It was chosen for me through a traditional naming strategy passed on from generations to generations. This is a tradition that is somewhat unfamiliar to me just as the details of my history are not clear. I’m of Indo-Guyanese descent but like most people of my heritage I know very little of our shared past. To better understand (split infinitive) my identity, I must first learn more about my own history. Through my ancestor’s historic journey from India to British Guiana my Indo-Guyanese identity becomes clearer. Furthermore, the aim of this paper is to establish transparency and dispel the vagueness around the indentured labor system in British West Indies. The paper also special places emphasis on the journey of the women in that era and
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As per Basdeo Mangru, (1986) the “Emancipation in British Guiana brought an influx of indentured laborers from India, whose working and living conditions were destructive of caste and culture, and as often harsh as those of the slaves they replaces”. (p 47). In the beginning of the 1860s the indentured system began replicating the slavery system. It was even considered a new form of slavery. The destruction of their caste and cultured started right after they left India. There were inter-caste marriage, inter-religion marriage and inter-racial marriages during the passage to Guiana and on the plantations. It was against the Hindu religion to marry outside of their caste, if they did, they would lose caste. While some continued to practice this belief, others did not consider it when choosing a mate.
The laborers’ lives on the plantations were much like the slaves. Despite being free, they were confined by the restriction of their employers. The planters did not like the mobility of their workers. They required indentured laborers to carry passes if they were not on the plantations working, at the medical office, or in jail. All other whereabouts needed to be justified, if not they would breach their contract. Breaking these rules were grounds for not being …show more content…
Guyana became the new name after the country gained its independence from British on May 26, 1966. Indians still earn their livelihood on sugar plantations and many others continue to excel in academia and in their professional field. There is no barrier to what they can achieve. However, the culture of the true coolies has been lost over time. Many abstained from Hinduism and converted to Christianity.
Conclusion
The legacy of the Coolies is one that should not be forgotten. Their struggles are a pivotal part of our success in today’s society. The coolie women are the true heroes buried by official history. It took courage to challenge the traditional roles of women in India during those years. These women overcame their fears and embark on an unknown journey. All of the indentured servants underwent real struggles. This was definitely surprising to me in conducting my research. The education system failed to portray of how similar the indentured system was to slavery. This dismissed the true suffering of my
As per Basdeo Mangru, (1986) the “Emancipation in British Guiana brought an influx of indentured laborers from India, whose working and living conditions were destructive of caste and culture, and as often harsh as those of the slaves they replaces”. (p 47). In the beginning of the 1860s the indentured system began replicating the slavery system. It was even considered a new form of slavery. The destruction of their caste and cultured started right after they left India. There were inter-caste marriage, inter-religion marriage and inter-racial marriages during the passage to Guiana and on the plantations. It was against the Hindu religion to marry outside of their caste, if they did, they would lose caste. While some continued to practice this belief, others did not consider it when choosing a mate.
The laborers’ lives on the plantations were much like the slaves. Despite being free, they were confined by the restriction of their employers. The planters did not like the mobility of their workers. They required indentured laborers to carry passes if they were not on the plantations working, at the medical office, or in jail. All other whereabouts needed to be justified, if not they would breach their contract. Breaking these rules were grounds for not being …show more content…
Guyana became the new name after the country gained its independence from British on May 26, 1966. Indians still earn their livelihood on sugar plantations and many others continue to excel in academia and in their professional field. There is no barrier to what they can achieve. However, the culture of the true coolies has been lost over time. Many abstained from Hinduism and converted to Christianity.
Conclusion
The legacy of the Coolies is one that should not be forgotten. Their struggles are a pivotal part of our success in today’s society. The coolie women are the true heroes buried by official history. It took courage to challenge the traditional roles of women in India during those years. These women overcame their fears and embark on an unknown journey. All of the indentured servants underwent real struggles. This was definitely surprising to me in conducting my research. The education system failed to portray of how similar the indentured system was to slavery. This dismissed the true suffering of my