We are the descendants of Indian indentured laborers, brought to the Caribbean after the abolition of slavery. Our roots run deep, interwoven with Indian, African, European, and Caribbean influences, and forged through centuries of migration, colonialism, survival, and resilience. Yet, our story remains largely untold. As Brenda Beck puts it in a 1992 South Asian Diaspora article, media narratives of our people are often based on derogatory stereotypes that fail to capture the richness and complexity of our heritage.

So, what does it truly mean to be Indo-Caribbean?

For us, it means embracing a history of displacement and triumph, speaking English while cherishing our connection to the Indian language and dialects. It means losing ourselves in Bollywood movies, from the beloved "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" to the soul-stirring "Dil To Pagal Hai" and "Kal Ho Naa Ho." It means dancing to Hindi film songs at birthdays, weddings, and basement jams, despite not knowing the meaning behind all the lyrics.

It means cultivating a love for cricket, music, and dance, drawing from our Caribbean surroundings while honoring the cultural traditions of our ancestors. Our food, a fusion of Indian and Caribbean flavors, showcases the intricate blend of spices and ingredients, enriched with local delights like plantain, cassava and, of course, Guyana Shrimp.

Join us for Episode 7 of the Pepper Pot Podcast as we explore the challenges we encountered in forming our identities as descendents of Indian Indentured Workers. Together, we reclaim our narrative, honour the generations before us, and inspire those to come.

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Credits

Beats and Music by Noyz

Research by Ryan N. Ramdin

Creative Direction by Sara-Sati Ramprashad

Produced by WESTINDIECO

Resources

Bahadur, G. “Coolie Woman: the Odyssey of Indenture” (The University of Chicago Press: 2014).

Barratt, S. A. & Ranjitsingh, A. N. “Dougla in the Twenty-First Century: Adding to the Mix,” (University Press of Mississippi: 2021).

Breman, J. & Daniel, E.V. (1992) “Conclusion: The Making of a coolie,” Journal of Peasant Studies, 19(3-4).

Hearn, L. (1886) “A Study of Half-Breed Races in the West Indies,” Cosmopolitan; New York.

Jagessar, R. “Kiss and Breathe: Only the Broken Ones Will Rise” (Rohit Jagessar: 2022).

Kaup, K. (1995) “West Indian Canadian Writing: Crossing the Border from Exile to Immigration,” Essays on Canadian Writing; Toronto, Issue 57.

Mahase, R. Roopnarine, L. & Hassankhan, M.S. (eds.) (2016) “Social & Cultural Dimensions of Indian Indentured Labour and its Diaspora: Past and Present,” (Routledge, London).

Sengupta, S. & Toy, V. S. (7 Oct. 1998) “Two Groups of East Indians Are Brought Closer, for Now,” New York Times.

Siddiqui, H. (1992 Oct. 15) “Children of the Raj,” Toronto Star.

New York Times, (1998 Sept. 22) “Racial Motive Is Seen in Beating of Indian- American Man in Queens,” New York Times.

The period of Indian Indentureship was a time of remarkable change for our ancestors as traditional caste barriers, deeply ingrained in Indian society, began to crumble. In particular, the proximity of high and low caste Indians in Immigration Depots, aboard ships, and across the Caribbean played a pivotal role in this dramatic shift.

Imagine the impact when people from different castes found themselves side by side, sharing physical spaces, resources, and experiences. This forced interaction challenged the long-standing prejudices and hierarchies that shaped Indian communities for generations. As they embarked on a new life in a foreign land, our ancestors had to rely on each other, breaking down the walls of caste that once separated them.

The consequences of this radical transformation were profound. Some suggest that the breakdown of caste opened doors to unprecedented social and economic mobility. Individuals from lower castes were no longer confined by the limitations imposed by their birth. Others argue that the erosion of traditional caste distinctions meant the loss of cultural practices and values that were deeply intertwined with caste identities. As our ancestors embraced a new reality, some aspects of their heritage and customs were diluted or even lost, leaving a bittersweet legacy.

Join us on the Pepper Pot Podcast as we delve deeper into this chapter of our history in Episode 6: Caste Away. In this episode, we explore the impact of the dismantling of caste barriers, the triumphs, the dilemmas, and the enduring lessons we can learn from this momentous transformation. Together, let's uncover the layers of our shared heritage and celebrate the resilience and strength of our ancestors.

Follow and connect with The Peppa Pot Podcast online, we'd love to hear from you!

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Credits

Beats and Music by Noyz

Research by Ryan N. Ramdin

Creative Direction by Sara-Sati Ramprashad

Produced by WESTINDIECO

Resources

Bahadur, G. “Coolie Woman: the Odyssey of Indenture” (The University of Chicago Press: 2014).

