Way to GO-Bama!

Obama8217;s victory in the US Presidential elections has brought a new ray of hope to the Siddi community in Ahmedabad. Siddis, also known as Habshis, originally belonged to the Bantu-speaking parts of eastern Africa. They were brought to Gujarat in the mid-15th century as slaves by the Arab and Portuguese traders. Later, they adopted Gujarat as their home state and even the Gujarati language, but with a distinct dialect.

In medieval times, they had a reputation as sturdy warriors and entered service of the Muslim kings. The 17th century saw Siddis enter India in large numbers. Later, they joined the Mughals in the latter8217;s struggle with the Marathas.

Interestingly, the Siddis have still not discarded their native African customs. They reside in Ahmedabad as well as in Saurashtra in Gujarat. With their distinctive African appearance, the Siddis in Gujarat have been fighting both poverty and illiteracy in their bid to retain their unique customs. But on Tuesday, it was celebration time. The Pathar Kurva area in Ahmedabad, where the community resides together, was the scene of distinctive Siddi dance and music. Obama8217;s victory apparently became their victory.

The Siddis in Ahmedabad celebrated the victory by organising a cultural festival, where they performed their traditional dance called Siddi Gaur or Siddi Dhamal, and the happiness of the people knew no bounds.

8220;He is our man. And we are sure that he will do a great deal for our community. We do aspire to join politics, but as we are overlooked by the government and struggle to make both ends meet, it appears as a distant dream. But we want to do something good for the betterment of our community,8221; said Siddi Sikandar Mustafa.

8220;The change has come,8221; said Obama to the media on his victory. The words transcended boundaries and echoed among the Siddis in Ahmedabad. They have pined their hopes on Obama to encourage and uplift their community in India.

According to them, it is the Indians in the US and India who supported Obama. And now, they hope that the Indian government would give some importance to Obama8217;s people residing in various parts of the country.

A majority of the Siddis in Ahmedabad are engaged in small-time work with limited wages. They earn money by performing their tribal dance on festivals and other occasions. The education level among them is also low. The womenfolk are engaged in housekeeping and very few are literate.

8220;We want to come to the mainstream of society. We want some encouragement from the government. The authorities should give some scholarships and other benefits to our community also. We are totally abandoned, as we are outsiders for the government. With Obama winning the election, I am sure the government will start doing something for us,8221; said Siddi Farzana Kamru.

8220;If not much, I feel he will do at least something for the Siddis in India. He is a youth icon and so he should encourage youth participation in industries and politics. We also want to become successful like him, if not a President than at least have a decent job and a good name in the society,8221; said Nasreen Siddi.

They are not just excited but also worried about their fellow people in East Africa. With increasing number of criminal activities and terrorist attacks, they hope for a better security scenario in their native land.

8220;Obama has strong views on terrorism. I believe he will make all efforts to stop cross border violence. He should also work to bring more security to the eastern coast of Africa, especially Somalia. We hope that he will bring about the changes that all of us are eagerly waiting for,8221; Sikandar added.