Hindoestanen

All you want to know about Hindoestanen

The references used in this article may be clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (February 2008)
Hindoestanen
Total population

760,000
Regions with significant populations
Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Wanica, Paramaribo, Nickerie, Commewijne
Languages
Hindi, Bhojpuri, Dutch, and various other languages
Religion
Hinduism, Islam, Christian
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan peoples

The Hindoestanen are an ethnic group of South Asian origin in the Netherlands and Suriname. The Hindoestanen began migrating to Suriname in 1873 from what was then British India as indentured labourers, many from the modern-day Indian state of Bihar and its surrounding regions. Just before and just after the independence of Suriname on 25 November 1975 many Hindoestanen emigrated to the Netherlands. As of 2007, about 217,000 of the total of 500,000 live in the Netherlands. In contrast to what the name suggest, they do not necessarily follow the Hindu religion: a significant minority is Muslim. [1]

Contents

Etymology

Hindoestanen is a Dutch word derived from Hindustani, a Persian word for someone from Hindustan (India). Hence, when Indians migrated to Suriname they were referred to as Hindoestanen, people from Indian origin.

During the heyday of the British Raj/Empire, many people from India were sent to other British colonies for work. Indian migrants have taken Hinduism and Hindu culture to Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius and other countries in and around the Indian Ocean, and in the nations of the West Indies and the Caribbean.

Religion

The majority religion among the community is Hinduism, practiced by (83%) of the people, followed by Islam at (17%). Among the Hindu Hindoestanen about 60% follow traditional Hinduism that they call Sanatan Dharm to differentiate themselves from the 25% who belong to the reform movement Arya Samaj, started by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

Language

Sarnami Hindustani a dialect of Hindi, Bhojpuri. Spoken by ca. 550.000 people from Indian origin in the Caribbean and the Netherlands.

Notable Hindoestanen in The Netherlands

References

  1. ^ Knippenberg, Hans "The Changing Religious Landscape of Europe" edited by Knippenberg published by Het Spinhuis, Amsterdam 2005 ISBN 9055892483, page 94 "[..] among the Surinamese people of Javanese or Hindustan background there are many Muslims."

See also

v • d • e
Non-resident Indians and People of Indian Origin
Africa
Asia
Americas
Europe
Belgium · France · Germany · Gibraltar · Israel · Italy · Netherlands · Portugal  · Spain · United Kingdom (Tamil Britons)
Oceania
See also
 This Netherlands-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
 This Suriname-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindoestanen"

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