Arrival and Indian culture

Ananda Coomaraswamy’s writings have a vital message for men and nations everywhere who are interested to preserve their moral and cultural integrity and in particular Indians in Trinidad presently. Ananda Coomaraswamy had an utter contempt of Europeanised Indians and he once remarked that these Europeanised Indians were Indian only by name. One of his essays, ‘Borrowed Plumes’ first published in Kandy in 1905 was his maiden literary effort. In this essay he describes very movingly the destruction of native life under foreign domination. This is an interesting essay which should be read and re-read now specially in view of the serious efforts being presently made to protect and reactivate this country’s Indian cultural heritage.

This idea of protecting Indian culture and all that was Indian as articulated by Ananda Coomaraswamy it can be said was the idea that essentially drove those who many years ago began to organise Indian Arrival Day Celebrations in Trinidad.  Indeed it is this very idea that sustains those who continue to defend the inclusion of ‘Indian’ added to Arrival Day. Ramdath Jagessar of the Indian Revival and Reform Association who revived the Indian Arrival Day celebrations commenting on the thinking that eventually gave birth to Indian Arrival Day celebrations stated “That day in early 1978, we were like many other Indians in Trinidad, in a state of agony about the condition of Indian culture and the Indian heritage.

The government of the day, and most other people in Trinidad, saw Indian culture as a foreign culture that should be removed as soon as possible. For them there was no Indian heritage worth preserving, no Indian history worth remembering. Calypso, steelband, carnival and other black forms of culture were seen as the culture of Trinidad. Hinduism and Islam were seen as no more than temporary obstructions, soon to be replaced by other faiths. Hindi, Sanskrit and Urdu languages were openly scorned. Nothing Indian was considered to be of value.” Ramdath Jagessar went on to elaborate in his reflections “And this policy was working. A worrisome number of Indians were buying into this garbage. They were abandoning their Indian culture and taking up black and western culture and values. They were taking Christian names and dropping their Indian names, filling up the calypso tents and mas bands and fetes.

It was becoming fashionable to scorn Indian values and praise non-Indian ones. Some Indians would say openly that they were “not Indians, but Trinidadians”, as if you couldn’t be both at the same time. Our Indian identity was in serious danger of going down the drain.” Therefore the need to preserve and promote Indian culture was integral in the development of Indian Arrival Day celebrations. This unwritten mission found resonance within each and every Indian organisation within Trinidad and Tobago. Thus regardless of differences a variety of groups quickly joined in to make Indian Arrival Day Celebrations a celebration that grew annually from the grass-roots upwards. This celebration gained momentum and eventually Indian Arrival Day celebrations caused the politicians to sit up and take notice. The lobby to make May 30 a public holiday grew and eventually the historic motion to make May 30 was entered in to Hansard by Member of Parliament Trevor Sudama. 

The Historic Hansard entry began: “Mr Trevor Sudama: Mr Speaker, I rise today to put an historic motion before this august House and as I proceed in my contribution I will point out how this motion acquires this significance that I am attaching to it this evening. Let me, for the benefit of Members if this House, who seem to think that this is quite flippant matter from their responses, let me, for their benefit, as well as for the benefit of the Press and the country at large, read this motion into the records of the House. WHEREAS May 30, 1845, is a highly significant day in the history of Trinidad and Tobago in that it was the day on which the very first group of indentured immigrants from India arrived in this country, AND WHEREAS May 30, is now widely celebrated and commemorated as a day of historical importance especially among the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago who are descendants of the indentured immigrants; AND WHEREAS the recognition of May 30, by public authority as a day of national significance, would serve the interest of the national integration and patriotism; BE IT RESOLVED that this House recommend to the Government that May 30 be declared a National Public Holiday to be known as INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY. Mr Speaker, that is the text of the motion. I want to give a little background as to why this motion was brought to the attention of this House. First of all, Mr. Speaker, there have been numerous requests by various groups in the country which have commemorated the day May 30 as Indian Arrival Day.

These commemorative events are becoming bigger and bigger as the years go by, and more and more people are being attracted to the celebration of this day and to the historical significance which is attached to it. I myself have had requests made to me, personally, when I have attended these various functions throughout Trinidad and Tobago, and in my own constituency, that this day should be declared a public holiday, so that the significance of the day should not be confined merely to one ethnic group in society but it should have significance for all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.” The introduction of this historic statement that eventually culminated in the creation of a public holiday called “Indian Arrival Day” is deserving of reproduction during this celebration of Indian Arrival 2003. The ideas of Ananda Coomaraswamy in essence were enacted by the actions of all those who was involved in the creation of Indian Arrival Day.