Tanzanian British
Encyclopedia
Tanzanians in the United Kingdom are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom
whose ethnic or national origins lie fully or partially in the Africa
n nation of Tanzania
. The Tanzanian community in the UK is the largest of any OECD
nation and is ethnically diverse, consisting of indigenous Black Africans alongside thousands of East African Asians
who fled from violence during the Zanzibar Revolution
.
whilst the coastal areas are largely Muslim
. Prior to the Zanzibar Revolution
of 1964, the Arab
and South Asian diasporas in Tanzania (then two separate nations named Tanganyika ad Zanzibar) had a hard and tough lifestyle, but when violence erupted during the revolution they were targeted and attacked even more so. During the 1970s a large percentage of the nation's South Asian community were forced out, with ultimately 50,000 seeking refuge in the UK and Canada
. This alongside the expulsion of Asians from Uganda in 1972
significantly increased the number of South Asians in the United Kingdom. Besides the early migration of East African Asians from Tanzania to the UK, since the 1990s there has been an increasing presence of the nation's indigenous Black African population. Despite this there were already numerous Black Africans who had migrated to the UK during the country's rule over Zanzibar and Tanganyika between the mid-19th century and 1964. Tanzanians in the UK tend to have a lower average age than the average of British people as a whole, the majority of Tanzanian-born individuals in the UK are youths and young adults who came to the country for economic reasons, to study or simply escape the Tanzanian political regime. Despite being in general more peaceful than some of its neighbouring nations, Tanzania has been known for significant amounts of political unrest during election periods. The country became a dangerous place to be in 1995, 2000 and again in 2004. This each time has forced many youths to flee the nation, with the UK being a popular choice of destination due to its already long established Tanzanian diaspora which is the largest on earth.
mapping exercise published in 2009 suggests that besides the 20,000-25,000 in London
, the community is fairly spread out.
Within London, the largest concentration of Tazanians can be found in the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham
, Hammersmith and Fulham
, Lambeth
, Lewisham
, Hackney
and Camden
. Birmingham
in the West Midlands follows with an estimated 4,500-5,000 residents of Tanzanian origin, some 3,500-4,000 individuals live in Reading, the figure for Manchester
is slightly lower at 3,000-3,500. It is thought that some 2,500-3,000 Tanzanians live in Milton Keynes
, whilst the nearby settlements of Coventry
and Northampton
are home to roughly 1,500-2,000 Tanzanian residents. Slough
and Leicester
are both noted for having in the range of 800 and 1,500 Tanzanian residents each, whilst the cities of Leeds
, Glasgow
, Cardiff
and Edinburgh
all have a presence of Tanzanian individuals in their hundreds.
The majority of Tanzanian people in the UK, are ethnically Black African although a significant proportion of the population, like the Ugandan British
community are of Asian
origin seeking political refuge in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite political unrest in Tanzania from time to time, the actual figure of Tanzanians applying for asylum in the UK is low, with only 390 applications (excluding dependents) made over the period 1999 to 2008, the lowest number from any African nation.
and Easter
are big celebrations in the Christian Tanzanian community. In London a community group named WATU organises numerous events throughout the these periods.
, The Guardian
and The Sun
. Tanzanian-based newspapers are also available digitally online from the UK. The same study showed that the majority of Tanzanians in the UK prefer to listen to mainstream British radio, although the Swahili stations Clouds FM, Radio Tanzania, Radio Tumaini and BBC Swahili were also popular. There is no Tanzanian TV channel that broadcasts in the UK.
had little to no presence in the general African music scene in the UK. In the 1980s music of African origin
was extremely popular in the UK, not only within the Black community but the population in general. Numerous Afrobeat and Reggae songs topped the charts, and various other African genres could be found in nightclubs throughout the capital. Despite this, the vast majority of singers and acts originated from Western Africa, South Africa and the Caribbean. This lack of music presence was also reflected in the Tanzanian homeland where Tanzanian musicians had to travel to countries such as Kenya
due to lack of recording facilities in the country. Since the 1990s Tanzanian music has become more prominent in the UK, with entertainment for the diaspora finally becoming more evident. Numerous music venues in central London cater largely to the local Tanzanian communities.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
whose ethnic or national origins lie fully or partially in the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n nation of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. The Tanzanian community in the UK is the largest of any OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
nation and is ethnically diverse, consisting of indigenous Black Africans alongside thousands of East African Asians
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
who fled from violence during the Zanzibar Revolution
Zanzibar Revolution
The Zanzibar Revolution by local African revolutionaries in 1964 overthrew the Sultan of Zanzibar and his mainly Arab government. An ethnically diverse state consisting of a number of islands off the east coast of Tanganyika, Zanzibar had been granted independence by Britain in 1963...
.
