Transcript Early History and Demographics

ZARATHUSHTIS IN NORTH AMERICA:
EARLY HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS
ZARATHUSHTI IDENTITY
ROSHAN RIVETNA
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1799.Trade relations between
Bombay and Salem, MA
“The business was carried on by Parsees, some
of the most intelligent people I have ever
known, rich and very honorable in their
dealings. The merchant with whom I did
business, Nasser Vanji Monackjee, was a very
fine man.”
- George Nichols, 1799, collection of
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1851. Possibly the first Zoroastrian to
visit the US.
“… a friend brought a real live Parsee, with a tall headdress,
to take tea with us. It was a revelation to me that a fire
worshipper could take tea like ordinary mortals.
Ardeshir Cursetjee
Wadia came to Boston
area in 1851 to set up
trade with the Americans.
“ …He drank his tea and ate his bread and butter quite like
other folks … He spoke in a very low, cultivated, refined voice,
using much better English than we did!”
- Caroline King’s memoirs about Ardeseer Cursetjee Wadia’s visit to
Salem, MA in 1851, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1852. President Ullyses Grant
appoints Parsi as US vice consul.
So revered was his name
that President Ullyses
Grant honored Dossabhoy
Merwanjee with a visit to
his firm at 6 Parsi Bazaar
Street, Bombay, in 1879.
“Reposing special trust and confidence in the
ability and integrity of Dossabhoy Merwanjee of
Bombay… President of the US appoints him
Vice Consul of the USA at Bombay …”
-Edward Ely, Consul of the USA
1852
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1866. Gold Rush. Possibly the first
Zoroastrian to visit Canada.
• In 1866, the Gold Rush was on. Maneckji Faramji Javeri came
to California prospecting for gold.
• Javeri also visited Barkerville, north of Vancouver, making him
possibly the first Zoroastrian to visit Canada.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1876. From Baroda to the New World
“Many enterprising and intelligent Parsis are desirous of
emigrating to the New World … to found a separate colony of
Parsis in a land which is the fostering nurse of many an enterprising
adventurer and capitalist … where they can, without the slightest
impediment, preserve and follow the religion of their forefathers … A
settlement in America has become the subject of our grave
considerations …”
-- Letter to US Consul by Parsis of Baroda, 1876.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
EARLY EPISODES
1878. First “fire temple” in the USA
• Charles Poston (b. 1825) ‘Father of Arizona’
• Became a Zoroastrian after travels to India.
• Wrote “The Sun Worshippers of Asia” in 1877.
• Built a ‘fire temple’ at ‘Parsee Hill’ (now Poston’s
Butte) in Florence, Arizona, in 1878.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
PIONEER SETTLERS
1861. Served in US Civil War
1866. First settler in San Francisco
• 1860. Conjee Rustomjee Cohoujee Bey of Lahore
came to New York and served in US Civil War.
Changed name to Antonio Gomez.
• 1866. Settled in San Francisco. Possibly the first
South Asian to settle in San Francisco.
• 1911. Interned in The Presidio with full military honors.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
PIONEER SETTLERS
Prior to 1900s
First Zarathushti born in NA
1885. Eduljee Sorabjee, god-son of Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit, came
to Los Angeles and became a naturalized US citizen. “Mr. Sorabjee was a
thorough man of the world, there was little in his manner or speech to
distinguish him from a cultured Englishman or American.” [H. D. Barrows,
Historical Society of Southern California, 1912].
1892. Pestonji Framji Davar settled in San Francisco. His son Jamshed was
the first Zoroastrian born in North America. After Jamshed’s death in 1982,
Pestonji’s estate of Rs. 5.6 million went to the BPP.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
PIONEER SETTLERS
1900 - 1920
1900. Bhicaji Balsara came to settle in New York and became the first
naturalized US citizen, after courts opined that “Parsees do belong to the
white race .. are intelligent and well-to-do, principally engaged in commerce.”
1904. Phiroze Saklatwala ‘Parsi Oil King’ came to New York
and became part owner of an oil company on the Big Board.
The first Zoroastrian Association of New York was born in
his living room on West 11th Street, in 1929.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1900 - 1920
1911. Dinshaw Ghadiali, inventor and medical healer, author
and aviator came to New York. In 1919, dressed in Jama and
Pichori, he led a parade in NYC carrying a banner which read:
“Parsi Zoroastrian American Forever.”
1905. Dastur Dr. Maneckji Dhalla came to Columbia for Avestan
studies and noted:
“The Parsi population does not
exceed 12 to 15 at any time.”
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
22-year-old Jamshed Irani
Arrived at Ellis Island in
1920. His name is on the
American Immigrant Wall of
Honor.
