Source:-( Google.com.pk)
Asian Indian Culture Biography
Asian Indians, who also refer to themselves as East Indians or Indo-Americans, are
mostly South-Asian Indians from the present-day Republic of India; they are also from
the areas that are now Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
1
A large group with a
voluminous history and culture, this article is an introduction to the culture and the
implications for health care of this population.
Background
Early in the 20th century, Indian immigrants followed the railroads south from Canada to
the United States, and began working in the lumber industry in Washington State. Recent
migration from India to the United States began in 1965, and has mostly included
educated Indian citizens from the upper-class. Due to India's University IT system many
citizens have received top-rated engineering educations, however, a previous lack of
infrastructure in the country led to few jobs for these students. Frequent power outages,
unreliable network concerns and little commerce opportunities drove many qualified
engineers to the United States for jobs in computer software development. Seattle in
particular is a hub for Indian immigrants as direct result of Microsoft's recruitment.
World View
India's past involves a political structure of several dynasties and empire-building
attempts resulting in a conglomerate of cultures and religious throughout India's society.
Hindu is the predominant 'culture' among the majority in India and among American
immigrants, as both a religion and a language. Sikhs are only two percent of the
population in India, yet make up 30 to 40 percent of the population in California.
The North East area of the country, approximately 5 percent, is generally Muslim; Indian
Christians occupy the third largest group. Tensions exist between the Hindu and Muslim
majorities along the border of India and Pakistan.
India's South side is coastal land on the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. North East
India borders Pakistan, and on the West, China, Nepal and Bangladesh. As a former
British Colony, English is spoken as the preferred second language to Hindu by many
citizens. The structure of India's Parliament and political party system is very similar to
those of the U.K. India has a prime minister and a cabinet that make the general
statements. There is no royal family.
Themtrom, S. (Ed.). 1994. Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. Harvard University Press:
Massachusetts.
Themtrom, S. (Ed.). 1994. Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. Harvard University Press:
Massachusetts.- 2 -
Religion
Religion is central to life in Indian families. Approximately 80% of Indians practice
Hinduism.
In the Hindu tradition, methods of prayer, ritual cleansing, social order, and
familial harmony are based on religious teachings. The belief in 'Karma,' or repercussions
for actions and judgment errors in past lives is strong. The Bindi, worn by many women,
is a Hindu sign of honor, intelligence, and marriage
; though in modern times it has
become a kind of ornament.
Many American-Indians continue to wear this sign
depending on age and assimilation. Meditation is a form of Hindu prayer. Hindus tend to
be more liberal than practicing Muslims in outward social expressions of religious values.
Religion has acquired more importance because it is a way of maintaining Indian culture.
Language
East Indians from various regions are primarily distinguished by language. The Indian
government recognizes 15 national languages. The main languages of the Indo-Aryan
family are Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, and Guajarati. In the Dravidian family Tamil is
the most common language. English, also an official language in India, is often the
common medium of communication.
Each of the languages has its own body of
literature, and some are written in more than one script.
Social Structure
The Caste system created India's social determinism. The system consisted of our 'castes'
or levels in ranked order. The highest caste was the 'Brahmans' or priests. The lowest
caste was called the 'Untouchables' and were not allowed to look at, touch, or speak to
members of the upper caste. Intermarrying between castes was unacceptable. The Caste
system was originally intended for classification of services rendered to the society as a
whole, such as defenders of the nation, those dedicated to economical development, etc.
but was cunningly interwoven into religion by vested interenal
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