Personal Essay
Simran Borges
Return
Who am I? The struggle for diasporic groups in finding their identity Simran Borges They say home is where the heart is. For those whose identities and sense of self fit into neat categories and distinctions, this seems to be the perfect sentiment. For those with identities that span across borders and time zones however, it is slightly harder to attach meaning to this phrase.
Illustration by Katelin Jaegers
They say home is where the heart is. For those whose identities and sense of self fit into neat categories and distinctions, this sentiment seems to be the perfect, almost idyllic, depiction of who they are, and where they belong. However, for those of us with identities that span across borders and time zones, it is slightly harder to attach meaning to this phrase, especially when the elements that make up your home and heart seem scattered and miscellaneous. I am referring to individuals who belong to various diasporas.
...the myth of return... explores how the ideas that one has of their country of origin become increasingly blurred and obscured the more time they spend in their new ‘home country’.
The term ‘diaspora’ derives from Greek origin and literally means “a scattering or sowing of seeds”. In a theoretical sense, the term has described the movement of people – either through voluntary or forced means, from their country of origin, or “traditional homeland”, to another destination. This includes populations that have, as a result of modernisation and globalisation, migrated from one country to another. Diasporic populations have been the subject of academic studies for decades. A common focus has been on describing and capturing the distinct fluid and dynamic nature of their identities.
One concept that stands out from the scholarly discourse and debate is the myth of return. Put simply, it explores how the ideas that one has of their country of origin become increasingly blurred and obscured the more time they spend in their new ‘home country’.
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The myth of return is a concept that underpins not only the experiences of diasporic groups, but also their existence.
