Perceptions about Skin Colour and Heritage: The Experience of Anglo-Indian Women in Western Australia

Abstract

Anglo-Indian women have been described as ‘mixed-race’ and ‘hybrid’. This paper explores the identity of 26 Anglo-Indian women in Western Australia. The process of immigration to and settlement in Australia provides a major focus. Two components of identity that emerged were perceptions about skin colour and Indian heritage. 22 women who participated in this study emigrated from India between 1947 and 1996. Four other women were Australian-born. This qualitative study involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the participants who expressed varying levels of identification with Anglo-Indian identity. Realisations about prejudice and discrimination came to the fore during the interview process. This paper picks up on these realisations, investigates the social environments within which they developed and their implications for the identities of Anglo-Indian women.

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