All images © Ketaki Sheth, courtesy National Portrait Gallery

"The children who looked at me with hostility are now in the National Portrait Gallery.” Ketaki Sheth on photographing the Sidi, an ostracised and ancient Indian community of African descent.

Still, unexpected links linger; the Sidi’s Gujarati dialect borrows a few words from Swahili, and Sidi music and spirituality has clear links with African spiritual heritage.

In a sense, the Sidi are a potent symbol of modern India, a mix of old-world colonialism and modern globalisation. Centuries have passed and Africa is a faded memory for the Sidi. For them, India is where they belong.

On Belonging: Photographs of Indians of African Descent is on display at the National Portrait Gallery, London until 31st August 2015. Find out more here.

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