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RE: I am from the Untouchable caste in India and yes, it still exists!
We have noticed the system with friends in Texas and New York who were from India. I've noticed words similar to clan/ tribe used vs caste, especially when they refer to themselves.
Interesting!! I have never heard those terms used to describe this. Could you elaborate?
When they discussed where they were from, they often explained things about their family history. One example I can recall was a man who described his heritage as being born into a "tribe" of warriors. This particular person was often in the company of Native American Indians, so tribe would have been an easy transitional word for the concept of caste.
Wedding discussions were always interesting. My husband never tires of making the men discuss the idea of the parents choosing the potential brides, etc.
There was one girl who opened up to me about the "ridiculous ideas" men's parents can have regarding ways to keep their son living under their roof. She was much relieved that her parents were letting her have the final say.
The one underlying thread was this: "Right person from the right family, approved by the families." And it's rather clear that "right" definitely starts with the "right" social strata. And the approval process often went far beyond the parents. This is a "family clan" type decision.
Hope that helps.
So interesting!! Thanks for sharing. I love hearing how other people chat about status. It's such a fascinating subject.