Hi Jose, My original question was intended to be a private message in response to a posting you cc'ed me on, really not intended for a wider GoaNet audience. However, I will reply to your questions to satisfy the curiosity you may have piqued.
1: What exactly do you mean by the word "Indian"? Citizen of the Republic of India, Born in the Republic of India, or Racially Indian. A native or inhabitant of India or of the East Indies. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Indian 2. If it is "racially Indian" , May I ask IF there is something called the "Indian Race". I would assume it denotes people from the south-asian subcontinent. 3. How would you classify the people of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanisthan and Pakistan? Would you call them Indians? why/Why not? All except Afghanis would be considered South Asians which are predominantly Indian (ie. derived from the Indus Valley civilization) who have more recently adopted various other 'nationalities' by populating nearby islands and by political divisions into other countries. 4. How would you classify the Goans in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanisthan and Pakistan? Would you call them Indians? Why/Why not? Indians, including those who have chosen to live in Portugal. 5. How would you classify the tribal people of the Andamans (near Thailand)? Would you call them Indians? Why/Why not? I don't know them personally. 6. Now, as far as I am concerned, you are Kenyan (by birth) first; every thing else afterwards. Unless your parents registered you as an Indian citizen at the time of your birth, I do not know HOW you could legally or logically classify yourself as Indian first. Unless, you contend that there is something called an Indian Race. Yes, there is a recognised demographic into which a majority of the inhabitants of south asia fit into referred to as Indian. The derogatory term 'Paki' actually refers to Indians, not Pakistani nationals. This physical appearance would be different from tribal natives of South-East asia but similar to some areas of the middle east. 7. When you fill your forms (or whatever) in your present place of residence, How do you describe yourself? Indian, canadian or kenyan? Nationality, Canadian. Racially, Indian. Kenyan by birth. 8. I will not ask about your children ....They are not participants in this discussion. .. but they consider themselves Canadian, NOT Indian. 9. Of course, you will advise us that you are holding Indian nationality, and none other. That would be the only condition under which you, Kevin, born in Kenya can claim to be Indian first. NOT SO! I am a Canadian citizen, a Kenyan by birth, a Goan by culture but an Indian at heart. 10. You may wish to advise us HOW your parents travelled to East Africa when they did. As Portuguese Goans, Goans, Indians or British citizens. My father was born in Entebbe and my mother near Calcutta. I don't know how they travelled. <I'll now sit in my corner and await your response.> You can come out of the corner now. Sincerely, Kevin -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
