| Abstract: | Indian subcontinent is a resident of diverse communities and cultures. Siddi community, as one among them, scattered and settled across geographical and political terrain in India. Siddi community represents a unique case of the African descendants from Bantu peoples whose ancestors were brought to India through trade, soldier and trans-oceanic slave trading between the 7th and 19th centuries by various Arab, Portuguese and other traders. The community lived in areas such as mainly in Gir Somnath, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Bhuj; and scattered across the other parts of Gujarat state. The Siddis has maintained the unique features of their traditional culture, especially one of their most vibrant and unique art forms as Dhamal dance, the traditional drums, music and oral folklore. These cultural practices through which they have successfully adapted to the Gujarati linguistic, religious and social context. Through a review of historical documentation, ethnographic research and field-research (funded by the Indian Council for Social Science Research, New Delhi), the present research paper explores dynamics of the Siddi tribe of Gujarat, an enchanting fusion of their African roots with Indian traditions and integration. The concept of dynamics operationalises as patterns of continuity, transformation and integration observed in the Siddi community in Gujarat. It also considers challenges such as negligence, economic marginalization and debates around official recognition. The study foregrounds how the Siddi identity has been shaped by creolization, by syncretic religious practices and by external representations. Further, it investigates how the community’s struggle for recognition and resources reflects broader issues faced by Siddi community in Gujarat. The article concludes that while assimilation has enabled certain socio-economic gains, it also threatens the erasure of distinct Siddi cultural forms – calling for culturally sensitive policy interventions to support identity preservation and community empowerment. |
| Keywords: | Siddi Community, African descendants, Bantu, Gujarat, Culture, Creolization, Syncretism, Dhamal dance, Assimilation, Community empowerment |
