Toronto Afghani Origin Community
Currently, there are approximately 55,000 – 60,000 people with their origins in Afghanistan residing in the Greater Toronto Area. Though there are certain areas with larger numbers of Afghani origin residents, such as Flemingdon Park, Scarborough, the Keele/Sheppard area, Thorncliffe Park and Jane/Finch, the pattrern is that people of Afghani heritage in Toronto seem less likely to create ethnically cohesive enclaves like some of the other ethno-cultural groups in Toronto. Some believe this reflects the diversity of religious, cultural and ethnic grouping in Afghanistan (Ruprecht, 2005).
Social divisions
There are different sects of the Islamic religion in Afghanistan. Though virtually all Afghans are Muslim, there is a distinction between the Shite and Sunni Muslims, Approximately 80% of Afghanis identify as Sunni.
Ethnic divisions also separate the Afghani people. Different ethnic groups exist in Afghanistan, such as the Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara. As result, many languages exist amongst this population. The main languages spoken in Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari or Farsi, the Afghan dialect of Persian. Dari is the predominant language of the educated, urban-oriented, classes. It is also the language that most Torontonians of Afghan origin speak.
There is also a divide between Afghans from rural regions and those who settle in urban areas (Ruprecht, 2005).
Settling in Toronto
The majority of Afghans who migrate to North America are educated, urban and middle class. Most Afghani immigrants arrive to Toronto with highly developed skill sets and professional training.
Despite this, those who are employed often end up with jobs below their skill level. One alternative used by some is to run and/or buy their own small businesses.
Overall, people of Afghani heritage are relatively successful in Canadian society. This is partly explained by the cultural importance placed on family support networks, and the high valuation given to Western education institutions, as a means of social mobility (Ruprecht, 2005).
References:
The Cultural Orientation Project. (2002). Cross-cultural and adjustment challenges. Available: http://www.culturalorientation.net
Diversity Watch. (2009). Afghanistan. Ryerson University.
BBC. (2009). Country Profile: Afghanistan. BBC News.
CIA The World Factbook. (2009). Afghanistan. Available: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html
Ruprecht, T. (2005). Toronto’s Many Faces. Ontario, Canada: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
