Ethnic enclaves

[Marka Ragnos]

Where are, for you, the most important, newest, fascinating, inspiring, struggling, surprising, fun, enduring, or otherwise notable ethnic enclaves you've visited? They can be in any country, any city, any state. I will define ethnic enclave thus, but you can argue with that all you want. 

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An ethnic enclave is a geographical area where a particular ethnic group is spatially clustered and socially and economically distinct from the majority group. 

I myself really find myself drawn to subcultures and ethnic enclaves. I've always been that way. I'm just really curious. Maybe it's an economical form of "traveling" without really leaving home.

When I lived in England, I was always spending loads of time in the Kurdish areas of Haringey, where my girlfriend (now wife) lived. I was always surprised at how few non-Kurds would be in these areas, how half the people I met in London (some of them very well educated) didn't even seem to know these areas existed. I felt like they were really missing out! People would teach me bits of the language, show me things for sale that I'd never have seen on my own, taught me about best cafes, things to be careful about etc.

In Houston, Los Angeles, even rural Pennsylvania, there are some pretty interesting subcultures (not always ethnic enclaves) I've "discovered." I often feel humbled in these areas. I went to a mosque for a funeral service once in an area with a small south Asian subculture, and I remember how I just felt like I really needed to shut the **** up and listen and learn, and I like that feeling of learning. I guess it reminds of me of how small I am in the universe. It's not always positive. I think I've been to some ethnic enclaves in Paris and felt a vague sense that I not welcome. I try to "read the room" and not impose myself, of course. But I don't want to make it sound like it's always some deep and meaningful experience. 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[KentVillan]

I really like the San Marino community of Barrow-in-Furness

[mjmooney]

You mean 'ghettos'? 

[Chindie]

7 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

You mean 'ghettos'? 

Careful now.

[bickster]

I quite like the Portuguese cluster in Merthyr Tydfil but taking it wider, the Italian community of South Wales has had quite the cultural impact. I've posted about that before 

[Seat68]

I believe Corby is known for having a large Scottish community. Not sure why, perhaps there is an industry that attracted them historically.

[Anthony]

58 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

I believe Corby is known for having a large Scottish community. Not sure why, perhaps there is an industry that attracted them historically.

Yeah, steel innit. Actually, wassit. It's all gone now.

[choffer]

1 hour ago, bickster said:

I quite like the Portuguese cluster in Merthyr Tydfil but taking it wider, the Italian community of South Wales has had quite the cultural impact. I've posted about that before 

And all the chip shops and ice cream vans in Edinburgh used to be Italian-owned/run too. Less so these days but they still exist.

[rjw63]

2 hours ago, Chindie said:

Careful now.

[mjmooney]

25 minutes ago, choffer said:

And all the chip shops and ice cream vans in Edinburgh used to be Italian-owned/run too. Less so these days but they still exist.

Former Italian prisoners of war who chose to stay in Scotland. 

Gives you an idea of how bad Italy must have been. 

[Clarry]

One of the oldest Somalian communities in the UK is in Cardiff, from the years working as stokers on the steamships. Whether or not it is an enclave, I cannot tell.

There is a Portuguese enclave in Stockwell/Brixton. A tight cluster of cafes etc. It is a very old community 200+ years old I think.

[bickster]

44 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Former Italian prisoners of war who chose to stay in Scotland. 

Gives you an idea of how bad Italy must have been. 

There's a bit of that but it's largely a myth, same in South Wales. The Italian communities of both were there long before WW2 (Late 19th Century) - there was an exodus from Italy around 1890 and people were fleeing famine and drought.

[Clarry]

44 minutes ago, bickster said:

There's a bit of that but it's largely a myth, same in South Wales. The Italian communities of both were there long before WW2 (Late 19th Century) - there was an exodus from Italy around 1890 and people were fleeing famine and drought.

And if I remember correctly, fans of Neath Rugby Club used to be nicknamed Turks by other South Wales clubs because of a WW1 POW camp. Once again, it may be urban myth.

[bickster]

48 minutes ago, Clarry said:

And if I remember correctly, fans of Neath Rugby Club used to be nicknamed Turks by other South Wales clubs because of a WW1 POW camp. Once again, it may be urban myth.

Llanelli are the Turks not Neath and again the origins easily predate WW2.

The big POW Camp in S Wales was near Bridgend somewhere iirc, I think it was the site of the only mass escape of German POWs during WW2 (there's a family story to do with my Granddad out shooting rabbits and alerting the police leading to the capture of a couple of them)

[The Fun Factory]

I believe there is still a small enclave in Birmingham City centre which supports blues.

 

 

 

Mate.

[Marka Ragnos]

5 hours ago, mjmooney said:

You mean 'ghettos'? 

A very complicated and loaded older word. I see it goes back to Italy in the Renaissance. I honestly don't hear it much these days in America, where I think a diminishing number of people use it often derisively but also sometimes affectionately or with pride but who the speaker is totally changes it a lot. I gather you get that it can be offensive if used by someone privileged (particularly if it's a white person describing black neighborhoods here) to comment on a poor urban area whether it's an ethnic on enclave or not. I suppose many "ghettos" have historically been ethnic enclaves, too (the Warsaw Ghetto, Jewish Quarters, etc.),  but not all ethnic enclaves are "ghettos" in their various contexts? In the States, it usually has a negative connotation. Artists such as Ice Cube use it expressively, of course ...
 

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The mother****in' world is a ghetto
Full of magazines, full clips, and heavy metal
When the smoke settle
I'm just lookin' for a big yellow
In six-inch stilettos
Dr. Dre, hello, perculatin keep 'em waitin'
While you sittin' here hatin', yo' bitch is hyperventilatin'
Hopin' that we penetratin', you gets naythin'
'Cause I never been to Satan, for hardcore administratin'

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Marka Ragnos