| Abstrakt: |
This paper presents primary research on a specific Indian ethno-religious group present in Barbados: the Gujarati-Muslims. Indian migration to Barbados began at the turn of the twentieth century. During its near one hundred year presence on the island, the group has inserted itself into the Barbadian society as a well-defined religious group and a significant merchant class. This article examines the ways in which Gujarati-Muslims negotiate their identities within a predominantly black Christian society. The study relies on creolisation theory to inform its understandings, and argues that Gujarati-Muslims perceive themselves as having hybrid identities, thereby disrupting the monistic paradigms of nation, culture and belonging. Creolisation theory also facilitates an analysis of the intricate dimensions of the arbitration and social construction of the Bajan-Indian group identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
