Namaste,
Folks! Hope you had a joyous and peaceful festive season. I would like
to convey my heartiest best wishes to you all for the Year 2002. It
was brilliant to have few days off from work but I am glad the festive
season is well and truly over so that we could go back to normality.
I don't know about you but I certainly was feeling confused in the mornings
as to what day of the week it was; and this was without the consumption
of alcohol!! I dread to think the state of people who drank more than
their usual intake.
Anyway,
I will continue writing from where I had left last time. I had mentioned
that we, the mental health professionals encounter special problems
in dealing with multicultural and multi-faith communities, mainly due
to the cultural and religious beliefs and linguistic background of the
clients. So in order to provide efficient service to diverse community,
it is vital to understand their background, migration and lifestyle.
Migration
The Indian Subcontinent was governed by Britain until 1948. At independence,
the subcontinent was partitioned, those states that were predominantly
Hindu and Sikh became India, and those that were predominantly Muslim
became Pakistan. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained
since then. Both countries have experienced internal political instability
and there is widespread severe poverty in both. Post war migration reached
its peak in the 1960's. They came for the same reason - to find work
- They took jobs that the indigenous British did not want. Many immigrants
still cherish the thought of returning 'home' and adopt an isolationist
attitude to British society. They view much of British culture with
misgiving, and are determined to hold on to their own traditions. It
is no wonder that the immigrants who came in l960's hang on to their
culture whilst the culture in their original country has changed so
much. The culture they remember no longer exists. They were forced to
make compromises and adaptations through gradual process of adjustment
and conflict.