Mobilities, Communication, and Asia| Dreams and Desserts: Indigenous Migration, Service, and Mobility in India

Abstract

This article focuses on the pathways of indigenous migrants from Northeast India and examines their lives as workers in the hospitality industry. Experiences of indigenous migrants allows us to study emerging trends of indigenous mobility and consumption in India. Indigenous migration from Northeast India is distinct because it is a movement away from a slash-and-burn subsistence agriculture and a sense of belonging determined by ethnic politics focused on autonomous homelands. In addition, experiences of indigenous migrants from the highlands of Northeast India with their un-Indian looks and their English-language skills present them as desirable workers in the hospitality industry.