zarathushtis in north america: early history and demographics

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

ZARATHUSHTIS IN NORTH AMERICA:EARLY HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS

ROSHAN RIVETNA

ZARATHUSHTI IDENTITY

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

“The business was carried on by Parsees, some of the most intelligent people I have ever known, rich and very honorable in their dealings. The merchant with whom I did business, Nasser Vanji Monackjee, was a very fine man.”

- George Nichols, 1799, collection of Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA

EARLY EPISODES

1799.Trade relations between Bombay and Salem, MA

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

“… a friend brought a real live Parsee, with a tall headdress, to take tea with us. It was a revelation to me that a fire worshipper could take tea like ordinary mortals.

“ …He drank his tea and ate his bread and butter quite like other folks … He spoke in a very low, cultivated, refined voice, using much better English than we did!”

- Caroline King’s memoirs about Ardeseer Cursetjee Wadia’s visit to Salem, MA in 1851, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

EARLY EPISODES

1851. Possibly the first Zoroastrian to visit the US.

Ardeshir Cursetjee Wadia came to Boston area in 1851 to set up trade with the Americans.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

“Reposing special trust and confidence in the ability and integrity of Dossabhoy Merwanjee of Bombay… President of the US appoints him Vice Consul of the USA at Bombay …”

-Edward Ely, Consul of the USA1852

So revered was his name that President Ullyses Grant honored Dossabhoy Merwanjee with a visit to his firm at 6 Parsi Bazaar Street, Bombay, in 1879.

EARLY EPISODES

1852. President Ullyses Grant appoints Parsi as US vice consul.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

• In 1866, the Gold Rush was on. Maneckji Faramji Javeri came to California prospecting for gold.

• Javeri also visited Barkerville, north of Vancouver, making him possibly the first Zoroastrian to visit Canada.

EARLY EPISODES

1866. Gold Rush. Possibly the first Zoroastrian to visit Canada.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

“Many enterprising and intelligent Parsis are desirous of emigrating to the New World … to found a separate colony of Parsis in a land which is the fostering nurse of many an enterprising adventurer and capitalist … where they can, without the slightest impediment, preserve and follow the religion of their forefathers … A settlement in America has become the subject of our grave considerations …”

-- Letter to US Consul by Parsis of Baroda, 1876.

EARLY EPISODES

1876. From Baroda to the New World

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

• Charles Poston (b. 1825) ‘Father of Arizona’

• Became a Zoroastrian after travels to India.

• Wrote “The Sun Worshippers of Asia” in 1877.

• Built a ‘fire temple’ at ‘Parsee Hill’ (now Poston’s Butte) in Florence, Arizona, in 1878.

EARLY EPISODES

1878. First “fire temple” in the USA

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

• 1860. Conjee Rustomjee Cohoujee Bey of Lahore came to New York and served in US Civil War. Changed name to Antonio Gomez.

• 1866. Settled in San Francisco. Possibly the first South Asian to settle in San Francisco.

• 1911. Interned in The Presidio with full military honors.

PIONEER SETTLERS1861. Served in US Civil War1866. First settler in San Francisco

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1885. Eduljee Sorabjee, god-son of Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit, came to Los Angeles and became a naturalized US citizen. “Mr. Sorabjee was a thorough man of the world, there was little in his manner or speech to distinguish him from a cultured Englishman or American.” [H. D. Barrows, Historical Society of Southern California, 1912].

PIONEER SETTLERSPrior to 1900sFirst Zarathushti born in NA

1892. Pestonji Framji Davar settled in San Francisco. His son Jamshed was the first Zoroastrian born in North America. After Jamshed’s death in 1982, Pestonji’s estate of Rs. 5.6 million went to the BPP.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1900. Bhicaji Balsara came to settle in New York and became the first naturalized US citizen, after courts opined that “Parsees do belong to the white race .. are intelligent and well-to-do, principally engaged in commerce.”

PIONEER SETTLERS

1900 - 1920

1904. Phiroze Saklatwala ‘Parsi Oil King’ came to New York and became part owner of an oil company on the Big Board.

The first Zoroastrian Association of New York was born in his living room on West 11th Street, in 1929.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1911. Dinshaw Ghadiali, inventor and medical healer, author and aviator came to New York. In 1919, dressed in Jama and Pichori, he led a parade in NYC carrying a banner which read: “Parsi Zoroastrian American Forever.”

1900 - 1920

1905. Dastur Dr. Maneckji Dhalla came to Columbia for Avestan studies and noted:

“The Parsi population does not exceed 12 to 15 at any time.”

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

ELLIS ISLAND RECORDS

1900 - 1920s

•1903. Merwan Irani, 35 on the Philadelphia,Southampton.

