The Hadhrami Diaspora: Islam and Indian Ocean Connectivity

Tawfiq Alhamedi (Lafayette College)

Over centuries merchants, religious scholars, and Sufi mystics have migrated from Hadhramaut, a region in southern Yemen, to various coastal regions of the Indian Ocean. Using descriptions of prominent Indian Ocean port cities written by the renowned world traveler Ibn Battuta in the 14th century, this project presents an interactive map, created with ArcGIS and Neatline, that traces his travels in relation to Hadhrami migration and influence on Indian Ocean trade and culture. The purpose of this visualization is to highlight Hadhrami migrants who played versatile roles in an interconnected Indian Ocean world.

Tawfiq Alhamedi is a rising senior attending Lafayette College. He is currently pursuing a BA degree in Anthropology & Sociology and has been particularly interested in research relating to Indian Ocean Studies, transnationalism, and conceptions of identity.

Tawfiq’s website is http://alhamedt.wixsite.com/thehadhramidiaspora