Chindian community today is an integral part of our multi-cultural Australian society.
'Chindian' is an informal term used to refer to person of both Indian and Chinese ancestry or as Urban Dictionary chooses to call it ‘half-Chinese, half-Indian’.
Mostly hailing from Malaysia and Singapore, where Chinese and Indian communities have co-existed together since decades, the Chindian community in Australia has grown in numbers over the years.
Most of the members of the Chindian community have migrated to Australia from either Malaysia or Singapore.
Sydney-based Social entrepreneur and artist Kevin Bathman grew up in a chindian family. Talking to SBS Hindi, Kevin describes how his paternal grandfather was an Indian-Tamil, and his grandmother, a Chinese-Nyonya. Keen to understand his roots and mixed racial heritage, Kevin embarked on an online project titled The Chindian Diaries. “My sole aim was to study my own community where children grew up in inter-racial marriages. Mixed parentage, cross-cultural upbringing and the experiences of marrying into different cultures, is what binds us together,” he says.
Source: The Chindian Diaries
Today, the Facebook page of The Chindian Diaries has over 9000 followers. The page is strewn with case studies of mixed-marriages, children brought up by Chindian parents and the new couples coming together.
Sherlyn Yap Chai Gek was brought up by her Chindian parents – Chinese father and an Indian mother. Sherlyn, who currently lives in Queensland, shares that it is not simple to identify yourself with one or the other culture. Talking about her own upbringing, she shares, “Yes, we are Chindians. But it also depends on which side of the family is stronger, which culture do you identify more with?”
Most of the Chindians, brought up in a cross-cultural environment do grow up celebrating Deepawali as well as the Chinese Lunar New Year. Quite self-aware about their mixed race, Chindians often face amusing questions from their friends and colleagues.
“We spoke English at home. So when someone asked me about my race, I would say English,” quips Sherlyn about her childhood when she was unaware about the inter-racial identity.
The Chindian Diaries thus aims, to form a community and provide a platform where all the Chindian couples can come together and share their stories.
Source: The Chindian Diaries
While the trend of the Chindian marriages may have begun in Malaysia and Singapore, more and more Chindian couples have tied the knot in Australia.
Cindy Yeoh Rana met her husband Robin Rana, while she worked at Sydney Airport. Eventually, Robin’s parents in Haryana found out about their son’s relationship with Cindy. “They had chosen a bride for him but Robin told them that he has already found a bride for himself,” Cindy writes in her story on The Chindian Diaries.
Their marriage took place in the most unusual way. Robin and Cindy were visiting Haryana to attend Robin’s younger brother’s wedding. Robin’s parents were keen that the elder son be married before the younger one. Cindy agreed. In less than 6 hours, Cindy was ready as a bride and was married.
“Before the wedding I spoke to my Mum and told her of the plan, and she agreed to my wedding in India, but promised me to do a wedding reception in Kuala Lumpur, my hometown,” Cindy shares.
“When I posted my Indian ceremony wedding photos on Facebook, my friends and relatives were so puzzled. Some of them even thought it was a joke!” she says adding, “But a year later, Robin and I had our Chinese wedding in Kuala Lumpur.”
Source: The Chindian Diaries