•1905. Phiroize Sethna, 38 on the Cedric from Liverpool

•1909. Nanabhoy Sethna, 25 on the Adriatic Southampton.

• 1910 Pestorg Patel, 40 on the Lusitania, Liverpool.

•1914. Maneckji Dhalla, 39, and Cuvarbai Dhalla, 36, on Carmania, Liverpool.

•1923. Minochie Irani, 25, on Canopic, from Bremerhaven.

22-year-old Jamshed Irani Arrived at Ellis Island in 1920. His name is on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1920s - 1940s24 year old Rustom Wadia came to New York in 1923.

Navroze dinner, Wadia’s Rajah Restaurant, Manhattan, 1947.

Letter from Wadia, 1988

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1920s - 1940s

Furrokh Bamji, 19, came to Chicago World’s Fair, 1934.

Jehangir Mobed (below), Keikhosrow Guiv and Manoucher Sirouzi, arrived in New York on board a freighter in 1945.

Keikhosrov Irani and six other Zarathushtis came on board an American Liberty ship, Marine Lynx, in 1946.

Jehangir Medora came to New York in 1946, and facilitated immigration to Canada with an ad in Jame Jamshed in the 1960s.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1940s

Mehli Mehta (shown below with Zarin, Tehmina and Zubin) came to New York to study the violin in 1945.

Students at International House, NY in 1947.

Mehraban and Paridokht Zartoshty came to New York in 1947 to set up an import-export business.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1950s

1959. Mary Mehrabi’s 18th birthday party at Hotel Taft in New York.

1955. Jehan Bagli (shown with family in 1966) came to John Hopkins in Baltimore.

1958. Rhoda and Jamshed Pavri arrived on a P&O liner, with 24 crates of belongings.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1960s and 70s.

1960. Send-off for Dara Rivetna on the Strathnaver at Ballard Pier,

1967.Pervin and Jimmy Mistry depart from Bombay airport for Canada

1973. Dolly Dastoor and family immigrated to Canada in 1973.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

PROMOTING THE VISION

1956: Farangis Shahrokh came to Universitiy of Southern California in Los Angeles in 1956.

1958. Dr. Rostam Sarfeh came as a surgeon in a Long Island hospital. Worked to promote Arbab Guiv’s vision.

Arbab Rustom Guiv and Morvarid Guiv came to the USA in 1977 with the vision to establish dar-e-mehers across North America. Their generosity bore fruit with dar-e-mehers in New York (1977), Toronto (1978), Chicago (1983), Vancouver (1985), San Jose (1986), Los Angeles (1987) and Washington, DC.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

• 2004. FEZANA World Zarathushti population Survey. Population and intermarriages.

• 2012. Repeated 2004 survey, Added data on children/seniors, Parsi/Iranian and male/female breakdown.

NOTE: This is not an official, statistically correct census. Data may be inconsistent, inaccurate and incomplete and our estimates may be incorrect.

We present the raw data here, as gathered, to get a flavor of the Zarathushti World.

“DEMOGRAPHICS DETERMINES DESTINY”

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

Grateful Thanks to:

• All the sources and contact persons from 25 countries, 50 US States and 10 Canadian provinces.

• FEZANA Administrator Zenobia Damania for data collection.

• Parsiana (Roxana Driver) and FEZANA Journal (Aban Vazifdar).

• My family and friends for help in making these fancy slides.

THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLDA Demographic Picture

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

CANADA & USA

Canada5,975 (5,341)

6,422 (5,985)7.5% (12.1%)

USA10,794 (9158)14,306 (10666)32.5% (16.5%)

Total NA16,769 (14,499)20,728 (16,651)23.6% (14.8%)

2004 Estimated (Recorded) 2012 Estimated (Recorded)

Intermarriages: Canada: 5.6% USA: 9.9%Children: Canada: 16.9% USA: 18.6% Seniors: Canada: 15.8% USA: 12.0%Origin Parsi - Iranian: Canada: 72.0%, 28.0% USA: 67.8%, 32.2% Male - Female: Canada: 51.4%, 48.6% USA: 51.3%, 48.7%

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

California 5481 +101%

Ontario 4179 -3%

NY,NJ,CT 2694 +23%

Br. Columbia 1675 +41%

Texas 1320 +23%

DC, MD, VA 910 -43%

Washington 304 +171%

California 5481 +101%

Alberta 220 +59%

Florida 409 +44%

Br. Columbia 1675 +41%

Arizona 192 +34%

TOP STATES BY POPULATION LARGEST GROWTH

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

IRAN

2012 13-15,000 (-29.1%)

1986 32,5891996 27,930 (-14.33)2006 19,823 (-29.0%)

• Population is between 13,000 and 15,000• Intermarriages: < 1%• Family size: 3.5 persons• Male-Female ratio: 51.2%, 48.8%

Concerns:• Census data unreliable• Emigration to the west• Late marriages and fewer children.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

INDIA & SRI LANKA

1961 100,772 (-10%)1971 91,266 (-9%)1981 86,013 (-7%)1991 77,353 (-10%)2001 69,601 (-10%)

2011 61,000 (projected)

2004 662012 37

Intermarriages: 39% of marriages in Mumbai in 2011 were intermarriages.Children: 17.6% in 2001. Seniors: 24% were 65 or over in 2001.Males - Females: 48.8% - 51.2% in 2001.

