Complexities of Tradition and Identity within the South Asian Diaspora
“Diaspora” is a term referring to migrant populations that no longer reside in their “homeland,” or where their ancestry belongs. This takes shape in various ways — whether it be immigrating for better opportunities, to escape violence, or simply to start anew. With the diasporic experience comes grappling between two identities: one formed in these new states, and the other attached to the ancestral self. The term “South Asian American” itself encapsulates this duality — “South-Asianness” blending with “Americanness.” For many who are part of the South Asian diaspora, this duality affects their self-identity. Maintaining a connection to the “homeland” can be difficult for a variety of different reasons: proximity, politics, social environment, etc. This deep-rooted disconnect often leads to attempting cultural connections through upholding traditional values and norms, passed down generation after generation.
Rooted in long-standing tradition, South Asian values often seek collectivism, self-discipline, and social responsibilities: all of which are morally just. However, upholding this tradition often comes with a set of expectations that manifests in a variety of ways – ranging from the pressure to perform or fit established molds. Within the diaspora, these values are often heightened as an attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy and connectivity. However, related to the dualities of identity in diasporas, there is often an equivalent pressure to assimilate and fit the norms of the state one immigrated to. For many, to forgo this identity is to gain opportunity within the normative, Western systems.
Forced into a balancing act and having to choose between heritage and conformity leads to many cultural and social clashes. Diasporic children who are never taught native cultures and language as a result of assimilation are then expected to uphold and pass down a culture they never grew up in; immigrant parents who had to forgo their native tongue and replace it with new vocabulary feel disappointment when their children know only this foreign land; native populations are split, only knowing their non-resident family through occasional visits. When considering these bonds between native populations, immigrants, and the subsequent generations/diaspora, the complexities of internal and external identity.
Ultimately, the South Asian diaspora is highly complex and constantly developing. With change, comes fear for what is left behind and what is unknown. Frameworks of language, religion, value, and more are all deeply rooted in the South Asian experience, and are often lost when the connection to the native land is severed. There’s no standard way to define the experiences of diasporas, but acknowledging the complexities of how culture and identity are formed and experienced will allow for deeper understanding of the impacts of migration.
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