Indian Arrival in Jamaica

THE GLEANER, FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | A13 INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY FEATURE W HEN PARMESHWAR disembarked the SS Blundell in Old Harbour Bay on May 10, 1845 (the ship having arrived the day before), he and his fellow 261 shipmates wrote a new chapter in the history of Jamaica. All told, 36,412 indentured labourers came between 1845 and 1917. Following emancipation, and a failed tryst of European indentured labourers brought to cultivate a crop they had never seen, the Indians were another ethnic group used to resuscitate the sugar industry. The Chinese were soon to follow. Both would introduce new but ancient cultures which would enrich this fair land. But not without tribulation. The masters had managed to forcibly denude those that preceded, their individuality, culture and religion, and no efforts would be spared to the newcomers. Education and health were deprived to those who did not convert to Christianity. In fact, it was not until 1958 (made retroactive to 1954) that Hindu and Muslim marriages were recognised in Jamaica. Offspring of all procreated from suchmarriages prior were deemed illegitimate and denied inheritance. But the arrival of the Indians was not full of acrimony. There was immediate bonding between them and the recently freed slaves. The Falmouth Post of May 20, 1845 described the disembarkation and subsequent horse buggy ride to Halse Hall. Afro-Jamaicans witnessed their arrival and went into their own homes to offer food to these persons who had travelled from a far land. Thereafter, the Indians would toil the land during the day while congregating in the evenings to cook, sing, chant and read scriptures from the volumes they brought with them. Folk songs interspersed with religious reference were accompanied by dancing. Their African brethren were not far away, often residing across the road. In spiritual matters, they had very strong and living roots in time and space, which did not even recognise plantation and social hierarchy. This immediately attracted the attention, appreciation, recognition, support and, to some extent, involvement of many Afro-Jamaicans, particularly the Afro-conscious ones. Indian dances were soon incorporated in Junkanoo and Revivalism; the festival of Hosay gained plantation and community carnival status with Afro-Jamaicans making tazia independently or jointly and becoming drummers in the procession. Curry goat with roti, daal, and curried mango are familiar to most Jamaicans. Ganja, brought and used by the Indians, was restricted to that community until early in the last century, but is used more widely and known (by its original Hindi name) by all. The indentured labourers came on contracts that ensured them a salary, food rations and passage home (or land in lieu of ) at the end of the contract. This was not always honoured and many were asked to pay for the passage back home and couldn’t. Others married and had children and couldn’t afford to return. Others wished for Jamaica to be their home. Irrespective, all contributed to society outside of cultivating cane. Rice cultivation was initiated by the Indians, such that all practices and utensils were referred to by their Hindi names till the industry died in the 1970s. The establishment of jewellery making prompted Professor Andrews, a member of 1891 Johns Hopkins University Expedition Team to comment, “Our contact with the home life of the coolies on the North Coast, and their skills in making silver ornaments with the simplest tools, gave a feeling of comradeship with these natives of India which we failed with the native Africans.” Almost all the women who came to Jamaica had some piece of gold or silver jewellery on them and acquired more locally, as their financial position improved. In fact, the Jamaican Assembly debated this “bad habit” of the Indians in 1852, attempting to curb it. Strong cross-cultural Hindu influence is seen in Rastafari, where many of the concepts and practices were direct adoptions from the Indians. Leonard Howell renamed himself ‘Gong Guru Maragh’ on proclaiming Rastafari. Joseph Hibbert spoke of growing up around Indians and hearing them chant “Jai Rama, Jai Krishna, Jai Ashoka”. When asked what they were saying, he was informed that these were old Kings of India who were also God incarnates. The concept of an African King God Incarnate, therefore, was not far-fetched in his mind when Haile Selassie was elevated to such a position after his coronation. Indeed, the chanting of “Jah Rastafari” is likely to have been “Jai”, meaning victory. Many Indians sported locks on the plantation called “Jatavi”. Early Rastas referred to their locks as “Zatavi”. The similarities and adoptions are numerous and beyond the scope of this article but are referenced in sources such as the Caribbean Journal. The cultural cross flow between Indians and other ethnicities in Jamaica was easy as they were not a demographic threat, rarely exceeding two per cent of Jamaica’s population at any time, unlike in other Caribbean countries. They posed no political or other threat. Indeed, most assimilated through marriage and socialisation, and with little support from the homeland, succumbed culturally and in religion to homogenise in the evolving Jamaican culture. However, this was not the sole contribution of Indians as many businessmen, mainly from the Sindh region, started coming to Jamaica from the 1930s and have maintained a strong presence in the business sector; mainly the inbound market. Since the 1970s professionals, initially teachers and accountants, followed by doctors and lately nurses, have flocked the shores. In the last 20 years, high-level managers and entrepreneurs are enriching the country with enterprise and investment. Being one of the few e thnicities that have maintained an unbroken civilisation at home (in spite of conquerors and colonisers for centuries), those who left the Indian motherland have maintained many of her values and practices while assimilating in their new homes. Happily, in Jamaica, this was an enriching experience for all Jamaicans making us Out of Many, One People. Laxmi Mansingh is a former medical librarian at UWI and the co-author of the book Home Away from Home: 150 Years of Indian Presence in Jamaica, 1845-1995 , along with Dr Ajai Mansingh. Feedback may be sent to cons. kingston@mea.gov.in. INDIANS IN JAMAICA: ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TRIBULATIONS Laxmi Mansingh over the last 175 years. Jamaica’s motto, “Out of Many One People”, unites all Jamaicans of all backgrounds, in common service to the harmonious development of all facets of nation building. Our very important and economically significant Indian community has supported the economic, social and cultural development of our beloved Jamaica, with many members excelling in medicine, business, engineering, agronomy and industry. In my capacity as the first non-resident High Commissioner of Jamaica to India, and having also worked in India and then maintained a very close professional and personal relationship with your country for over 40 years, I have witnessed first-hand the sustained growth and changes of the Indian economy. Prime Minister Modi recently laid the foundation stone for India’s new Parliament building, expected to be completed by the end of 2022, which will mark 75 years of India’s Independence. The project, which involves the construction of a new Parliament building, a Secretariat and the upgrading of the surrounding area, is similar in nature, scope and time line to the proposed new Jamaican Parliament and government ministries construction project. It is only fitting that India, being the largest democracy in the world, and Jamaica, being the most vibrant democracy in the English-speaking Caribbean, would endeavour to develop our rich history of democracy in this manner at this time. As Prime Minister Modi reiterated during the 2019 India-CARICOM Summit in New York, India will continue to strengthen its economic and cultural engagement with Jamaica and the Caribbean region. This expressed commitment will continue in areas of renewable energy, high skilled STEM education and infrastructure construction as both nations, through the sterling work of the Indian High Commission in Jamaica – and Jamaica’s newHigh Commission in India, deepen collaboration in these areas of mutual interest. I commend the people of lndia on the 75th anniversary of the nation’s independence and the 175th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Jamaica. As the community in Jamaica gathers to celebrate this milestone, it is my hope that the occasion will be one of renewal of commitment to continued growth and development of the special Jamaica-India relationship and bond. AUBYN HILL Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation STABILITY CONTINUED FROM 6 The cultural cross flow between Indians and other ethnicities in Jamaica was easy as they were not a demographic threat, rarely exceeding two per cent of Jamaica’s population at any time, unlike in other Caribbean countries. They posed no political or other threat. Indeed, most assimilated through marriage and socialisation, and with little support from the homeland, succumbed culturally and in religion to homogenise in the evolving Jamaican culture.