Concerns:• Low fertility rate = 0.9. Replacement level is 2.1.• Deaths outnumber births.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

1995 2831 2001 2378 (-16%)2004 2121 (-11%)2012 1675 (-21%)

Intermarriages: 2.6% (10 men and 33 women) are married outside. These women and their offspring are not counted in the totals.

Students. Also not included are 47 students studying abroad. “None are expected to return.”

Children and Seniors:

“No doubt the majority are old. In last six months, 7 more have died.”

Origin: All are Parsis.

Males- Females: 45.6%, 54.4%

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

GREAT BRITAIN

2004 DATA:-----------------------------------GREAT BRITAIN 5,000 England 4,900 Scotland 65 N. Ireland 25 REP OF IRELAND 10-----------------------------------2012:“Static at around 5,000”

Intermarriages: In 2004, percentage of non Zarathushti spouses in a sampling of ZTFE directory was estimated to be 5.2%.

Age distribution: “Average age is coming down. More deaths than births is balanced by a small inflow of new immigrants.”

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

Parsi-Iranians2004: About 1,000.2012: (In progress)

Zarathushtis by Choice.2004: 125 officially initiated. 2012: (In progress) • Dr. Khosro Khazai, European Centre

for Zoroastrian Studies, Belgium: “1,832 initiated in past 10 years.”

• Mobed Kamran Jamshidi, Sweden. “2,000 initiated and 20,000 want to be initiated.”

EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA

Note: Work is in progress to collect accurate and consistent data.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

MIDDLE EAST

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE 2004: 2,2002012: 2,030 (-7.7%)

Intermarriages: 4.1%.

Children (under 21): 25%

Seniors: 13.2%. “Not many above 65 are able to stay, unless sponsored or have special visas.”

Origin: Almost all Parsis. Data not available on Iranians.

Male - Female: 55.0%, 45.0%

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

Singapore2004: 1622012: 372 (130%)

Hong Kong2004: 2102012: 204 (-3%)

Intermarriages: Hong Kong: 15.5% Singapore: 13.0%Children: Hong Kong: 27.2% Singapore: 39.4% Seniors: Hong Kong: 16.3% Singapore: 9.3%Origin: Almost all are ParsisMale-Female: Hong Kong: 46.7%, 53.2% Singapore: 51.9%, 48.1%

FAR EASTSingapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

Intermarriages: S. Africa: 20.1% E. Africa: “Of the 15 in Mombasa, 7 are unmarried, 3 married (1 to non-Z), 2 widows, 1 separated.”Children - Seniors: S. Africa: 8.2% children and 25.4% seniors. E. Africa: 60% over 65. “In Mombasa no one is below 40.”Origin: Almost all (but 1 or 2) are Parsis.Male - Female: S. Africa: 44.0%, 56.0% E. Africa: 53.3%, 46.7%

AFRICA

EAST AFRICAKenya (Mombasa, Nairobi) Tanzania (Dare Salam, Zanzibar)2004: 782012: 37 (-53%)

SOUTH AFRICA(Jo’burg, Durban)2004: 1142012: 134 (+17%)

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND

Australia2004: 26012012: 2577 (-1%)

New Zealand2004: 9002012: 1231 (+37%)

Intermarriages: Australia: 4.1% New Zealand: 2.6%Children: Australia: 9.3% New Zealand: 40.1%Seniors: Australia: 29.6% New Zealand: 3.2%Origin (Parsi - Iranian): Australia: 71.1%, 28.9% New Zealand: 98%ParsisMale - Female: Australia: 50.3%, 49.7% N. Zealand: 48.8%, 51.2%

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

INTERMARRIAGES

05

10

152025

Iran

Ind

ia

US

A

Can

ada

Gr.