History
There is a long and complex history of Tanzanians in the UK, with various individuals of various ages, occupations and races migrating to the UK for numerous reasons. Central Tanzania is predominantly ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
whilst the coastal areas are largely Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Prior to the Zanzibar Revolution
Zanzibar Revolution
The Zanzibar Revolution by local African revolutionaries in 1964 overthrew the Sultan of Zanzibar and his mainly Arab government. An ethnically diverse state consisting of a number of islands off the east coast of Tanganyika, Zanzibar had been granted independence by Britain in 1963...
of 1964, the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and South Asian diasporas in Tanzania (then two separate nations named Tanganyika ad Zanzibar) had a hard and tough lifestyle, but when violence erupted during the revolution they were targeted and attacked even more so. During the 1970s a large percentage of the nation's South Asian community were forced out, with ultimately 50,000 seeking refuge in the UK and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This alongside the expulsion of Asians from Uganda in 1972
Expulsion of Asians in Uganda in 1972
On 4 August 1972, the then President of Uganda, Idi Amin, ordered the expulsion of his country's Indian minority, giving them 90 days to leave Uganda...
significantly increased the number of South Asians in the United Kingdom. Besides the early migration of East African Asians from Tanzania to the UK, since the 1990s there has been an increasing presence of the nation's indigenous Black African population. Despite this there were already numerous Black Africans who had migrated to the UK during the country's rule over Zanzibar and Tanganyika between the mid-19th century and 1964. Tanzanians in the UK tend to have a lower average age than the average of British people as a whole, the majority of Tanzanian-born individuals in the UK are youths and young adults who came to the country for economic reasons, to study or simply escape the Tanzanian political regime. Despite being in general more peaceful than some of its neighbouring nations, Tanzania has been known for significant amounts of political unrest during election periods. The country became a dangerous place to be in 1995, 2000 and again in 2004. This each time has forced many youths to flee the nation, with the UK being a popular choice of destination due to its already long established Tanzanian diaspora which is the largest on earth.
Demographics
The 2001 UK Census revealed the presence of 32,630 Tanzanian-born people in the country. The Office of National Statistics estimated that in 2009 this figure had risen to approximately 36,000. This figure does not include British-born people of Tanzanian origin. Community organisations have put the figure of Tanzanians in the UK at roughly 100,000, with the vast majority of these located in the British capital. An International Organization for MigrationInternational Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
mapping exercise published in 2009 suggests that besides the 20,000-25,000 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the community is fairly spread out.
Within London, the largest concentration of Tazanians can be found in the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...
, Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
, Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
, Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
and Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the West Midlands follows with an estimated 4,500-5,000 residents of Tanzanian origin, some 3,500-4,000 individuals live in Reading, the figure for Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
is slightly lower at 3,000-3,500. It is thought that some 2,500-3,000 Tanzanians live in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, whilst the nearby settlements of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
and Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
are home to roughly 1,500-2,000 Tanzanian residents. Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
are both noted for having in the range of 800 and 1,500 Tanzanian residents each, whilst the cities of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
all have a presence of Tanzanian individuals in their hundreds.
The majority of Tanzanian people in the UK, are ethnically Black African although a significant proportion of the population, like the Ugandan British
Ugandan British
Ugandan migration to the United Kingdom refers to the movement of people from Uganda. Today, a small proportion of people in the United Kingdom were either born in Uganda, or have Ugandan ancestry....
community are of Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
origin seeking political refuge in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite political unrest in Tanzania from time to time, the actual figure of Tanzanians applying for asylum in the UK is low, with only 390 applications (excluding dependents) made over the period 1999 to 2008, the lowest number from any African nation.
Events
The Tanzanian Diaspora Investment and Skills Forum is an annual event that takes place in the UK for Tanzanians based in the country. Uhuru Day (Tanzanian Independence Day) celebrations in the UK are organised by the British Tanzanian newspaper TZUK. Religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adh are observed by Muslim Tanzanians, whilst ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
are big celebrations in the Christian Tanzanian community. In London a community group named WATU organises numerous events throughout the these periods.
Media
There is currently only one Tanzanian newspaper in the UK, entitled TZUK; the newspaper has been in circulation since May 2008 and has been proven to be an effective medium for communicating with Tanzanians in UK. It is distributed through Tanzanian community organisations, churches, restaurants and other businesses. Besides TZUK, a study by the IOM showed the most popular publications for Tanzanians in the UK were MetroMetro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. Tanzanian-based newspapers are also available digitally online from the UK. The same study showed that the majority of Tanzanians in the UK prefer to listen to mainstream British radio, although the Swahili stations Clouds FM, Radio Tanzania, Radio Tumaini and BBC Swahili were also popular. There is no Tanzanian TV channel that broadcasts in the UK.
Music
Historically the music of TanzaniaMusic of Tanzania
The music of Tanzania stretches from traditional African music to the string-based taarab to a distinctive hip hop known as bongo flava.-National anthem:...
had little to no presence in the general African music scene in the UK. In the 1980s music of African origin
Music of Africa
Africa is a vast continent and its regions and nations have distinct musical traditions. The music of North Africa for the most part has a different history from sub-Saharan African music traditions....
was extremely popular in the UK, not only within the Black community but the population in general. Numerous Afrobeat and Reggae songs topped the charts, and various other African genres could be found in nightclubs throughout the capital. Despite this, the vast majority of singers and acts originated from Western Africa, South Africa and the Caribbean. This lack of music presence was also reflected in the Tanzanian homeland where Tanzanian musicians had to travel to countries such as Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
due to lack of recording facilities in the country. Since the 1990s Tanzanian music has become more prominent in the UK, with entertainment for the diaspora finally becoming more evident. Numerous music venues in central London cater largely to the local Tanzanian communities.
See also
- Black BritishBlack BritishBlack British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
- British AsianBritish AsianBritish Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
- Foreign-born population of the United KingdomForeign-born population of the United KingdomThe foreign-born population of the United Kingdom includes immigrants from a wide range of countries who are resident in the United Kingdom. In the period January 2010 to December 2010, there were 19 foreign-born groups that consisted of at least 100,000 individuals residing in the UK The...
- Demography of Tanzania