Villagers bid farewell to oldest indentured labourer

TT’s historian and genealogist, Shamshu Deen addressed the gathering saying that Samoonadrie was not a citizen of India, as she was not yet born when her mother Makhani decided to embark on the journey to Trinidad. “It was from the village from Kranti in the district of Mujaffarpur, in Bihar that Makhani left on August 12, 1912,” he said, adding that Samoonadarie’s mother then left Calcutta, aboard the SS Mutlah, a final vessel coming out of India bound to the Caribbean.

In her final year on earth, Shamshu says, Samoondarie visited the National Trust Council of TT and she was also filmed by a television company of India for a documentary on people of the diaspora. Adlene Martinez (grand-daughter) gave the eulogy saying her grandmother was a beautiful woman who found work at the Ste Madeline factory where she met her husband Doon. Martinez said Samoonadarie and Doon worked at the factory all day and on evenings they did gardening together. At the age of 36, she lost her husband and she took responsibility of taking care of her three kids single-handedly.

“Known to us as Nanny this wonderful human being, would stop at nothing to educate her children as they all went to become professionals leading successful lives,” Martinez said. Her daughters Monica (deceased) and Phyllis, 76, were both started in business at a very young age. Phyllis, her surviving daughter, wept openly at the funeral, sometimes screaming out for her mother. Phyllis built her career as an aestheticism having been trained in the UK, France and Germany.

The officiating priest, Alister Bhola said Samoonadir is known as “Nanny” to all villagers and she remains the most admired individual for living a highly religious life. “She would constantly ask for ‘Thanks Giving’ service as she loved to have people at her home,” he said, adding that “Nanny” will be remembered for her faith in God.

Among those who spoke highly of Samooondarie was Pundit Atma Maharaj who said, the village has lost a great soul. Samoondarie he said, remained in the community of “indentureship” and all the hardships associated with the journey of East Indian labourers