ELLIS ISLAND
RECORDS
1900 - 1920s
•1903. Merwan Irani, 35 on the
Philadelphia,Southampton.
•1905. Phiroize Sethna, 38 on the Cedric from Liverpool
•1909. Nanabhoy Sethna, 25 on the Adriatic
Southampton.
• 1910 Pestorg Patel, 40 on the Lusitania, Liverpool.
•1914. Maneckji Dhalla, 39, and Cuvarbai Dhalla, 36, on
Carmania, Liverpool.
•1923. Minochie Irani, 25, on Canopic, from Bremerhaven.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1920s - 1940s
24 year old Rustom Wadia
came to New York in 1923.
Navroze dinner, Wadia’s Rajah
Restaurant, Manhattan, 1947.
Letter from Wadia, 1988
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1920s - 1940s
Furrokh Bamji, 19, came to Chicago World’s Fair, 1934.
Jehangir Mobed (below), Keikhosrow Guiv and Manoucher
Sirouzi, arrived in New York on board a freighter in 1945.
Keikhosrov Irani and six other Zarathushtis came on board an
American Liberty ship, Marine Lynx, in 1946.
Jehangir Medora came to New
York in 1946, and facilitated
immigration to Canada with an
ad in Jame Jamshed in the
1960s.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1940s
Mehli Mehta (shown below with Zarin, Tehmina and Zubin)
came to New York to study the violin in 1945.
Students at International House, NY in 1947.
Mehraban and Paridokht Zartoshty came to New York in 1947
to set up an import-export business.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1950s
1959. Mary Mehrabi’s 18th birthday party at Hotel Taft in New York.
1955. Jehan Bagli (shown with family in 1966) came to John Hopkins in Baltimore.
1958. Rhoda and Jamshed Pavri arrived on a P&O liner, with 24 crates of belongings.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
1960s and 70s.
1960. Send-off for Dara Rivetna on the Strathnaver at Ballard Pier,
1967.Pervin and Jimmy Mistry depart from Bombay airport for Canada
1973. Dolly Dastoor and family immigrated to Canada in 1973.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
PROMOTING THE VISION
Arbab Rustom Guiv and Morvarid Guiv
came to the USA in 1977 with the vision to
establish dar-e-mehers across North America.
Their generosity bore fruit with dar-e-mehers
in New York (1977), Toronto (1978), Chicago
(1983), Vancouver (1985), San Jose (1986),
Los Angeles (1987) and Washington, DC.
1956: Farangis Shahrokh came to Universitiy of
Southern California in Los Angeles in 1956.
1958. Dr. Rostam Sarfeh came as a surgeon in a Long
Island hospital. Worked to promote Arbab Guiv’s vision.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
“DEMOGRAPHICS DETERMINES DESTINY”
•
•
2004. FEZANA World Zarathushti population Survey.
Population and intermarriages.
2012. Repeated 2004 survey, Added data on children/seniors,
Parsi/Iranian and male/female breakdown.
NOTE: This is not an official, statistically correct census. Data may
be inconsistent, inaccurate and incomplete and our estimates may
be incorrect.
We present the raw data here, as gathered, to get a flavor of the
Zarathushti World.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD
A Demographic Picture
Grateful Thanks to:
• All the sources and contact persons from 25 countries, 50 US States
and 10 Canadian provinces.
•
•
•
FEZANA Administrator Zenobia Damania for data collection.
Parsiana (Roxana Driver) and FEZANA Journal (Aban Vazifdar).
My family and friends for help in making these fancy slides.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
 2004 Estimated (Recorded)
 2012 Estimated (Recorded)
CANADA & USA
Canada
5,975 (5,341)
6,422 (5,985)
7.5% (12.1%)
Total NA
16,769 (14,499)
20,728 (16,651)
23.6% (14.8%)
USA
10,794 (9158)
14,306 (10666)
32.5% (16.5%)
Intermarriages:
Canada: 5.6%
USA: 9.9%
Children:
Canada: 16.9%
USA: 18.6%
Seniors:
Canada: 15.8%
USA: 12.0%
Origin Parsi - Iranian:
Canada: 72.0%, 28.0%
USA: 67.8%, 32.2%
Male - Female:
Canada: 51.4%, 48.6%
USA: 51.3%, 48.7%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
TOP STATES BY POPULATION
LARGEST GROWTH
California
5481
+101%
Washington 304
+171%
Ontario
4179
-3%
California 5481
+101%
NY,NJ,CT
2694
+23%
Alberta
220
+59%
Br. Columbia 1675
+41%
Florida
409
+44%
Texas
1320
+23%
Br. Columbia 1675 +41%
910
-43%
Arizona
DC, MD, VA
192 +34%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
IRAN
1986 32,589
1996 27,930 (-14.33)
2006 19,823 (-29.0%)
2012 13-15,000 (-29.1%)
• Population is between
13,000 and 15,000
• Intermarriages: < 1%
• Family size: 3.5 persons
• Male-Female ratio:
51.2%, 48.8%
Concerns:
Census data unreliable
Emigration to the west
Late marriages and
fewer children.
