Desi
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Desi (pronounced /dhey-see/ or /dhey-shee/, and alternatively spelled Deshi), is a subculture found amongst the South Asian diaspora.
The term desi comes from a Sanskrit word - borrowed by most South Asian languages - which means national. Amongst people from the Indian subcontinent, especially in English-speaking First World countries, this term refers to the blend of cultures and identity of the South Asian communities of the west, crossing national and cultural boundaries that separated them in their ancestral countries.
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Evolution of the Desi identity
The Indian subcontinent is diverse linguistically and religiously. Socialization and marriage generally occur amongst one's community, in other words, amongst people with the same religion, language, and especially for Hindus caste. Early emigrants from South Asia to the USA, the United Kingdom, and Canada found themselves a small minority in a very different culture, and found cultural commonalities with fellow South Asians.
Their children grew up in a mostly Western cultural environment, with Indian, Pakistani, etc. influence limited to the home and family friends amongst the South Asian community. This group shared many experiences being caught between Western and South Asian cultures, including being members of a very small minority religion (Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, or Jainism) unfamiliar to most people surrounding them, and conflict with their traditional parents. Especially in Hinduism, arranged marriages are considered superior to love marriages and as a result dating especially became a flash point between parents and children.
Music
A unique style of music has arisen, especially amongst the Indian communities of the United Kingdom. Artists like Panjabi MC (who has an album called Desi) and Apache Indian have mixed the style of Indian music played along with bhangra dance with hip hop and reggae, and used a mix of the English and Punjabi languages, and have often spoken about the experience of being caught between two cultures. The Pakistani group, Junoon (two of whose members were brought up in America mixes traditional Pakistani folk music, Sufi poetry, and Rock and Roll.
Institutions
As the South Asian college population increased, South Asian student organizations became increasingly common, organizing parties and social events catering to South Asians increased, and Bhangra dance groups started forming. As the first large generation of American-raised South Asians started working, professional groups started forming in the mid 1990's including the South Asian Journalists Association (http://www.saja.org), and the Network of South Asian Professionals (http://www.netsap.org). A group of queer desis formed a support group for GLBT desis called Trikone (http://www.trikone.org) .
See also:
- American-Born Confused Desi (ABCD)
- Asians in South Africa
- Fresh off the boat
- India
- Indian American
- Indo-Fijian
- Non-Resident Indian (NRI)
External links
- Definition from South Asian Journalist Association (http://www.saja.org/stylebook.html#desi)