When discussing people of African origin living outside the continent, the focus is most often on the United States, Brazil, or Europe. However, Asia is also home to longstanding communities with African roots, including the Siddi in India and Pakistan, as well as the Kaffirs of Sri Lanka.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, both Asia and Africa experienced periods of colonial rule. India and East Africa were under the authority of the British Empire, and legal frameworks and systems of governance were often transferred from one part of the empire to another.
Many legal and administrative structures in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania were originally developed in colonial India. Long before becoming a symbol of India’s independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi worked as a lawyer in South Africa.
East Africans travelled to India to study law and business, while Indian labourers were brought to East Africa to build the railways.
African diasporas in Asia continue to exist today. People of African origin live in Hong Kong and various regions in India. Professor Lumumba emphasises that these communities are gradually becoming a more visible part of the shared history of Africa and Asia.
