India on Foot

Footcept :

The Portuguese imported African slaves into Goa,Daman & Diu, from Mozambique & some east african coastal settlements.
Many of the slaves managed to escape the inhuman treatment & settled in the deep forests of the Karnataka/Goa border. Living a nomadic life in the forests, and hunting,fishing,foraging for sustenance.
The community was discovered in the early sixties by christian missionaries.
Though very elusive, gradual approaches to befriend them were made. Recently some effort has been made to integrate them with the mainstream of India.
They are known as ‘Siddis’. Historically very different from the siddis of Gujarat, the boat-workers.

They still live in the around the forests & currently there are 6000 of them in the remote hills of Karnataka.
They do not know Africa, but their music & dance is african in nature.