10 Ways to Commemorate Indian Arrival Day
Photo courtesy of Renluka Maharaj
written by Caribbean Collective Magazine
Every year during the month of May, Indo Caribbeans throughout the diaspora reflect on the history of Indian Arrival Day in the West Indies. After the abolition of slavery, European powers identured thousands of South Asians as labourers to work sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean. These labourers were often tricked, mistreated, abused, coerced and taken from their motherland never to return.
The history of Indo Caribbeans is marked by indentureship —and yet, a worldwide community spanning from the Caribbean, United Kingdom and North America is growing. Originating in Trinidad and established as a national holiday in 1994, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated in countries like Guyana, Martinique, Jamaica, Fiji, Suriname and Trinidad in honor of Indo Caribbean history and contributions made by Indo Caribbeans. Singing, dancing and reenactments of when the first ships carrying the indentured labourers arrived occur.
While each country has their own festivities, many still question whether the day should be celebrated. It is afterall a day the marks indentureship. While the debate carries on, indentured labourers and their descendants work hard to preserve and pass on customs and traditions. While we reflect on our history and the hardships of our foremothers, Indo Caribbeans take joy in the legacy left to us --a fusion of South Asian and Caribbean cultures.
Whether one chooses to use the day in celebration or remembrance of a bittersweet history, CC Mag has curated a list of activities to help you commemorate Indian Arrival Day.
[Additional Read: Black HERstory Month: 5 Caribbean Women Who Paved the Way]
1. Listen to The Cutlass Podcast
The Cutlass Magazine is a podcast and platform that researches and shares Indo Caribbean history. Via Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, the platform provides snapshots of historical and cultural moments, and conducts interviews to educate its audience. Episode 2 of The Cutlass Podcast delves into Bhojpuri Hindustani and other South Asian languages spoken in Trinidad. Throughout the month of May, The Cutlass has actively shared snippets of history, including images of the very first Indian Arrival Day celebration in 1945. They have provided their followers with multiple ways to reflect upon “Indian Survival Day.”
“For the rest of this month [we will] continue posting more about the history and releasing another podcast episode, while keeping our [Instagram] stories active with questionnaires and surveys.” - The Cutlass
2. Visit the Virtual Art Gallery of Indo Caribbean Artist Renluka Maharaj
One of the first artists representing Indo Caribbean heritage in predominantly white spaces, Maharaj’s work explores indentureship through art. In her Pelting Mangoes series, she brings historical photos of indentured women to life. Her artwork has been featured in collections across the US. In an exclusive, Maharaj gives CC Mag readers her candid thoughts on what Indian Arrival Day means to her.
“Given the history of how we came to be, Trinidad, Guyana, Fiji, Mauritius, Jamaica- all of the colonies, I don’t want to be forgotten. We’ve (descendants of indentureship) existed, we continue to exist, we continue to thrive in the face of everything we endured.” - Renluka Maharaj-
3. Check Out Indo-Martinican Photographer, Claire-Ania Virgile
Virgile’s photography is a visual reminder that the French Caribbean is also home to the descendants of Indian indentured laborers. Songé 6 mai (Remember 6th May) is a photography project led by Virgile which highlights Indian dance “as a form of resistance in post-colonial society.” The videography features Bharatnatyam dancer Emerick Merlin dancing against the backdrop of a Hindu temple in Fort de France, Martinique. Virgile’s recent photo exhibition, “Sacred Vision of Claire-Ania : Indian Diaspora & Rastafari syncretism in Martinique '' displays visions of Indo Caribbean culture and spirituality in Martinique. Virgile uses her photography to bring Martinique’s Indo Caribbean culture to light.
4. Cook Traditional Foods With the Help of Indo Caribbean Food Bloggers
West Indian dishes are a blend of Indian, African, Chinese and European flavors. Caribbean food bloggers are vital in keeping our unique cuisines alive. Find step-by-step recipes for tons of traditional foods, such as Buss-Up-Shut style roti from Trini Cooking with Natasha, crispy and fluffy pholourie from Matthew’s Guyanese Cooking and Guyanese-style cheese rolls from Rebekah’s Cookup. Cook a delicious meal, and rejoice in our rich fusion of culinary traditions.
