Fiji has a story to tell the diaspora

The alienation from the host population is such that Indians are unwilling to emerge from the cocoons of `little Punjab’ or `little Karnataka’. On the other hand, assimilation may involve a new identity, which is the result of the intermeshing of tradition and modernity. The superficial acquisition of the latest in household appliances, information technology and automobiles provides a false sense of security. Modernity is a state of mind, the ability to accept a new way of life, and the strength to cope with a new identity.

There is a tendency among the first- and second-generation immigrants to cling to tradition by the replication of institutions that exist back `home’. The result: a third generation that can never be assimilated into the host society, unless it rebels against what its elders consider to be sacred. While assimilation may appear to be a difficult task, adaptation is a reality. Kotkin observes that wherever Indian immigrants have settled, they rank among the most professionally and economically successful of all groups. To a large extent, this has been possible only because Indians tend to retreat after a hard day’s work into their sheltered community lives. This meant that they did not in any way compete with the existing social and cultural order and the host population, consequently, did not feel threatened by them. But, beyond a point, this worked to their disadvantage, since they remained largely `alien’ citizens.

The creation of a new identity involves negotiation between what one believes to be a tradition and what the new world order demands:

individualism and a global vision. In order to achieve this, the Indian diaspora must be willing to be forward looking. Only then will there be any hope of their acceptance.

With levels of education soaring above the average education of the host population, people of Indian origin are undoubtedly perceived as a threat. Indians, probably the most law-abiding of all immigrant groups, have earned the respect of local authorities in most countries. However, this success has not always been translated into social assimilation. The result has been intolerance amongst the ethnic majority, as seen in Fiji.

The complete assimilation of any diaspora into the milieu of its host society does not take place merely by its members getting elected to public office. Fiji has a story to tel to various diaspora, worldwide. There is a movement towards the reassertion of ethnic identities within nations. Diaspora has the capacity to dilute this tendency. It has a crucial role to play in the preservation of global heterogeneity and the creation of a truly global world order.