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{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Indo-Caribbean Americans
| native_name =
| image_caption = The Little Indo-Guyana-Trinidad and Tobago neigborhood along [[Liberty Avenue (New York City)|Liberty Avenue]] in [[Jamaica, Queens|Jamaica Hill]], [[Queens]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]]. A majority of the population are Indo-Caribbean Americans.
| native_name_lang =
| flag = {{flagicon|India}} {{flagicon|CARICOM}} {{flagicon|United States}}
| popplace = {{hlist| [[New York metropolitan area]] | [[Florida]] ([[South Florida]], [[Greater Orlando]], [[Tampa Bay Area]], and [[Marion County, Florida|Ocala metropolitan area]]) | [[Texas]] | [[Minnesota]] | [[Washington metropolitan area|Washington, D.C. metropolitan area]]}}
| languages = {{hlist| [[American English]]| [[Caribbean English]] ([[Trinidadian and Tobagonian English|Trinidadian and Tobagonian]] and [[Guyanese Creole|Guyanese]])| [[Surinamese Dutch]]| [[Caribbean Hindustani]]| [[Hinglish]]| [[Tamil language|Tamil]]}}
| rels = Majority: [[Hinduism]]<br>Minority: {{hlist| [[Islam]]| [[Christianity]]| Others}}
| related = {{hlist| [[Indo-Caribbeans]]| [[Indian Americans]]| [[South Asian Americans]]| [[British Indo-Caribbean people]]| [[Indo-Canadian]]| [[Indian people]]| [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]]}}
| pop = 232,817 (2007)<ref name="scribd.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/7099691/IndoCaribbean-Times-December-2007|title=Indo-Caribbean Times December 2007 - Kidnapping - Venezuela|website=Scribd|access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref>
}}
'''Indo-Caribbean Americans''' or '''Indian-Caribbean Americans''', are [[Americans]] who trace their ancestry ultimately to [[India]], though whose recent ancestors lived in the [[Caribbean]], where they migrated beginning in 1838 as [[Indian indenture system|indentured laborers]]. There are large populations of [[Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian]]s and [[Indo-Guyanese]] along with a smaller population of [[Indo-Surinamese]], [[Indo-Jamaican]]s and other Indo-Caribbeans in the [[United States]], especially in the [[New York metropolitan area]] and [[Florida]]. The [[Washington metropolitan area]], [[Texas]], and [[Minnesota]] also have small numbers of [[Indo-Guyanese]] and [[Indo-Trinidadians]]. Indo-Caribbean Americans are a subgroup of [[Indian Americans]], which are a subgroup of [[South Asian Americans]].

==Migration history==
Since the 1960s, a large Indo-Caribbean community has developed in [[Richmond Hill, Queens|South Richmond Hill]], a neighborhood in the [[New York City]] borough of [[Queens, New York|Queens]] in the state of [[New York (state)|New York]]. The Indo-Caribbean population has also grown rapidly in the Floridian cities of [[Tampa]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[Kissimmee, Florida|Kissimmee]], [[Poinciana, Florida|Poinciana]], [[Fort Myers]], [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], [[Ocala]], [[West Palm Beach]], [[Lake Worth Beach, Florida|Lake Worth]], [[Wellington, Florida|Wellington]], [[Boynton Beach, Florida|Boynton Beach]], [[Loxahatchee, Florida|Loxahatchee]], [[The Acreage, Florida|The Acreage]], [[Fort Lauderdale]], [[Miami]], [[Homestead, Florida|Homestead]], [[Cutler Bay]], [[Palmetto Bay, Florida|Palmetto Bay]], [[Miami Gardens, Florida|Miami Gardens]], [[Port Saint Lucie]], [[Coral Springs]], [[Margate, Florida|Margate]], [[Lauderdale Lakes, Florida|Lauderdale Lakes]], [[North Lauderdale]] (more than 1% of residents in the city were born in Trinidad and Tobago), [[Sunrise, Florida|Sunrise]], [[Plantation, Florida|Plantation]], [[Parkland, Florida|Parkland]], [[Lauderhill, Florida|Lauderhill]], [[Pompano Beach]], [[Hallandale Beach, Florida|Hallandale Beach]], [[Hollywood, Florida|Hollywood]], [[Oakland Park, Florida|Oakland Park]], [[Tamarac, Florida|Tamarac]], [[Cooper City]], [[Miramar, Florida|Miramar]], [[Davie, Florida|Davie]], [[Weston, Florida|Weston]], [[Southwest Ranches]], and [[Pembroke Pines]]. [[Indo-Surinamese]] tend to migrate to the [[Netherlands]], but have started to settle in [[Florida]] and the [[New York metropolitan area]] in small numbers. [[Indo-Jamaican]]s also live in moderate numbers throughout the New York metropolitan area and Florida. There are also smaller numbers of [[Indians in Barbados|Indo-Barbadians]], [[Asian Indians in Belize|Indo-Belizeans]], [[Indians in French Guiana|Indo-French Guianese]], [[Indo-Grenadians]], [[Indo-Guadeloupeans]], [[Indo-Martiniquais]], [[Indians in Saint Kitts and Nevis|Indo-Kittitian and Nevisian]], [[Indo-Saint Lucian]], [[Indo-Vincentian|Indo-Vincentian and Grenadinese]] in the New York metropolitan area and in Florida.

