Culture in migration

"Festivals are linking communities round the globe... It is no longer enough to write about Zoroastrians in one country without reference to Zoroastrians elsewhere,” says Prof John Hinnells who has been studying the community over the past few decades. The professor from Cambridge who was celebrating the 30th anniversary of the first of his umpteen visits to Bombay, is currently engaged in writing a history of the Parsis of Bombay.

He finds the community now more "India focussed,” its leanings towards orthodox and ritual practices, especially Khshnoomist teachings, stronger. However, speaking on the subject "Zoroastrian religion and culture in migration” at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute (KRCOI) on January 30, 2003, Hinnells maintained that the "Zoroastrian diaspora is no longer peripheral to the study of Zoroastrianism.” He has traveled 2,50,000 miles to collect data from the various settlements all over the world.

Zoroastrians have settled abroad as refugees, laborers or traders. The establishment of burial grounds, beginning with Karachi in 1839 and followed by Canton (1847), London (1863), Zanzibar (1883) are an indication of migration in various directions, Hinnells noted. While they went as traders to Karachi and Canton, Parsi professionals went to Zanzibar as friends of the sultan who had spent his years in exile in Bombay and found a berth there in various capacities. Initially the UK and later the US attracted students many of whom built a career in these areas. The first Parsis who went to London however had gone in search of justice from the British Government and the East India Company. In the recent past, while political refugees from East Africa chose to settle in the UK, religious refugees from Iran chose Canada and California.

Hinnells: interlinks

In modern times the first Zoroastrian association in the New World was established in Toronto in 1966 followed by Quebec and Vancouver. These Zoroastrian migrants had come in search of better living conditions. Thereafter the US associations were formed, said Hinnells. The formation of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America in 1987 heralded "years of consolidation.” Since then 25 adult and youth congresses have been held, religious education of the young seriously pursued, sleepovers, picnics, ski trips of Zoroastrian youths vigorously encouraged. It has been found that school and university contacts with host communities lapse in later years while community contacts continue, said Hinnells.

Zoroastrians from East Africa and Gujarat are generally more traditional than Bombay Parsis, says Hinnells. As a fair number of influential Zoroastrians in England are ex East Africa, the community "believes itself emotionally and religiously closer to India” and the ZTFE is hoping to establish an atash kadeh in London. In contrast Iranian Zoroastrians who feel the loss of their homeland, are more committed to their language, customs and festivals and identify more easily with their Moslem brethren than with the Parsis.

But diaspora dollars have helped buttress local Bombay institutions, says Hinnells citing the example of Hong Kong’s Jokhi family and the community there which has generously supported the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital. Also, the World Zoroastrian Organisation as well as North American Zoroastrian communities have helped sustain indigent Parsi patients in acute need of advanced medical intervention.

Hinnells has found that the "more highly educated practice religion less while emphasizing their social ethnicity by way of language and food. Business people practice religion more; the professionals are more interested in definitions.”

Also, those who have received religious education in their childhood are more likely to preserve the social ethnic-religious pattern. Two-thirds of young people he surveyed said they pray daily. His Zoroastrian friends have told him that they became more religious after migrating.

"Change is not the preserve of migrant Zoroastrians. It is here also,” says Hinnells. Likening religion to a chameleon, Hinnells noted that Christianity in Ireland differs from Christianity in China with different groups displaying different characteristics. Unlike the US, Canada celebrates ethnic and religious differences.

KRCOI trustee-secretary Homai Modi presided over the function and introduced the well-known speaker. Honorary joint-secretary Nawaz Mody articulated the vote of thanks.

A.S.M.