Bri

tain

Au

stra

lia

UA

E+

Pak

ista

n

N.Z

eala

nd

Eu

rop

e

Sin

gap

ore

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

S. A

fric

a

E. A

fric

a

Sri

Lan

ka

Mal

aysi

a

Jap

an

Sey

chel

les

Ch

ina

2004 2012

Percentage of non-Zarathushti spouses in the Zarathushti population, 2004 and 2012

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

PERCENTAGE OF INTERMARRIAGESfrom Parsiana (for Mumbai) and FEZANA Journal (for N. America)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

20

03

20

05

20

07

20

09

20

11

Mumbai (Parsiana)

N. America (Fezana Jr)

INTERMARRIAGES

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (18 & UNDER)AND SENIORS (65 & OVER)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Ira

n

Ind

ia

US

A

Ca

na

da

Gr. B

rit

ain

Au

stra

lia

UA

E+

Pa

kis

ta

n

N. Z

ea

lan

d

Sin

ga

po

re

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

S. A

fric

a

E A

fric

a

Sri L

an

ka

Ma

lay

sia

% children

% Seniors

AGE DISTRIBUTION

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

BIRTHS AND DEATHS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

19

91

19

95

19

99

20

03

20

07

20

11

Births/yr

Deaths/yr

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1991

1995

1999

2003

2007

2011

Births/yr

Deaths/yr

NUMBER OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS PER YEAR N. America (FEZANA Jr) Mumbai (Parsiana)

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

BIRTHS AND DEATHS

NUMBER DEATHS PER 100 BIRTHS FOR NORTH AMERICA (FEZANA JR) AND

MUMBAI (PARSIANA) In North America:In 21 years:1,022 births and 706 deaths

In Mumbai:In 20 years:3456 births and 17,715 (!) deaths

0100200300400500600700800

19

91

19

95

19

99

20

03

20

07

20

11

N. AmericaMumbai

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

ORIGIN - PARSIS, IRANIANS

PERCENTAGE OF PARSIS AND IRANIANS

0

20

40

60

80

100

Ira

n

Ind

ia

US

A

Ca

na

da

Gr.

Bri

tain

Au

str

ali

a

UA

E+

Pa

kis

tan

N.Z

ea

lan

d

Sin

ga

po

re

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

S. A

fric

a

E A

fric

a

Sri

La

nk

a

Ma

lay

sia

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Parsis Iranians

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

MALE-FEMALE DISTRIBUTION

PERCENTAGE OF MALES AND FEMALES

0

20

40

60

Ira

n

Ind

ia

US

A

Ca

na

da

Gr.

Bri

tain

Au

str

ali

a

UA

E+

Pa

kis

tan

N.

Ze

ala

nd

Sin

ga

po

re

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

S. A

fric

a

E A

fric

a

Sri

La

nk

a

Ma

lay

sia

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Males Females

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

CANADA(6422)

USA(14306)

INDIA(61000)

NEW ZEALAND(1231)

PAKISTAN(1675)GULF

(2030)

AUSTRALIA(2577)

GR.BRITAIN(5000)

IRAN(14000)

HONG KONG(204)

S. AFRICA(134)

SINGAPORE(372)

EUROPE/C.ASIA(1000)

ZARATHUSHTI POPULATION 2012.Countries with population less than 100 are not shown.

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

Country 2004 2012 DiffIran 24,000 14,000 -10,000India 69,601 61,000 -8,601USA 10,794 14,306 3,512Canada 5,975 6,422 447Gr. Britain 5,000 5,000 0Australia 2,601 2,577 -24Persian Gulf 2,200 2,030 -170

Pakistan 2,121 1,675 -446New Zealand 900 1,231 331Europe/C. Asia 1,000 1,000 0Singapore 162 372 210Hong Kong 210 204 -6Other countries 389 385 -4

THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD POPULATION TOTALS

2004 TOTAL = 124,953

2012 TOTAL = 110,202

In 2012, we estimate 14,751 fewer Zarathushtis in the world than in 2004.

WORLD POPULATION

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

WORLD POPULATION

-11,000

-9,000

-7,000

-5,000

-3,000

-1,000

1,000

3,000

Iran

Ind

ia

US

A

Can

ad

a

Gr.

Bri

tain

Au

str

alia

UA

E+

Pakis

tan

New

Zeala

nd

Eu

rop

e

Sin

gap

ore

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

S. A

fric

a

All o

thers

Num

ber o

f Z

arathushtis

GROWTH/DECLINE OF POPULATION BY COUNTRY 2004 - 2012

How can we sustain a loss of 14,751 Zarathushtis in less than a decade?

© 2012 XVI NAZC 2012

WE NOW HAVE A FLAVOR OF THE ZARATHUSHTI WORLD….

• Where we have come from, and

• Where we are today.

• In the session to follow we will collectively explore the best paths for the future.

HERE IN NORTH AMERICA WE

HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY

zarathushtis in north america: early history and demographics

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