A Portuguese colonial interpretation of ancient Indian grouping by hereditary profession, called "jāti" in Hindoostani; predating the Aryan penetration of the subcontinent, but believed by White Nationalists (among others) to be a kind of primitive apartheid system introduced by the Vedic Aryans to keep those of darker skin away from them, due to conflation with the five *classes*, properly "
varna", of Vedic society (Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaisya,
Sudra, Chandal).
"Castes are systems of
occupation, endogamy, social culture,
social class, and political power, the assignment of individuals to places in the
social hierarchy is determined by social group and cultural heritage. Although India is often now associated with the word "caste", it was first used by the Portuguese to describe inherited class status in their own European society."
