Dougla people

{{Short description|Caribbean people of mixed African and Indian descent}}

{{Infobox ethnic group

| group = Dougla people

| image =

| population =

| regions = Caribbean
(notably in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, and Martinique)

Diaspora in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands

| languages = English, French, Dutch, Sranan Tongo, Papiamento, Caribbean Hindustani, Creole languages

| religions = {{hlist|Christianity|Hinduism|Islam|Afro-American religions|Irreligion}}

| related_groups = Afro-Caribbeans, Indo-Caribbeans

| footnotes =

}}

Dougla people (plural Douglas) are Caribbean people who are of mixed African and South Asian descent. The word Dougla (also Dugla or Dogla) is used throughout the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean. Afro-Indo people may also be another term used to describe them.

Definition

The word Dougla originated from dogala ({{lang|hns|दोगला}}), which is a Caribbean Hindustani word that literally means "two-necks" and may mean "many", "much" or "a mix".{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=__id65WNktsC&q=doogala+meaning&pg=PT134|title=Rice and Beans: A Unique Dish in a Hundred Places|last1=Wilk|first1=Richard|last2=Barbosa|first2=Livia|date=2013-05-09|publisher=Berg|isbn=9781847889058|language=en}} Its etymological roots are cognate with the Hindi "do" meaning "two" and "gala", which means "throat". Within the West Indies context, the word is used only for one type of mixed race people: Afro-Indians.{{cite book|title=Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago|first=Lise|last=Winer|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|location=Montreal|date=2009|isbn=978-0-7735-3406-3|page=311}}

The 2012 Guyana census identified 29.25% of the population as Afro-Guyanese, 39.83% as Indo-Guyanese, and 19.88% as "mixed," recognized as mostly representing the offspring of the former two groups.{{Cite report |url=https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Final_2012_Census_Compendium2.pdf |title=2012 Census Compendium 2: Computation Composition |last=Bureau of Statistics, Guyana |date=July 2016 |access-date=2022-12-04 |archive-date=2021-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105002255/https://statisticsguyana.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Final_2012_Census_Compendium2.pdf |url-status=dead }}

In the French West Indies (Guadeloupe, Martinique), the few Afro-Indian people used to be referred to as Batazendyen or Chapé-Kouli, while in Haiti they were called Marabou.

History

There are sporadic records of Indo-Euro interracial relationships, both consensual and nonconsensual, before any ethnic mixing of the African and Indian variety.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=--j6DAAAQBAJ|title= The Trinidad Dougla: Identity, Ethnicity and Lexical Choice|isbn= 9781443898997|last1= Regis|first1= Ferne Louanne|date= 17 August 2016|publisher= Cambridge Scholars}}

Other Indo-based types of mixed heritage (Indo-Chinese (Chindians), Indo-Latino/Hispanic (Tegli), Indo-English (Anglo-Indians), Indo-Portuguese (Luso-Indians), Indo-Irish (Irish Indians), Indo-Scottish (Scottish-Indians), Indo-Dutch, Indo-Arabs and Indo-Amerindian) tended to identify as one of the older, unmixed ethnic strains on the island: Afro, Indo, Amerindian or Euro or passing as one of them.{{Cite web|url=http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/forum/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=2849|title=Dougla dilemma|website=www.trinidadandtobagonews.com}}

In Trinidad culture

In 1961, the calypsonian musician Mighty Dougla (born Cletus Ali) described the predicament of Douglas:{{Cite journal |last=Khan |first=Aisha |date=2007 |title=Mixing Matters: "Callaloo Nation" Revisited |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30135865 |journal=Callaloo |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=51–67 |doi=10.1353/cal.2007.0145 |jstor=30135865 |s2cid=154502534 |issn=0161-2492}}