5. Read Indo Caribbean
Photo courtesy of Tiara Jade Chutkhan
Bookstagrammer and our very own contributor Tiara Jade Chutkhan just released the first Indo Caribbean anthology amplifying the voice of Indo Caribbean women. “Two Times Removed” features 16 short stories about identity, community and relationships, written by Indo Caribbean authors. Tiara also created the hashtag #indocaribbeanreadathon to help others find cultural reads and reconnect with their roots through literature.
“I started the #indocaribbeanreadathon as a way to celebrate our people and our stories throughout the month of May when Indian Arrival Day is commemorated in many Caribbean countries. Many of us have mixed feelings about the “celebration,” but I believe it’s important to acknowledge our ancestors and where we came from. My hope is to make the readathon a yearly event and that the hashtag becomes a resource for our community to find new reads, support authors and expand our collections.”
Two Times Removed is available on Amazon.
6. Support Your Local Roti Shop
When you’re fiending for something sweet, spicy, or hut! your local West Indian Roti Shop’s got you covered. For UK residents, Roti Joupa serves kurma, fudge and currant rolls alongside popular curry dishes to South London’s Caribbean community. In Canada, Lena’s Roti & Doubles is known for their tasty doubles. Along Liberty Ave in New York, you will find tons of West Indian restaurants keeping the culture and cuisine alive. You can support small businesses and satisfy your cravings, all while celebrating the Indian flavors of Caribbean cuisine.
7. Dance, Dance, Dance!
Chutney music is the fave music genre amongst Indo Caribbeans. Let loose and have a little active fun while wukking up to chutney classics like Lootala by Sonny Mann, or new tunes like Poowah by Vanita Willie. If you’re looking for a serious workout, take a dance-fitness class and burn major calories with Nancy Jay, founder of Fit by Soca.
Jay dances to chutney, dancehall and soca tunes.
8. Read the Work of Indo Caribbean Poets
Telling stories is a tradition that helps us piece together our history. Indo Caribbean poets are continuing tradition by representing history and telling our stories through poetry. Our very own, Suhana K. R. 's poem “Ode to My Ancestors” dives into discovering her family history and tracing her foremothers’ journey from India to Trinidad. She touches on the setbacks Indo Caribbean women have historically faced, and what it means to carry the weight of the past.
“Ode to My Ancestors was born out of my desire to discover my family history. I had a discussion with my elder uncle, who provided me with as much information as he could about my grandmother, her mother, and so on. Out of that conversation, I wrote a poem to document this history and recognize all the unfair challenges my ancestor’s faced. I encourage others to start those conversations and find out where they come from — it helps you understand who you are.” - Suhana K. R.-
9. Trace Your Roots
Educating yourself on family history is a powerful act for Indo Caribbeans. Many of us do not have easy access to our own family archives, as these have become forgotten histories that could not be passed down. However, starting conversations with elder family members is an effective way to start learning about your lineage. Some are able to retrace their roots all the way back to India, as depicted in Gaiutra Bahadur’s “Coolie Woman.” If you are curious about tracing your roots read “How to Start Your West Indian Family Tree from Abroad” to help get you started.
10. Watch Bollywood Movies and Documentaries
Indian cinema is a huge part of Indo Caribbean culture, with films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham being household staples. Dulha Mil Gaya was partly filmed in Trinidad, and features megastars Shar Rukh Khan and Sushmita Sen. Bollywood movies, especially the classics, are a fun way to gather the entire family and have fun reconnecting with our South Asian roots.
Alternatively, it is also important to view documentaries detailing Indian Indentureship, in order to gather the facts of this complicated history. “Yatra- The Journey of the Indian Presence in Trinidad and Tobago” as well as “Echoes from the Plantation” and “Guadeloupe : Documentaire sur les Mémoires Indiennes d'engagisme” are worth watching.
Whichever way you choose, these 10 suggestions allow us to remember Indo Caribbean history while celebrating the present-day fusion of cultures created —Indo Caribbean culture.