==Culture and religion==
Majority of Indo-Caribbean Americans are followers of [[Hinduism]], with a minority belonging to [[Islam]], [[Christianity]] and other religions. Major holidays such as [[Diwali]], [[Holi|Phagwah]], [[Eid al-Fitr|Eid]], [[Hosay]], [[Indian Arrival Day]], [[Easter]], and [[Christmas]] are celebrated with a distinct flavor unique to the [[Caribbean]].

The Richmond Hill Phagwah Parade is the largest Holi celebration in the United States. Thousands attend the parade annually each Spring in Queens, with thousands of attendees crowding Liberty Avenue and Smoky Oval Park.

[[South Florida]] has become a destination for [[roti]] shops, [[Clothing in India|Indian clothing]] boutiques, [[Threading (epilation)|threading]], [[Hindu temple|mandirs]]/[[kovil]]s, [[masjid]]s, [[Indian people|Indian]] [[church (building)|churches]], and annual Indo-Caribbean Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religious events. It is also a popular spot for [[Indo-Caribbean music|Indo-Caribbean artists]]. The Florida Melody Makers are the most well known Indo-Caribbean American band for years and continue to perform around the Southeastern United States. [[WHSR|WHSR 980 AM]] used to hosts Indian musical and religious programming weekly every Saturday and featured community leaders like [[Pandit|Pundit]] Ramsurat K. Maharaj, Bhagwan R. Singh, Natty Ramoutar, Peter Ganesh, Al Mustapha, and Sam Subramani. Currently, there is only one Indian and Hindu radio program in [[South Florida]] which is on [[WWNN]] on Saturday evenings, and is hosted by Bhagwan R. Singh. There is also a Indo-Caribbean Muslim program on WWNN hosted by Al Mustapha.

Most cultural shows continue to tie a cultural bond between the [[Indo-Caribbean]] and [[Indian-American]] communities, as well as inter-religious bonding between [[Hindus]], [[Muslims]], [[Christians]], [[Sikhs]], [[Jains]], and [[Buddhist]] especially those hosted at educational institutions with an Indian student association like [[Florida International University]], [[Florida Atlantic University]], [[Nova Southeastern University]], [[Broward College]], [[Palm Beach State College]], and the [[University of Miami]].

The Shiva Mandir in [[Oakland Park, Florida|Oakland Park]] (first Hindu Mandir in [[South Florida]], built in the 1980s by the Florida Hindu Organization led by Pt. Ramsurat K. Maharaj and hosts one of the largest annual [[Diwali]] shows in [[Florida]]), the Shree Saraswati Devi Mandir in [[Oakland Park, Florida|Oakland Park]], Krishna Mandir in [[Hollywood, Florida|Hollywood]], Arya Samaj Mandir in [[Riverland Village|Riverland]], Shiva Lingam Mandir (Shiv Shakti Hanuman Mandir) in [[Margate, Florida|Margate]], Palm Beach Hindu Mandir in [[Loxahatchee, Florida|Loxahatchee]], Sanatan Sansthan Mandir in Loxahatchee, Shri Lakshmi Mandir in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]], Florida Sevashram Sangha in [[Lake Worth, Florida|Lake Worth]], Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in [[Palmetto Estates, Florida|Palmetto Estates]], and the Amar Jyoti Mandir in [[Palmetto Bay, Florida|Palmetto Bay]], are largely attended by Indo-Caribbeans. [[Plantation High School]], a school where most Caribbeans and Asians are of Indian descent, hosted an annual [[Diwali]] show from 1993 to 2008. Starting as a one-day event in 2008 and expanding to a three-day event since 2009, the [[Divali Nagar]] USA entertains the local community with musical and religious performances, food, and vendors.

Music is a large part of the Indo-Caribbean American community, which includes the tunes of [[Bollywood]], [[Carnatic music]], [[Taan (music)|taan]], [[bhajans]], [[kirtan]], [[Qawwali|quwwalis]], [[Sufi music|Sufi]], [[chutney music]], [[Baithak Gana|baithak gana]], [[chutney parang]], [[Chutney Soca|chutney soca]], [[tassa]], [[Soca music|soca]], [[parang]], [[steel pan]], and [[calypso music|calypso]]. [[Bharatnatyam]] and [[kathak]] are respected classical traditional dances, and dance items from [[Hindi films]], [[Bhojpuri cinema|Bhojpuri films]], [[Tamil films]], and [[Telugu films]] have grown in favor as well. With the increasing emphasis on partying, Bollywood, chutney, chutney-soca, and soca music are preferred by the young crowd. (see [[Indo-Caribbean music]])