•
•
•
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
INDIA & SRI LANKA
1961 100,772
1971 91,266
1981 86,013
1991 77,353
2001 69,601
(-10%)
(-9%)
(-7%)
(-10%)
(-10%)
2011 61,000 (projected)
2004 66
2012 37
Intermarriages:
39% of marriages in Mumbai
in 2011 were intermarriages.
Children:
17.6% in 2001.
Seniors:
24% were 65 or over in 2001.
Males - Females:
48.8% - 51.2% in 2001.
Concerns:
Low fertility rate = 0.9.
Replacement level is 2.1.
Deaths outnumber births.
•
•
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
Intermarriages:
2.6% (10 men and 33 women)
are married outside. These
women and their offspring are
not counted in the totals.
1995
2001
2004
2012
2831
2378 (-16%)
2121 (-11%)
1675 (-21%)
Students.
Also not included are 47
students studying abroad.
“None are expected to return.”
Children and Seniors:
“No doubt the majority are old. In
last six months, 7 more have died.”
Origin: All are Parsis.
Males- Females: 45.6%, 54.4%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
GREAT BRITAIN
2004 DATA:
----------------------------------GREAT BRITAIN 5,000
England 4,900
Scotland 65
N. Ireland 25
REP OF IRELAND
10
----------------------------------2012:
“Static at around 5,000”
Intermarriages:
In 2004, percentage of non
Zarathushti spouses in a
sampling of ZTFE directory
was estimated to be 5.2%.
Age distribution:
“Average age is coming
down. More deaths than
births is balanced by a small
inflow of new immigrants.”
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
Parsi-Iranians
2004: About 1,000.
2012: (In progress)
EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA
Note: Work is in progress to collect
accurate and consistent data.
Zarathushtis by Choice.
2004: 125 officially initiated.
2012: (In progress)
Dr. Khosro Khazai, European Centre
for Zoroastrian Studies, Belgium:
“1,832 initiated in past 10 years.”
•
•
Mobed Kamran Jamshidi, Sweden.
“2,000 initiated and 20,000 want to
be initiated.”
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
MIDDLE EAST
Intermarriages:
4.1%.
Children (under 21):
25%
Seniors:
13.2%. “Not many above 65
are able to stay, unless
sponsored or have special
visas.”
Bahrain, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, UAE
2004: 2,200
2012: 2,030 (-7.7%)
Origin: Almost all Parsis. Data
not available on Iranians.
Male - Female:
55.0%, 45.0%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
FAR EAST
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, China,
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam
Intermarriages:
Hong Kong: 15.5%
Singapore: 13.0%
Children:
Hong Kong
Hong Kong: 27.2%
2004: 210
Singapore: 39.4%
2012: 204 (-3%) Seniors:
Hong Kong: 16.3%
Singapore: 9.3%
Singapore
Origin:
2004: 162
Almost all are Parsis
2012: 372 (130%) Male-Female:
Hong Kong: 46.7%, 53.2%
Singapore: 51.9%, 48.1%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
AFRICA
EAST AFRICA
Kenya (Mombasa, Nairobi)
Tanzania (Dare Salam, Zanzibar)
2004: 78
2012: 37 (-53%)
SOUTH AFRICA
(Jo’burg, Durban)
2004: 114
2012: 134 (+17%)
Intermarriages:
S. Africa: 20.1%
E. Africa: “Of the 15 in Mombasa,
7 are unmarried, 3 married (1 to
non-Z), 2 widows, 1 separated.”
Children - Seniors:
S. Africa: 8.2% children and
25.4% seniors.
E. Africa: 60% over 65. “In
Mombasa no one is below 40.”
Origin:
Almost all (but 1 or 2) are Parsis.
