charra, noun

/ˈtʃara/
Forms:
chara, churraShow more Also chara, churra, tjarra.
Origin:
Probably adaptation of char ou.
derogatory, offensive
An insulting name for a person of Indian descent. Also attributive. Cf. char ou.
1970 B. Kirk-Cohen Informant, Bloemfontein, Free StateCharra. Indian.
1971 J. McClure Steam Pig (1973) 201Ach, it was real churra talk — maybe it was a tip-off. I don’t think so.
1973 Sunday Tribune 1 Apr. 20We have told them that all men are created in the image of God, but have called them ‘kaffirs’, ‘black savages’ and ‘charas’.
1974 J. McClure Gooseberry Fool (1976) 87All the shops had shut so he would have to go down to the Indian quarter for the present. ‘Trust the bloody churras to be Mohommedan,’ Scott grunted. ‘Do anything to keep their shops open.’
1975 L. Hogg Informant, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-NatalTjarra. Common Natal expression for the Indian population. (Also chilli cracker and curry-muncher).
1984 ‘Dan’ in Frontline Feb. 26Maybe with a name like that B. Nanabhai isn’t so much a bushy anyhow, more like a chara...Maybe they sent him to Durbs,..where he had to live among other charas...Charas are tailors, unless they’re waiters.
1989 D. Mullany in Scope 21 Apr. 4The crafty ‘charra’ in his fur-dash, rust-crusted Cortina; the hunkheaded Transvaal ‘kaydaar’ in his Datsun Laurel, Toyota Cressida, or gold-wheeled Sierra.
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 47She didn’t want to touch my hand when paying for the fruit or vegetables she had just bought; and more than once I was carelessly called ‘Sam’ or coolie or Charra.
An insulting name for a person of Indian descent. Also attributive.
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derogatory or offensive
char ou, nounn.Charter, nounn.
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