Meet the Siddis: Tribal Gujaratis from Kathiawad, natural athletes of African stock
The Siddi people, also known as Siddi Badshah, are one of the five primitive tribes of Gujarat, distinguished by their East African features and hair. Although their appearance is genetically rooted, it does not define them entirely. The Siddis reside in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Diu, and Daman, with a significant population in 18 villages of Talala taluka in Gir Somnath district.
They speak Gujarati with a Kathiawadi accent and share cultural practices with other Gujaratis. The central government reported that there are 12,959 Siddis in Gujarat classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). The Siddis are predominantly Muslim with Sufi influences, but some Hindu Saurashtra elements are also present in their belief system.
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