MIGRANT VOICE GALLERY

Asia & Oceania

India & Scotland

As the legend goes, chicken tikka masala, a staple dish at all UK Indian restaurants, was invented in… Glasgow. Since the British colonisation of India, Britons have been settling in the subcontinent. Migration continues for different reasons - in both directions.

In recent decades, many Indians have come to Scotland to work and study. Their presence is noticeable through restaurants, yoga classes, places of worship, monuments such as Gandhi’s statue in Edinburgh, and more. Did you know that the famous Glaswegian comedian, Billy Connolly, had Indian ancestry on his mother’s side?

Malaysia & Scotland

What is now known as Malaysia was a British colony until 1956. Since the colonial period, there has been migration for various reasons in both directions. Today there are around 5000 Malaysians in Scotland. Some were recruited to work in the UK within healthcare programmes. Malaysian presence in Scotland is also marked by restaurants and community and student associations.

Julie Lin is a Scottish Malaysian chef. After participating in Master Chef 2014, she has appeared in multiple BBC and Netflix cooking shows. She brings the flavours of Malaysia to Partick, where she runs her signature restaurant.

New Zealand & Scotland

Many Scottish people migrated to New Zealand during the 19th century gold rushes. Today, it is estimated that up to 2 million New Zealanders (out of 5.5 million in total) have Scottish ancestry. The city of Dunedin in Southland Otago is named after the Gaelic name of Edinburgh. Events such as Burns Night and ceilidhs are held, and a legend goes that New Zealand has more bagpipe bands than Scotland! Almost 4000 New Zealanders live in Scotland nowadays, including Robyn Marsack, who for several years served as the director of the Scottish Poetry Library.

Pakistan & Scotland

With independence from British colonial rule, and partition of India, Pakistan was formed in 1947. In an effort to rebuild Britain after WW2, people from Commonwealth countries were invited here to cover labour shortages. They were recruited to work in the NHS, universities, and in industries like steel, textile, transport, and engineering.

Today, there are around 72,000 people of Pakistani origin in Scotland, many of them settled for generations. Pakistani influences add flavour and colour to Scottish neighbourhoods through restaurants, sweet shops, and textile shops. Scotland has even had a son of Pakistani migrants, Humza Yousaf, as its First Minister.

The Philippines & Scotland

There are nearly 6,200 Filipinos living in Scotland. Majority of them came here to work for the NHS and in private healthcare facilities. Many others work in hospitality, tourism, and entertainment. In June, Barrio Fiesta, a celebration of Filipino culture through traditional food, dance, and music, is held across the UK. Scotland’s 2024 festival took place in Strathclyde Country Park in Motherwell. Throughout the year, you can enjoy Filipino food from a supermarket in Glasgow city centre. There is also a food stall that tours Scottish markets. Have you ever tried lumpia, halo-halo, or mais con yelo?

Taiwan & Scotland

Taiwan and Scotland are tied together with tea. It was a Scottish merchant, John Dodd, who made Taiwanese Oolong tea world-famous. In the 1980s, the Taiwanese started moving to Scotland for education and work, bringing in their foods and treats, including bubble tea. The Scottish Parliament has a cross-party group on Taiwan. There even is a Taiwanese season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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