Sari n' Chips

by Ram Gidoomal

After World War II, thousands of Asians and other commonwealth citizens flocked to Britain, Australia, South Africa and other Western countries. While many succeeded financially, they faced a profound culture shock as they grappled with differences in language, climate, clothing, food and attitudes. The children of these immigrants are often more at home in the host culture than that of their ethnic background. The resulting tensions can be unbearable: Ram's own family has experienced several tragedies.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 1993

Reviews

[MM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this book are quite interesting, especially to understand how Sindhis left Pakistan to go to east Africa in 1947, and then left Kenya in the 1960s for Britain once Kenya became independent. How they had neither Indian nor Kenyan citizenship. And how the experience of Sindhis/Indians in Uganda was different (worse) than those in Kenya. The challenges of arriving in Britain and living there are also well described. The rest of the book on ‘bridging’ the two cultures I found less interesting although it did evoke Britain of the 1980s and 1990s that I experienced. Bina Sella (nee Shivdasani) is mentioned a few times - I knew her because of my Inlaks scholarship. Did not realize the family were prominent enough to be invited by John Major to Downing Street.