{{poemquote|If they sending Indians to India,

And Africans back to Africa,

Well, somebody please just tell me,

Where they sending poor me,

I am neither one nor the other,

Six of one, half dozen of the other,

So if they sending all these people back home for true,

They got to split me in two|title=Split Me in Two}}

Notable Douglas

Cletus Ali, Trinidadian musician, better known as Mighty Dougla
Tatyana Ali, Indo-Trinidadian/Afro-Panamanian American actress
Esther Anderson, actress (United Kingdom; born in Jamaica){{Cite web|last=Batson-Savage|first=Tanya|date=2013-07-01|title=Esther Anderson: "They said I'd snubbed Hollywood"|url=https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-122/esther-anderson-they-said-id-snubbed-hollywood|access-date=2021-06-21|website=Caribbean Beat Magazine|language=en-GB}}
Nicole Beharie, actress
Johnson Beharry, Grenadian British soldier in the British Army{{cite web|title=I wouldn't say I am lucky... Interview with Johnson Beharry, VC – The Best You Magazine|url=https://thebestyoumagazine.co/i-wouldnt-say-i-am-lucky-interview-with-johnson-beharry-vc/|date=17 May 2013|access-date=11 November 2020}}
Melissa Bell, Jamaican-British singer and mother of Alexandra Burke
Katharine Birbalsingh, teacher and education reformer
Diego Biseswar, Surinamese footballer
Foxy Brown, rapper (United States; Trinidadian and Tobagonian background){{cite web|last=Calloway|first=Sway|author-link=Sway Calloway|date=2001-05-29|title=Foxy Brown – Outspoken (Part 4)|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/f/fbrown01/index4.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502130142/http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/f/fbrown01/index4.jhtml|archive-date=2006-05-02|access-date=2006-05-09|publisher=MTV News}}
Alexandra Burke, British-Jamaican singer and daughter of Melissa Bell
Super Cat, Jamaican deejayBarrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, Rough Guides, {{ISBN|1-84353-329-4}}, p. 286
Joseph Charles (born Serjad Makmadeen), founder of the Solo Beverage Company{{cite web | url=https://www.caribbeanmuslims.com/mr-solo | title=Mr. Solo: Serjad Makmadeen aka Joseph Charles | date=14 June 2008 }}
Tanya Chutkan, jurist and lawyer
Sabrina Colie, actress (United States; born in Jamaica){{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
Mervyn Dymally, Trinidadian-American politician{{Cite web|title=The Honorable Mervyn M. Dymally's Biography|url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/honorable-mervyn-m-dymally|access-date=2020-02-26|website=The HistoryMakers|language=en}}
Special Ed, rapper (United States; Jamaican background)
Indira Etwaroo, stage producer and director
Melanie Fiona, Canadian singer
Marlene Malahoo Forte, politician (Jamaica){{Cite web|date=2018-01-13|title=Information director's criticisms of Indian descent conference don't represent gov't position|url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2018/01/13/news/guyana/information-directors-criticisms-of-indian-descent-conference-dont-represent-govt-position/|access-date=2021-06-21|website=Stabroek News|language=en-US}}
Amy Ashwood Garvey, activist (Jamaica)https://ufmrg.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/diversity_-difference-and-caribbean-feminism-feb_2007.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}Comparative studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Vols 17–8, Duke University Press, 1997, p. 124.
Masaba Gupta, actress and fashion designer (Antiguan and Indian)
Lisa Hanna, Miss World 1993, MP for Saint Ann South Eastern{{cite web | url=https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/seriously-speaking-will-lisa-be-last-woman-standing | title='Seriously' Speaking: Will Lisa be the 'Last Woman Standing'? | Loop Jamaica }}
Kamala Harris, Vice-President of the United States (Jamaican and Indian)
Maya Harris, lawyer and writer (Jamaican and Indian)
Lester Holt, U.S. news anchor and journalist[https://www.today.com/video/lester-and-jenna-trace-their-jamaican-roots-44495427630 Today Show: "Lester and Jenna trace their Jamaican roots"] Aired on September 9, 2012 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913233331/http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/48959400#48959400|date=September 13, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/11/189148.aspx|title=To Jamaica with Mom|last=Holt|first=Lester|date=2007-05-11|work=allDAY|publisher=NBC News|access-date=2009-03-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210170155/http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/11/189148.aspx|archive-date=February 10, 2009}}
