African Settlements in Gujarat

Abstract

Indian settlements in Africa are a well-known fact. Studies have been made about their presence and problems. Similarly, there are some African settlements in India. Their presence was first noted by T.H. Esquire as far back as 1926.¹ However, so far their presence was noted as a novelty or only in Census Reports. Recently some studies about their social and economic activity have been published. There are some African settlements in Gujarat as Gujarat has had a long tradition of trade with the eastern coast of Africa. The total population of these Africans in Gujarat is nearly five thousand; 3000 of them stay in Saurashtra.² In the Junagadh District of Saurashtra a small hamlet Jambur, ensconced on the fringe of the Gir Forest between the rivers Saraswati and Karkari, is inhabited entirely (population 500) by Africans.³ Other than this the Africans are settled in mixed areas of Broach, Kutch and Ahmedabad district in Gujarat.