Indo-Canadian what does that really mean?

[ChromeGasCap]

Under race we often see indo-canadian, and i am often confused as to what this evening means.
Many indian woman would consider themselves asian, yet in appearance most Europeans see them as distinctly different than other asians, much like Russians are technically asian, in appearance they just are not the same.
We do not use terms such as germanic-canadian to identify Germans, but they do categorize as Caucasian.
I am personally deeply attracted to indian woman, and this does not extend to other asians. I am sure that some people who may be attracted to Germans find that Caucasian is just as insufficient.
This started as confusion regarding the term indo-canadian, but I guess it really applies to our simple classifications.

What are your thoughts?

 

[angry anderson]

Under race we often see indo-canadian, and i am often confused as to what this evening means.
Many indian woman would consider themselves asian, yet in appearance most Europeans see them as distinctly different than other asians, much like Russians are technically asian, in appearance they just are not the same.
We do not use terms such as germanic-canadian to identify Germans, but they do categorize as Caucasian.
I am personally deeply attracted to indian woman, and this does not extend to other asians. I am sure that some people who may be attracted to Germans find that Caucasian is just as insufficient.
This started as confusion regarding the term indo-canadian, but I guess it really applies to our simple classifications.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Banged_Up]

A simple google search and bam! Scooby mystery solved!

 

[ChromeGasCap]

I suppose the confusion has more to do with my perception.
I am without a doubt caucasian, however I do not identify as such. When asked I say that I am heinz57 with a slightly more detailed statement of a large mix of different north European ancestry.
My wife is west indian, yet never refers to herself as asian, but rather indian. West-Indian is used by her ONLY in a cultural context.
I suppose i am more interested in how people indetify. Do more people identify with the generic terms, or do they prefer more specificity in their identity?

 

[VanCityNewb]

And here I was thinking it referred to Indonesians. 😬

 

[apl16]

I suppose the confusion has more to do with my perception.
I am without a doubt caucasian, however I do not identify as such. When asked I say that I am heinz57 with a slightly more detailed statement of a large mix of different north European ancestry.
My wife is west indian, yet never refers to herself as asian, but rather indian. West-Indian is used by her ONLY in a cultural context.
I suppose i am more interested in how people indetify. Do more people identify with the generic terms, or do they prefer more specificity in their identity?

Ok.

Just to add some confusion to everything. I have always considered as people from the West Indies/Caribbean to be west Indian.

What do you consider to be west Indian?

 

[ChromeGasCap]

Caribbean of course.. lol
Coolie to be specific.

 

[johnywalker87]

Under race we often see indo-canadian, and i am often confused as to what this evening means.
Many indian woman would consider themselves asian, yet in appearance most Europeans see them as distinctly different than other asians, much like Russians are technically asian, in appearance they just are not the same.
We do not use terms such as germanic-canadian to identify Germans, but they do categorize as Caucasian.
I am personally deeply attracted to indian woman, and this does not extend to other asians. I am sure that some people who may be attracted to Germans find that Caucasian is just as insufficient.
This started as confusion regarding the term indo-canadian, but I guess it really applies to our simple classifications.

What are your thoughts?

Actually if you refer to the race, the right term would be south asian. Pakistan and Bangladesh are artificial countries created as a result of the partition of India based on religious affiliation but they all belong to the same ethnicity.
There are actually more muslims living in India than in Pakistan or Bangladesh. You can also add Sri Lanka as they are related to Tamils from South India. A lot of people in Canada think of muslims as an ethinicty but muslims come in different colors, races and shapes. There are indian muslims, black muslims, asian muslims ( Indonesia ,Malaysia and parts of Philippines ) and even Caucasian european muslims ( Bosnia and Albania).

 

[ChromeGasCap]

Actually if you refer to the race, the right term would be south asian. Pakistan and Bangladesh are artificial countries created as a result of the partition of India based on religious affiliation but they all belong to the same ethnicity.
There are actually more muslims living in India than in Pakistan or Bangladesh. You can also add Sri Lanka as they are related to Tamils from South India. A lot of people in Canada think of muslims as an ethinicty but muslims come in different colors, races and shapes. There are indian muslims, black muslims, asian muslims ( Indonesia ,Malaysia and parts of Philippines ) and even Caucasian european muslims ( Bosnia and Albania).

