Ramey/H5M, 13. Where did the concept of caste begin?

Although the word “caste” has been commonly associated with Hinduism and South Asia, it is not indigenous but was “imported” from the Portuguese word casta at the dawn of the European colonial period. “Caste” is also a familiar term in other areas in the world (such as in South America) and is used in India by Christian, Muslim, Jain, and other communities.