TT group for Jamaica’s Indian Arrival

Among the artistes who will be making the trip are pannist Shivanna Ragoonanan, Narindra Maharaj, Shivanand Maharaj, Taradath Sawh and Fareesha Yathali.

The troupe will participate in programmes organised by the NCIC in Jamaica and also by the Jamaican government.

The entourage is headed by NCIC programme coordinator, Surujdeo Mangaroo. Other NCIC members on the tour are Bob Ramroop, Kanhai Kangal, Parashutam Singh, Kashi Rampersad and Partap Rampersad. Mangaroo said that the troupe will entertain government officials and other dignitaries at Mona Campus. However, the big concert to mark Indian Arrival Day will take place at the Chedwin Park in Kingston. This is an open air concert which normally attracts more than 5,000 people.

Mangaroo has been behind this project for the past seven years. Within this time many of the Jamaican artistes have been invited to perform for Indian Arrival Day and Divali in TT.

The East Indians arrived in Jamaica as indentured labourers between 1845 and 1917. The Indians came to Jamaica to earn a “fortune” for starting a better life back in India.

It has been noted that the religious sentiments of the Indians were not considered by the recruiting authorities. The majority of these immigrants were Hindus, followed by Muslims, yet priests were never recruited to satisfy the religious needs of the Indians. The priests who arrived came as indentured labourers and practised their priesthood as a part-time profession.

At the end of the indentureship contract, many Indians reverted to their ancestral occupations. some became farmers or fishermen, while others returned to the trades — barber, goldsmith and ironsmith. Some became money lenders.

The traditional Indian practice of naming the boys after gods and heroes and the girls after goddesses, rivers, flowers, seasons, moods, or words of great significance has now been completely abandoned. Almost every Indian regardless of his or her religion has anglicised first and second names; the surnames too have been changed except for names such as Maragh and Singh.

The Indians introduced several plants and trees in Jamaica, the most common being betel leaves, betel nut, coolie plum, mango, jack fruit, and tamarind. The food habits of Jamaican Indians have a distinctly Indian flavour and taste. A typical Indian dinner consists of roti, pulses usually cooked with mangoes, curried potato, eggplant, bitter gourd and ochro.