I do know all of what you say here, however indians in north india do have genetic differences from those in south India, so you could say are racially different.
However I am more interested in classification. I would like to hear from people as to how they identify racially and why. For example, many afro originating people simply refer to themselves as black, while most europeans refer to themselves as Caucasian. BTW south asians are actually Caucasoid and not Asian.
IMO I believe people should be proud of the specificity of their origins rather than use an extremely vague Victorian classification system.
EDIT: I think it makes people more interesting, and why wouldn't someone be interested in learning more about another person's intricacies.

 

[Uncled]

This thread needs some gratuitous nudity.

 

[mclovin604]

I'm Indo-Canadian. We are given that term by the media and we never refer to ourselves with that. Though we use it in certain circumstances because most non Indians will have no clue what is a Punjabi, Hindu, sindh, gujurat, haryana, Tamil, Arora, Bengal, bhraman, sikh, jat, rajput, Muslim, chamar. Castes, religion, and the village your ancestors are from determine your "ethnicity". It's not so different from some countries in Europe like Italy where the villages your ancestors are from determine your cultural and ethnic background.

 

[annievilleneuve26]

Actually if you refer to the race, the right term would be south asian. Pakistan and Bangladesh are artificial countries created as a result of the partition of India based on religious affiliation but they all belong to the same ethnicity.
There are actually more muslims living in India than in Pakistan or Bangladesh. You can also add Sri Lanka as they are related to Tamils from South India. A lot of people in Canada think of muslims as an ethinicty but muslims come in different colors, races and shapes. There are indian muslims, black muslims, asian muslims ( Indonesia ,Malaysia and parts of Philippines ) and even Caucasian european muslims ( Bosnia and Albania).

You're absolutely right... I would just like to say that Albanian and in a lesser measure Bosnian are cardboard Muslims... They "converted" during the Ottoman regime, but they have beer, more casino than Vegas and even bacon... But hey have a funny hat ... (Can't remember how they call that traditional hat)

 

[lukom]

I feel like Indo Canadian was what the media labeled it back in the 90s. They wanted to describe someone's appearance of someone who broke into a house for example, or a group of youth who set a car on fire. They didn't want to simply say, "They look Indian" cause everyone was still calling Indigenous people that. They didn't want to say East Indian, cause they might have been from Fiji. The wanted person may have also been born in Canada, so Indo Canadian is easier. I think saying South Asian is more accurate today.

 

[stressless123]

Ok so I am a Canadian citizen who was born in India. I lived 17 years of my life there and immigrated here and have been living here for 11 years. I could be referred to as Indo-Canadian (aka a Canadian of Indian origin). But personally when I see that term I feel like it describes people who were born here to parents who immigrated from India.

When I have to select a race for census purposes in Canada, I would select South Asian and in US I would select Asian. But from race perspective, I don't consider myself Asian. Yes India is a country on the continent of Asia but when the term Asian is used in race perspective, I think of chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.

When I am introducing myself to someone here, I would straightup say that I am Indian or brown (but I don't mind selecting south Asian for census/surveys)

 

[80watts]

I am Canadian.
You guys need to watch those molson canadian commericials....

 

[masterblaster]

You're absolutely right... I would just like to say that Albanian and in a lesser measure Bosnian are cardboard Muslims... They "converted" during the Ottoman regime, but they have beer, more casino than Vegas and even bacon... But hey have a funny hat ... (Can't remember how they call that traditional hat)

There was a waffen ss division made up mostly of Bosnian muslims towards the end of WW2, they wore a red Fez as part of their uniform.

 

[Frndlyblkmn]

Okay, in Trinidad, Indian is Indian and African is African. Anyone East Asian looking is Chinee, and anyone from South America (excluding Guyana and Brasil) is Spanish. We have Syrians and other minor ppls, too. African mix with Indian is called a Dougla and generally speaking, everybody mix-up.

Nobody gets butthurt at the ignorant simplicity of it all, and everybody gets along just fine. I do not understand why it is in N. America we feel the need to always be offended.

 

[365]

Indo-Canadian? Oh, it means beauty, class, priceless, the ultimate woman... basically, the dream that keeps me checking ads daily, hoping for it to be legit.

 

[ChromeGasCap]

Indo-Canadian? Oh, it means beauty, class, priceless, the ultimate woman... basically, the dream that keeps me checking ads daily, hoping for it to be legit.

I agree with you about indian woman, but the reason they are percieved to have class is because most would NEVER get into this profession. Class has alot to do with fortitude.

 

[PolarPlesiosaur]

View attachment 112374
A simple google search and bam! Scooby mystery solved!

It was Old Man Not Googlingfirst the WHOLE TIME?!