Basu, S. (2016 Sept. 28), “Solah Shringar: The science behind it” Times of India. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/solah-shringar-the-science-behind-it/articleshow/54520592.cms

Bronkhurst, H.V.P. (1888) “Among the Hindus and Creoles of British Guiana and its Labouring Population,” Woolmer, London.

Christian, R. “‘They Came in Ships...’ Indo-Caribbean Women and their Construction of Safe Spaces in the Caribbean” in Lurdos, M. & Misrahi-Barak, J. (dir.), “Transport(s) in the British Empire and the Commonwealth.”

“I am a Coolie: Identity and Indenture,” Moray House Trust. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUirPfa8Fjg&t=1811s

Jayawardena, C. (1966) “Religious Belief and Social Change: Aspects of the Development of Hinduism in British Guiana,” Comparative Studies in Society and History, 8(2), pp. 211-240.

Khanan, B.H. & Chickrie. R. (2009) “170th Anniversary of the Arrival of the First Hindustani Muslims from India to British Guiana,” Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 29(2).

Mahabir, K. (ed.) (2004) ‘The Massacre of Indians in the 1884 Hosay” Indian Arrival Day, 5(1).

Mahase, R. (2005) “Caste, Religion and Gender Differentiations amongst Indentured Labourers from Bihar to Trinidad, 1870 to 1900,” in Samaroo, B., Bissessar, A-M. (eds.) “The Construction of an Indo-Caribbean Diaspora” (UWI School of Continuing Studies, St Augustine, Trinidad).

Moore, B.L. (1979) “Retention of Caste Notions Among the Indian Immigrants in British Guiana in the Nineteenth Century” Comparative Studies in Society and History.

“Tracing Roots to India,” Trinidad & Tobago Guardian. Available at: https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.423197.55992c06ab

Join us on the latest episode of the Peppa Pot as we explore the history of Indentured Indian Women and the challenges they faced once they arrived in the Caribbean. Throughout the period of Indian Indentureship, the number of men recruited to work throughout the Caribbean greatly outnumbered the number of women, resulting in women being in high demand but receiving no preferential treatment and often falling victim to abuse. Despite this, for some women, arriving in the Colonies represented freedom and an opportunity to overcome generations of oppression that they experienced back home. Learn more about the history and adversity of Indentured Indian Women and how they took care of themselves by tuning in to Episode 5 of the Peppa Pot: Leggo me nah Raja.

Follow and connect with The Peppa Pot Podcast online, we'd love to hear from you!

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Credits

Beats and Music by Noyz

Research by Ryan N. Ramdin

Creative Direction by Sara-Sati Ramprashad

Produced by WESTINDIECO

Resources

Bahadur, G. “Coolie Woman: the Odyssey of Indenture” (The University of Chicago Press: 2014).

Chatterjee, C. (1997) “Indian women’s lives and labor: the indentureship experience in Trinidad and Guyana, 1845-1917”.

Christian, R. “‘They Came in Ships...’ Indo-Caribbean Women and their Construction of Safe Spaces in the Caribbean” in Lurdos, M. & Misrahi-Barak, J. (dir.), “Transport(s) in the British Empire and the Commonwealth.”

Jagessar, R. “Kiss and Breathe: Only the Broken Ones Will Rise” (Rohit Jagessar: 2022). Khan, A. (2016) “Voyages across Indenture: From Ship Sister to Mannish Women” A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 22 at 249-280.

Martinez, K. (1997), “Chutney in yuh Soca,” available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPCJqqYCXBs&t=383s

Mehta, B. (2020) “Jahaji-bahin feminism: a de-colonial Indo-Caribbean consciousness” South Asian Diaspora 12(2) at 179-194.

Mehta, B., Diasporic (Dis) locations: Indo-Caribbean Women Writers Negotiate the Kala Pani. (Jamaica: UWI Press, 2004).

Niranjana, T. Mobilizing India: Women, music and migration between India and Trinidad. (USA: Duke University Press, 2006).

Sengupta, S. (1995 June 5), “Relishing the Mix New York's developing a taste for the musical fusion called chutney,” Newsday.

Sharma, H. (23 December 2020) “Why Indian women became the faces of these Victorian-era postcards,” CNN, retrieved at: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/indo-caribbean-women-colonial-postcards/index.html

Singh, K. A. “Comparative Caribbean Feminisms: Jahaji-bhain in Carnival” in “Indo-Caribbean Feminist Thought: Genealogies, Theories, Enactments” (New York: Palgrave Maxmillan, 2016).