The term "coolie" refers to unskilled laborers from Asia in the 1800s to early 1900s who were sent to the United States, Australia, New Zealand, North Africa and the West Indies. The term usually referred to Chinese, Indian , Japanese and Korean laborers and was often used in a derogatory way. The word is either derived from the Chinese term 苦力, ku li ("suffering strength," describing the brutal physical labor) or the Hindi quli ("hired servant").
In the British Empire, a "coolie" was an indentured servant with conditions resembling slavery. In India and Africa, Mahatma Gandhi led a campaign against such indentured servitude.
Chinese coolies contributed to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States, but many of the Chinese laborers were not welcome to stay after its completion. California's Anti-Coolie Act of 1862 and Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 also contributed to the oppression of Chinese laborers in the United States.
In India, "coolie" refers to porters who work at railway stations. In Trinidad and Tobago, the word is considered an offensive term on par with "nigger."
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Last updated: 08-27-2005 16:00:16
