‘Ancestors made big sacrifice’

Mungroo was addressing Indian Arrival Day celebrations at the Couva Recreation Ground.

“The basic necessities that we take for granted now was like luxury to them at that point in time,” he noted at the event organised by the St Andrew’s Sports and Cultural Group headed by Councillor Allan Seepersad. “Life was very harsh and cruel to them, but the fact that despite the strenuous circumstances our culture has survived, and this demonstrates the resilience and determination of our forefathers,” Mungroo added.

He said that “today it is appropriate for us to take our minds back in history to examine the trials and tribulations faced by our ancestors so that they and their progeny could enjoy a better life.”

He recounted the pala kani journey of the indentured labourers who were lured into coming to the West Indies and said that it took between 113 to 172 days to arrive in the region during which many died and were thrown overboard.

When they arrived here they lived in barracks where conditions were wretched, he explained.

They worked hard and made sacrifices but they “never forgot their religion and culture,” Mungroo added.

“These were the factors which sustained and motivated them through all the hardships. The women worked equally hard and that is why today the Indo-Trinidadian family is the strength of the society,” Mungroo said.

He spoke about the thrift of the immigrants and said that even though they worked for 25 cents per day , “they still managed to save and educate their children many of whom became professionals like doctors, lawyers, politicians, teachers, businessmen, social workers, musicians, and even sportsmen all of whom have been contributing to the process of nation building.”

“In 161 years we have moved from indentured labourers to world class citizens and this must be considered a tremendous achievement,” he said.

He advised Indo-Trinidadians to keep the “lessons of hard work, and determination, learnt from our forefathers to focus on surmounting the problems we face on a daily basis.”

“They left us a rich legacy and we must pass that on to our children,” Mungroo said.

The day’s programme included a curried duck competition as well as a cultural variety programme.