indentured labourers to move around throughout the Empire, where they were needed. These indentured labourers were mostly made up of marginal farmers. Indentured labourers usually had four year contracts after which they could reside in their adopted country or return to India. Not surprisingly, owing to the prohibitive costs for transport as well as no assurance for the future in their home land, most of them chose to settle, mostly as distinct cultural communities.
Indentured Labourers traveled far and wide, and indeed today many Indians spread out around the world have their connections to India through this system. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius and Guyana are all countries with sizable Indian-descent populations.
In South Africa, indentured labourers worked mostly on the sugar cane farms in Natal. Today, the Kwa-Zulu Natal contains one of the highest Indian populations outside India. (See Asians in South Africa)
More recently, South Africa has seen waves of expatriate Indians settle down there.
[edit] See also
- Thai Poosam Kavady annual festival
[edit] References
- ^ South Africa - Section I. Religious Demography. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved on 2006-07-15.
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