Male - Female:
S. Africa: 44.0%, 56.0%
E. Africa: 53.3%, 46.7%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND
Australia
2004: 2601
2012: 2577 (-1%)
New Zealand
2004: 900
2012: 1231 (+37%)
Intermarriages:
Australia: 4.1%
New Zealand: 2.6%
Children:
Australia: 9.3%
New Zealand: 40.1%
Seniors:
Australia: 29.6%
New Zealand: 3.2%
Origin (Parsi - Iranian):
Australia: 71.1%, 28.9%
New Zealand: 98%Parsis
Male - Female:
Australia: 50.3%, 49.7%
N. Zealand: 48.8%, 51.2%
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
25
20
15
10
5
0
China
Seychelles
Japan
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
E. Africa
S. Africa
Hong Kong
Singapore
Europe
N.Zealand
Pakistan
UAE+
2004
Australia
Gr. Britain
Canada
USA
India
Iran
INTERMARRIAGES
Percentage of non-Zarathushti spouses
in the Zarathushti population, 2004 and 2012
2012
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
INTERMARRIAGES
PERCENTAGE OF INTERMARRIAGES
from Parsiana (for Mumbai) and
FEZANA Journal (for N. America)
70
60
50
40
30
20
Mumbai (Parsiana)
10
N. America (Fezana Jr)
2011
2009
2007
2005
2003
2001
1999
1997
1995
1993
1991
0
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
AGE DISTRIBUTION
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (18 & UNDER)
AND SENIORS (65 & OVER)
60
% children
% Seniors
50
40
30
20
10
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
E Africa
S. Africa
HongKong
Singapore
N. Zealand
Pakistan
UAE+
Australia
Gr. Britain
Canada
USA
India
Iran
0
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
BIRTHS AND DEATHS
NUMBER OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS PER YEAR
N. America (FEZANA Jr)
Mumbai (Parsiana)
70
1200
60
1000
50
800
40
30
20
Births/yr
Deaths/yr
10
600
Births/yr
400
Deaths/yr
200
0
2011
2007
2003
1999
1995
1991
2011
2007
2003
1999
1995
1991
0
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
BIRTHS AND DEATHS
NUMBER DEATHS PER 100 BIRTHS FOR
NORTH AMERICA (FEZANA JR) AND
MUMBAI (PARSIANA)
In North America:
In 21 years:
1,022 births and 706 deaths
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
In Mumbai:
In 20 years:
2011
2007
2003
1999
1995
1991
N. America
Mumbai
3456 births and 17,715 (!) deaths
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
0
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
E Africa
S. Africa
HongKong
Singapore
N.Zealand
Parsis
Pakistan
UAE+
Australia
Gr. Britain
Canada
USA
India
Iran
Percentage
ORIGIN - PARSIS, IRANIANS
PERCENTAGE OF PARSIS AND IRANIANS
Iranians
100
80
60
40
20
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
0
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
E Africa
S. Africa
HongKong
Singapore
N. Zealand
Males
Pakistan
UAE+
Australia
60
Gr. Britain
Canada
USA
India
Iran
Percentage
MALE-FEMALE DISTRIBUTION
PERCENTAGE OF MALES AND FEMALES
Females
40
20
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
ZARATHUSHTI POPULATION 2012.
Countries with population less than 100 are not shown.
CANADA
(6422)
USA
(14306)
GR.BRITAIN
(5000) EUROPE/C.ASIA
(1000)
IRAN
(14000) PAKISTAN
(1675) HONG KONG
GULF
(2030)
(204)
INDIA
(61000)
SINGAPORE
(372)
S. AFRICA
AUSTRALIA
(134)
(2577)
NEW ZEALAND
(1231)
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
WORLD POPULATION
Country
2004 2012
Diff
Iran
24,000 14,000 -10,000
India
69,601 61,000
-8,601
USA
10,794 14,306
3,512
Canada
5,975
6,422
447
Gr. Britain
5,000
5,000
0
Australia
2,601
2,577
-24
Persian Gulf
2,200
2,030
-170
Pakistan
2,121
1,675
-446
New Zealand
900
1,231
331
Europe/C. Asia 1,000
1,000
0
Singapore
162
372
210
Hong Kong
210
204
-6
Other countries
389
385
-4
THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD
POPULATION TOTALS
2004 TOTAL
= 124,953
2012 TOTAL
= 110,202
In 2012, we estimate
14,751 fewer Zarathushtis
in the world than in 2004.
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
WORLD POPULATION
GROWTH/DECLINE OF POPULATION BY COUNTRY 2004 - 2012
All others
S. Africa
Hong Kong
Singapore
Europe
Pakistan
UAE+
Australia
Gr. Britain
New Zealand
-5 , 00 0
Canada
-3 , 00 0
USA
-1 , 00 0
India
1 ,0 0 0
Iran
Number of Zarathushtis
3 ,0 0 0
-7 , 00 0
-9 , 00 0
-1 1 ,0 0 0
How can we sustain a loss of 14,751 Zarathushtis in less than a decade?
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
WE NOW HAVE A FLAVOR OF THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD….
• Where we have come from, and
• Where we are today.
• In the session to follow we will collectively explore the best
paths for the future.
HERE IN NORTH AMERICA WE
HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
AFTER A 1000 YEARS OF SEPARATION
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
AFTER A 1000 YEARS OF SEPARATION
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012
WE HAVE THE RESOURCES
© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012