Indian Indentured Labour

INDIAN INDENTURED

LABOUR

- arrived in Trinidad in 1908

- aboard the SS Indus.

- 3 going on 4 yrs

- came with her mother Ramdai

- 103 years old

May 30th 1845 – arrival of the Fath-al

Razak

March 1917 – recruitment of indentured

labourers illegal

January 1st 1920 – complete end of

indentureship system

- Total = 147,600 Indian indentured

labourers

- Distributed throughout Trinidad

- Mainly Sugar cane plantations

- Also coconut, cocoa, rubber

System of contract labour (indenture)

Work for 5 yrs on the plantation; 45

hours per week

Return passage after 10 yrs residence

in the colony

Allowances of clothing and food

Accommodation provided by the

planters

Wages of 25 cents a day (varied for task

work)

Planter responsible for medical care

and health of the labourers

Areas of Migration

27%

5%

14%

6%

0%

48%

Oudh Bengal Bihar Madras/Bombay United Prov

Brahmins 14 %

Agricultural castes 60%

Low castes 25%

Others 1%

Muslim = 15%

Hindus = 77%

Christians = 4%

Others- 4%

Colonies Colonial

Office Government

Of India

Licenses issued to recruiters Sub-recruiters hired (arkatia)

Arkatias went into districts and

villages Positive images of indentureship

used to convince labourers

“Chinidad” – the Land of Sugar

Use of force – abductions and

Kidnappings

Especially in relation to

recruitment of female labourers

Small, one room structures

Lack of medical care

No attention to labourers’

health

temporary situation

medical facilities in these areas

of an embryonic nature

Government officials

Quarantine

Medical treatment

Inspection (emigrants and facilities)

Sanitation

Sufficient accommodation

Water supply (regular and nearby)

Latrine facilities (if needed)

Eradication of contagious diseases

James Nourse Shipping Company Length of time : 20 weeks (sailing

ship) and 13 weeks (steamer) New travelers Journey equivalent to Middle

Passage (African slavery) Motion sickness; fever; meningitis;

measles and mumps

Provision of medical care (hospital and constant

medical attention)

Sufficient supplies

Proper food preparation

Restrictions on the number on board

Space allocation per emigrant

Trinidad Immigration Depot located on Nelson Island

Inspection of ship, food and stores by Protector of

Immigrants

Fumigation of bundles and blankets

Quarantine

Medical Examination

Weak ones remained at the depot (rest)

Sick ones taken to the Colonial Hospital

(Port of Spain)

Healthy ones sent to the estates

Estate to provide accommodation,

ration and medical care

Inspection by the Medical

Officer of the district

Immigrants responsible for

cleanliness of barracks and

space around

All estates must have facilities for the care of the

immigrant ( ‘hospital’)

At least one dispenser or sick nurse

on each estate

Regular visits by Protector of

Immigrants and the Surgeon-General

Life on the Plantation

Freedom of movement curtailed –

needed a pass to leave the estate

Cultural practices allowed

Caste system broke down

Names changes

Conversion to Christianity

Patriarchical society

Problems in recruiting women

69% male 29% male 2% cannot be distinguished

Ratio: 40 women per 100 men

Illegal recruiting

Increased status of women

No female infanticide

Better opportunities at marriage

Infidelity (horning)

Wife Murders

Control over women

Typhoid fever

Dysentery

Bronchitis

Pneumonia

Ankylostomiasis

Tuberculosis

Music – Indian classical, folk, tassa, chutney

Food – roti, doubles, curry, prasad/methi

Dance – Katak, Bharat Natyam, Odissi

Theatre - Ramleela

Religions – Hinduism, Islam

Place names – Fyzabad, Barrackpore,

Clothing – sari, shalwar, kurta

Goldsmiths

Festivals – Divali, Phagwa

Loss of vernacular languages e.g. Bhojpuri

Cultural practices adapted to suit host

environment

Conversion to Presbyterianism

Loss of vernacular languages e.g. Bhojpuri

Cultural practices adapted to suit host

environment

Conversion to Presbyterianism

African/Indian cultural mixture

• Chutney (soca chutney)

• Pantar (steelpan and sitar)

• Dougla (African and Indian parentage)

Abolition

Labourers’ protests

Indian middle class

protests

Protests in S. Africa,

Fiji, Mauritius

Protests in India

African Slavery Indian indentureship

forced labour Contract labour

Culture suppressed Culture allowed (once

not

a threat)

Not regulated Regulated by law

Hardly any chance of

returning to Africa

Could return after10

years labour in the

colony