religious symbol of respect for God. “Sikh” is derived from the Sanskrit for “he wishes to learn.” The word “guru,” or spiritual leader (from the Sanskrit for “venerable”), comes from Sikhism. Founded in the Punjab region in northwest India in the late 15th century, Sikhism is known among its followers as Gurmat, or “the way of the Guru.” Ten human Gurus (the last died in 1708), Sikhs believe, are embodiments of a single spirit. Things, however, may be changing when it comes to the turban. See also INDIA; ISLAM; HINDUISM; MOSQUE “AT” GROUND ZERO; SOUTH ASIAN NAMES; TURBAN.
City-state independent from Malaysia in 1965. Islands between Malaysia and Indonesia. Triple the size of Washington, D.C. Mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences. Known for its authoritarian regime, urban planning, and rich culinary history. Capital: Singapore (comprises entire nation). Population: 5.4 million (2012 estimate). Proportion of population younger than 15: about one-sixth. Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official). Faith: Buddhism (among Chinese), Islam (among Malays), Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Ethnic groups: Chinese (77 percent), Malay (14 percent), Indian (8 percent) and others. Literacy: 93 percent. (Source: World Factbook.)
Avoid, a racial slur. See EYE SHAPE; VIETNAMESE SLURS.
Avoid, a racial slur. See EYE SHAPE; VIETNAMESE SLURS.
SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA:
Because of the British colonial legacy and large-scale immigration, there are substantial pockets of people of South Asian heritage outside of South Asia. In some cases — Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago — South Asians make up at least a third of the population. Other countries with large South Asian communities: Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
SOUTH ASIAN NAMES (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and others):
Names currently used in South Asia and the South Asian Diaspora follow dozens of complex rules and vary by community. As a general rule, it is a good idea to ask an interview subject which name is his or her the first name and which is the surname. One Hindu may follow old caste traditions and have what he considers a first name and a last name, but his biological son may have a different name. Similarly, Sikh and Muslim names can vary by generation. Also, names and orders of names that were used in South Asia often get confused when immigrants arrive in the United States, forcing them to adopt names and spellings more “convenient” for mainstream America. Be careful about generalizing about South Asian names, not all of which are Hindu or Muslim names. There are many South Asian Christians, as well as South Asian Jews, and it may not be obvious from their names that they are South Asian. Moreover, there are some South Asians who have a one-word name.
Formerly Ceylon, it became independent from Britain in 1948. Island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. About the size of West Virginia. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, are ethnically Indian and believed to have invented suicide bombing in their separatist campaign. Long civil war ended in 2009. Capital: Colombo. Population: 21.5 million (2012 estimate). Proportion of population younger than 15: about one-quarter. Languages: Sinhala (official, 75 percent), Tamil (national language, 18 percent) and others. Faith: Buddhism (69 percent), Muslim (8 percent), Hindu (7 percent), Christian (6 percent) and others. Ethnic groups; Sinhalese (74 percent), Sri Lankan Moors (7 percent), Indian Tamil (5 percent) and others. Literacy: 91 percent. (Source: World Factbook.) See JIHAD; PEARL HARBOR; SUICIDE BOMBING.
The word comes from the ancient Greek for “fixed impression.” Walter Lippmann (1889-1974), an American journalist, popularized the word, a printing-press term, as a metaphor for “a picture in our heads” that could be true or, more often, false. Examples of stereotypes include “geisha,” “delivery boy,” “manicurist” and “samurai” (