호주 휘지계 인도인의 종족 정체성 구성 = The Construction of Ethnic Identity among Indo-Fijians in Australia

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 연구는 호주에 거주하는 휘지계 인도인의 종족 정체성 구성(construction of ethnic identity)을 논한다. 이를 위해 우선 인도인이 휘지에 정착하게 된 역사적 배경을 간략히 살펴보고, 이들과 철저히 이질적인 휘지 원주민과의 관계 속에 형성된 휘지 내의 ‘인도인 종족성’ 구성을 고찰하고 있다. 다음으로 휘지계 인도인의 호주 이민과 정착 및 사회 조직적 특성을 살펴보고 마지막으로 휘지에서 가져 온 종족성과 기(旣) 형성된 사회적 조직 및 연망(network) 등이 호주라는 새로운 환경에 직면하여 그들의 종족 정체성 구성에 어떻게 작용하는지 논의되고 있다. 호주의 휘지계 인도인 정체성 형성 과정에는 주류 백인집단들에 의한 무차별적인 남아시아인으로의 규정과, 소위 정통 인도인이라는 직접 이주자들의 휘지계 인도인에 대한 사회적, 문화적, 경제적 차별화(differentiation)의 과정이 밀접히 관여하고 있다. 휘지계 인도인의 정체성은 언어와 음식 등의 고유한 문화적 내용과 기존의 사회적 연망만으로 자발적으로 구성되는 성격은 아니다. 휘지계 인도인의 정체성은 대(對) 백인들과 그리고 직접 이주자 인도인들과의 사회-문화적 관계 속에서 오히려 출현하고 있는 것이다. 즉 휘지계 인도인 정체성은 자신들의 언어사용, 종교활동의 특징 등의 일부 문화적 토대와 독특한 사회 조직과 경험을 통한 자신들의 ‘종족적 동일시’와 백인, 직접 이주 인도인 등 외부자에 의해 부여되는 ‘종족성 지정’ (designation) 간의 변증법적 과정을 통해 형성된다고 보여진다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aims at exploring the processes of ethnic identity construction among Indo-Fijians in Australia. If we understand the notion of ethnicity as mutable or changeable, then one's ethnic identity is a composite of the view one has of oneself and the views held by others about one's ethnic identity.
The Indo-Fijians in Australia are "twice migrants" who relocated a second time from Fiji primarily due to the military coup in 1987 led by the Fiji native military. The ancestors of the Indo-fijians had came to Fiji as indentured labourers' from 1879 to 1916. This type of migration can be contrasted with those Indians who migrated directly from India to Australia: Indo-Fijians had lived much longer overseas, their regional origins in the Indian Continental were different and they had some distinct experiences as overseas settlers. As a result of their severance, they felt they had no connection with the networks on the subcontinent.
In general, white Australians, who fail to recognize of the Indo-Fijians' distinctive accents, style and mannerisms, tend to lump them into the generalized category of "Indians" or "South Asians." Meanwhile those Indian settlers who have come to Australia directly tend to perceive Indo-Fijians as "semi-Indians" or "inferior." Though physically similar to themselves, they often talk, dress and act in uncustomary ways. While Indo-Fjians are regularly identified as "South Asians" by most whites, they are also socially and culturally marginalized by most other South Asians, especially direct Indian migrants.
It is incorrect to state that Indo-Fijian Identity is based only on the cultural content(dress, language, etc) and physical features of the Indo-Fijians. Although it is possible to differentiate Indo-Fijians from direct Indian migrants through the difference in language usage, dress, culinary habits, social organization etc, the ethnic identity should not be seen as given or long-established. The ethnic identity of Indo-Fijians is the result of a dialectical process involving internal and external opinions and processes, as well as Indo-Fijians' self-identification and outsiders' (White and direct Indian migrants) designations. When Indo-Fijians (perceived as a minority group in Australia) encounter opposition from the direct Indian migrant group (the majority group in terms of number of persons, educational careers, wealth etc), they may turn to their own ethnic history(history of indenture) and culture and intensify their attachments to these factual and symbolic phenomena. But this history and culture are not 'primodial' but rather are themselves constructions.
It is very important to find specific devices and mechanisms of cultural reproduction, including ethnic identity. We must examine the actual practices that Indo-Fijians have developed to preserve and transmit its culture. Indo-Fijians have taken advantage of social networks and cultural institutions already established in Fiji to preserve their identity. One of the actual practices among Indo-Fijians in Australia is Ramayan Mandli(Ramayana Association), which is based on residence. Organizations such as Ramayan mandli will foster and preserve a unique sense of Indo-Fijian identity.