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Baloch Australians
Ethnic group From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Baloch Australians (Balochi: استرالیاءِ بلۏچ) or The Baloch of Australia are Australian citizens who are of Baloch ancestry or who hold Australian citizenship. There are measurable numbers of Baloch in Australia.[2]
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Background
Many of the so-called early "Afghan cameleers" in Australia were Baloch men who came from the Balochistan region (parts of present-day Balochistan province in Pakistan, southern Afghanistan and eastern Iran).[3][4]
Baloch cameleers began arriving in Australia during the late 1800s, primarily to support the inland pastoral industry by transporting goods and supplies using camels. At their peak, there were around 2,000 cameleers and 4,000 camels operating across Australia.[5][6] Small groups of cameleers were shipped in and out of Australia at three-year intervals, to service the Australian inland pastoral industry by carting goods and transporting wool bales by camel trains.[4]
Dost Mahomet and Dervish Bejah Baloch[7] were Baloch cameleer who worked the Western Australian Goldfields in the late 1890s.[8][9][4]
The Baloch cameleers significantly influenced Australian culture, establishing makeshift mosques known as "bush mosques" during their travels. One of the earliest mosques in Australia was built by Baloch cameleers in Hergot Springs (Maree, South Australia) in 1884.[10]
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Current Presence
Today, there is a notable number of Baloch individuals in Australia[11] pursuing education and employment opportunities. The community continues to celebrate its heritage while integrating into Australian society. Sabah Rind a fourth generation Baloch woman continues to speak Baluchi at home.[12]
Some members of the Baloch diaspora in Australia are actively involved in raising awareness about issues affecting Balochistan, including human rights abuses and political struggles.[citation needed]
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Notable people
See also
References
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