At first, these migrants were nearly all males. Most had intended to
return home when or after they had made their fortunes. Many did go
home. But many more stayed. At first they married local women. But
soon, they began importing brides from their respective countries of origin.
They began to establish permanent communities, with structures
and organizations which included schools, community halls and temples,
making them self-contained enclaves devoid of reasons or need to
maintain close contacts with local populations, enabling them to live
institutionally and culturally separate lives.
Thus, what started in its early years as heterogeneity, or ‘initial pluralism’
as stated by Zawawi Ibrahim (2003), was transformed into full
blown plurality by the economic forces of colonialism and capitalism in
its later history. By the time of independence, pluralism was deeply
entrenched.