May 20, 2012

The History of Indian Indentureship in the Caribbean

May is Indian Arrival Month in Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica. This is a good opportunity to learn more about Indentureship fostered by the British in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries.

http://independent.academia.edu/SureshPillai/Papers/431917/INDENTURED_INDIANS
http://www.indocaribbeanheritage.com/content/view/18/39/
http://www.caravanmagazine.in/PrintThisStory.aspx?StoryId=1058
Name transformation
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CARIBBEAN/2003-06/1055312399

Festival in Jamaica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=PTG_mUoxKko 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5-qCreLB4&feature=relmfu 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwY8KC9Hiz8&feature=fvwrel 3

Guadeloupe and Martinique
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ11YjOMp4o&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=ZR1zisa_N-o

In Memory of the Jahagis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfj_4Nj5w6g&feature=related
Legacy of Our Ancestors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=wv7myABr6Ak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtICIfA7NRU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVpKJde2Gd4&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARdhyDPjOnk&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVpKJde2Gd4&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=104OMNpnwrg&feature=relmfu

Indian Arrival Day
Videos
Hindus in Jamaica
Early East Indians of the Caribbean
How Britain re-invented Slavery

2 comments:

  1. Hello, this is incredible and so informative. Thanks for that. I think every Guyanese of Indian decent should know this information. lot to learn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I AM A COOLIE

    (Part1)

    As stated before when

    I opened the coolie door

    There wouldn’t

    Have been any Guyana

    Without any coolies

    Our darma’s the best in the world

    Helped made us what we are are

    Very damn proud Coolies

    Our forefathers had a rough time

    From Brahmins to Musahars

    Chatris and Madrassies

    They left all their baggage

    When they boarded the ships

    But thank the Lord they did

    They have passed on

    Their robust genes

    To their children’s children

    We’d good broughtupsy

    Some call it discipline

    We call it broad leather

    Slap, knock heads

    Bramble licks

    Also known as cut rass

    At home and at school

    We didn’t need anyone

    To teach us about the truth

    About respect for elders

    For other people’s property

    We went to school to learn

    Listen to our teachers

    Not to yap on the phone

    Play video games

    Disrupt classes

    We knew from birth

    About personal hygiene

    To use clean underwear

    Brush our teeth

    Wash our hands before

    Be mannerly

    Take your hat before entering

    Take your shoes off

    Never wear them to bed

    Cover your mouth

    When you cough

    It was a way of life

    And talk about being thrift

    You never ever spend

    What you don’t have

    If you can’t buy it for cash

    Then wait until you can

    We build our houses

    Then we built our homes

    Sometimes we make do

    Living with parents

    We never owe the banks

    Later on we say thanks

    To our coolie parents

    And so we’re not be caught

    In any financial quagmire

    We’ve become the best

    Having the coolies

    Spending their last cent

    To educate their children

    We’ve built villages and cities

    Which stand out from the rest

    We became linguists

    Learning English, Hindi

    Urdhu and Patwa

    We still sing our old time songs

    Play the harmonium and dhantal

    Dance when the tassa drums call

    Belt out our chatneys

    At social gatherings

    And live our life to suit us

    As others making fuss

    We belong to various faiths

    Hindus, Muslims, Christians

    We celebrate all holidays

    We pray for Eid

    Get ready for Christmas

    And can’t wait for Phagwah

    The Hindu temple

    Sits near the Mosque

    Overlooking the Church

    The coolies around the world

    Can show other nations

    How to live in peace

    thanks.
    ndatt@rogers.com

    ReplyDelete