Kenny J, calypsonian{{Cite book|last=Regis|first=Ferne-Louanne|title=The Trinidad Dougla: identity, ethnicity and lexical choice|publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing|year=2016|isbn=978-1-4438-9899-7|location=Newcastle upon Tyne, UK|pages=34|oclc=956991420}}
Diana King, singer (United States; born in Jamaica){{cite web|title=Reggae Singer Diana King official Biography|url=http://www.dancehallreggaeworld.com/diana-king.html|publisher=Dance Hall Reggae World|access-date=24 April 2017}}
Jeffery Kissoon, actor
Vashtie Kola, music-video director
Sonnet L'Abbé, Guyanese Canadian poet
Darryl Lachman, footballer (Netherlands; Curaçaoan and Surinamese background)
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, playwright
Sir Trevor McDonald, Trinidadian British news anchor and journalist
Nicki Minaj, singer, rapper (United States; born in Trinidad and Tobago)
Nicole Narain, model and actress
Rajee Narinesingh, LGBT activist (United States; Trinidadian and Tobagonian background)Rajee Narinesingh
Furdjel Narsingh, footballer (Netherlands; Surinamese background)
Luciano Narsingh, footballer (Netherlands; Surinamese background)
Roxanne Persaud, politician (United States; born in Guyana){{Cite web|url=http://www.indocaribbean.org/gala-2016.html|title=Gala 2016|website=Indo-Caribbean Alliance, Inc.|access-date=2019-12-01|archive-date=2020-08-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811122015/https://www.indocaribbean.org/gala-2016.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://guyanesegirlsrock.com/guyanese-born-new-york-assemblywoman-roxanne-persaud-elected-new-york-state-senate/|title=Guyanese-born New York Assemblywoman, Roxanne Persaud, was elected to the New York State Senate|date=November 4, 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/New-York-s-immigrant-lawmakers-make-their-mark-6753278.php|title=New York's immigrant lawmakers make their mark|date=2016-01-13|work=Times Union|access-date=2018-09-30}}
Thara Prashad, American singer and model{{cite web|title=Thara Aims High: What can't she do?|author=Jennifer Bisram|publisher=MoraFire|date=Sep–Oct 2009|url=http://www.morafire.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=74|access-date=2009-11-02}}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}[http://aud.iamthemoon.com/index.php?element=features_gt&archive=232] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Prince Rajcomar, footballer (Netherlands; Curaçaoan and Surinamese background)
Mary Rambaran-Olm, literary scholar specializing in early medieval England from the fifth to eleventh centuries{{Cite news |last=Schuessler |first=Jennifer |date=2022-05-07 |title=Medieval Scholars Spar on a Modern Battlefield: Twitter |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/arts/medieval-race-twitter.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508001955/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/arts/medieval-race-twitter.html |archive-date=2022-05-08 |issn=0362-4331}}
Gema Ramkeesoon, social worker and women's-rights activist (Trinidad and Tobago)https://ufmrg.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/diversity_-difference-and-caribbean-feminism-feb_2007.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}
Andre Rampersad, Trinidadian footballer
Nick Sagar, British actor and model
Sean Sagar, British actor and model
Kenneth Salick, chutney soca singer{{cite journal | url=https://www.academia.edu/3307436 | title=Jep Sting Radica with Rum and Roti: Trinidadian Social Dynamics in Chutney Music | journal=Popular Music and Society | year=2012 | volume=37 | issue=2 | pages=152–168 | last1=Baksh | first1=Darrell Gerohn | doi=10.1080/03007766.2012.737593 | s2cid=143840668 }}
Krishmar Santokie, cricketer
Edward Seaga, banker, businessman, politician and former
Abrahim Simmonds, youth advocate (Jamaica)
Toni-Ann Singh, Miss World 2019 (Jamaica)
Justine Skye, entertainer (Jamaica)
XXXTentacion, rapper{{cite news |last1=Sobat |first1=Peter |title=XXXTENTACION CALLS OUT DRAKE IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW AFTER JAIL |url=http://blurredculture.com/xxxtentacion-calls-out-drake-in-his-first-interview-after-jail/ |access-date=March 26, 2019 |agency=blurredculture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190309232624/http://blurredculture.com/xxxtentacion-calls-out-drake-in-his-first-interview-after-jail/ |archive-date=March 9, 2019 |url-status=live }}
Joyce Vincent, British woman whose death went unnoticed for over two years (Grenadian of black and Indian ancestry)

Dougla people

Definition

History

In Trinidad culture

Notable Douglas

See also

References

Further reading