==Notable people==
{{Americans}}
===Indo-Guyanese Americans===
*[[Gaiutra Bahadur]] - author
* [[Rhona Fox]] - actress and businesswoman
* [[Terry Gajraj|Terry Vivkeanand Gajraj]] - singer
* [[Pandit]] Prakash Gossai - Hindu religious leader<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/hindu-priest-from-guyana-is-mourned-in-queens/|title=Hindu Priest From Guyana Is Mourned in Queens|first=Sewell|last=Chan|date=June 18, 2009}}</ref>
*[[Nezam Hafiz]] - cricketer and victim of the [[September 11 attacks]]
* [[Cheddi Jagan]] - former [[President of Guyana]] who attended [[Howard University]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]
*Rohit Jaggessar - film maker and founder of [[Easy 96|RBC Radio]], the first South Asian-Indian radio station in the United States and India's first satellite radio statio
*[[Harischandra Khemraj]] - writer
* [[Stanley Praimnath]] - bank executive and survivor of the [[September 11 attacks]]
*[[Victor Ramdin|Annand Mahendra "Victor" Ramdin]] - professional poker player and philanthropist
* Subhas Ramsaywack - actor known for his role on ''[[30 Rock]]''
*Mahadeo Shivraj - actor and film maker
*Reginald Lal Singh - actor and activist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0802209/bio|title=Reginald Lal Singh|website=IMDb}}</ref>

===Indo-Jamaican Americans===
* [[Rajiv Maragh]] - jockey
* [[Shaun Bridgmohan]] - jockey

===Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans===
* [[Ben Ali (businessman)|Mahaboob Ben Ali]] - businessman
* [[Gerry Bednob]] - actor and comedian
*[[Niala Boodhoo]] - journalist, host, and executive producer
* Some members of the [[Capildeo family]]
* [[Ria Persad]] - mathematician, classical musician, and model
* [[Reema Harrysingh-Carmona|Reema Harrysingh]] - former [[First Ladies of Trinidad and Tobago|First Lady of Trinidad and Tobago]]
* [[Krishna Maharaj]] - British businessman convicted of murder in [[Miami]], [[Florida]]
*[[Davan Maharaj]] - former editor-in-chief and publisher of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
*Devinder "Dave" Maraj - sports car racing team owner and automotive dealer<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://autoweek.com/news/sports-cars/a1702926/champion-racing-team-owner-dave-maraj-dies/|title=Champion Racing Team owner Dave Maraj dies in boating accident|first=Mike|last=Pryson|date=July 22, 2018|website=Autoweek}}</ref>
*[[Onika Tanya Maraj]] - rapper, singer, and songwriter known professionally as Nicki Minaj ([[Dougla people|Dougla]]; Father is half Indo-Trinidadian)<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLAMNWdwgKc|title=Five Rounds With Nicki Minaj - Funny Interview with Nicki's Indian accent|date=February 2, 2011|access-date=August 13, 2021|publisher=[[DesiHits]]|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>
* [[Anantanand Rambachan]] - [[Hindu]] religious scholar
* [[Arnold Rampersad]] - biographer and literary critic
* [[Lall Sawh|Lall Ramnath Sawh]] - urologist
* [[Lakshmi Singh]] - [[NPR]]'s national midday newscaster
*Anand Yankaran - singer and brother of [[Rakesh Yankaran]]

== See also ==
* [[British Indo-Caribbean people]]
* [[Indian Americans]]
* [[Indo-Caribbeans]]
* [[Desi]]
* [[Indian diaspora]]
** [[Tamil diaspora]]
* [[Fijian Indian diaspora|Indo-Fijian American]]

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
* JAYADEVI ARTS INC. - "Preserving IndoCaribbean Arts & Culture"https://www.jayadeviarts.com/
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050829162416/http://www.chhayacdc.org/pdf/study.pdf Chhaya Community Development report]
* [http://www.rediff.com/us/2000/mar/06us1.htm The importance of being counted]
* [https://www.patreon.com/sail_oar South Asian Indentured Labor - Online Archive of Research and Resources] - an online archive and living syllabus of text-based resources related to Indian indentureship, with country-specific resources related to Indians indentured to the Caribbean and the Indo-Caribbean diaspora
* [https://archive.today/20200212033746/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_PCT019&-tree_id=403&-redoLog=true&-all_geo_types=N&-geo_id=01000US&-search_results=01000US&-format=&-_lang=en US Census 2000 foreign born population by country]

{{Asian Americans}}
{{West Indian American}}
{{NRI-PIO}}

[[Category:Caribbean American]]
[[Category:Indian American|Caribbean American]]
[[Category:American people of Caribbean descent]]
[[Category:Indo-Caribbean]]

Indo-Caribbean Americans - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 01:18, 14 August 2023