60
Indian Arrival Day Trinidad & Tobago ISSN 1683-4143 Volume 6, Number 1. May 2005 ndo-Caribbean Cultural Council Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council Indo-Caribbean ndian Arrival Day 2005 Indian Arrival Day 2005 Indian Arrival Day 2005 Indian Arrival Day 2005 Indian Arrival Day 2005 Indian Arrival Day 2005 http://www.geocities.com/icc_tt/

Indian Arrival 2005

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Indian Arrival 2005

Citation preview

Page 1: Indian Arrival 2005

Indian Arrival DayTrinidad & Tobago

ISSN 1683-4143

Volume 6, Number 1. May 2005

Indo

-Car

ibbe

an C

ultu

ral C

ounc

il I

ndo-

Car

ibbe

an C

ultu

ral C

ounc

il I

ndo-

Car

ibbe

an C

ultu

ral C

ounc

il I

ndo-

Car

ibbe

an C

ultu

ral C

ounc

il I

ndo-

Car

ibbe

anIn

dian

Arr

ival

Day

200

5 I

ndia

n A

rriv

al D

ay 2

005

Ind

ian

Arr

ival

Day

200

5 I

ndia

n A

rriv

al D

ay 2

005

Ind

ian

Arr

ival

Day

200

5 I

ndia

n A

rriv

al D

ay 2

005

http://www.geocities.com/icc_tt/

Page 2: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 3: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 4: Indian Arrival 2005

2

The description and analysis of the collection of artifacts in this magazine was a challenging enterprise because there is no documented archaeological reference about the material culture of Indians in the Caribbean. The reason for the absence of such a source lies both in the relative youth of the field of colonial archaeology in the English-speaking Caribbean and the research orientation of our past which has tended to rely exclusively on historical documentary material. Though almost nobody in the community uses these cultural objects, their uses are not forgotten by the descendants of Indian immigrants who have kept them etched in their memory. It was, therefore, easy to elicit information from informants who lived on or near the sites, and from elderly members of the community who possessed that knowledge. The attempt was also made to explicitly integrate the ethnographic and ethnohistoric information with the archaeological data. This project focuses on the material remains of those early migrants and settlers. Research was done mainly through interviews with, and observations of, the ‘oldest members of that community. Here the methods of archaeology and ethnography overlap. This approach helps us to understand how the previous generation used material culture — what type of tools they made and how, and the implications of the actual material used to make the artifact ~ the significance of wood, clay, gold, plastic aluminum, etc. Oral accounts can provide substantive empirical data which can supplement those available in the published historical record. Moreover, oral narratives can provide a different perspective of the history which have so far been based on primary written sources penned by biased Europeans and other elites in official positions of power. Historians of Indentureship in Trinidad, and the wider Caribbean, have so far worked only from an armchair position in the archives and libraries leafing through tomes of colonial documentation. This approach makes it difficult for them to gather sufficient information from the point of view of the unlettered colored Indian laborer whose expressions were confined to oral and material modes of articulation. In other words, historians who use this conventional approach are constrained by subject

matter and methodology. They see the past only through the eyes of European visitors, magistrates and colonial officers. Historians have been loosing a golden opportunity in their failure to interview and document the experiences of the last few surviving indentured immigrants who are still alive today. Artifacts, in and of themselves, are not the primary focus of the work of archaeologists. They are, rather, tools that they use together with features, strata, ecological data, and other sources of archaeological evidence to reconstruct the material culture and understand past cultures more fully. Evidence from artifacts and assemblages help archaeologists to provide new reliable information to questions dealing with issues of acculturation, foodways, adaptations, ethnicity, religious beliefs, political systems, technology and economic status. Lubar and Kingery (1993: ix) argue: “Artifacts are remnants of the environment of earlier periods, a portion of the historical experience available for direct observation. Not only do artifacts present new evidence to support historical arguments; they also suggest new arguments and provide a level of rhetorical support to augment that [of] mere documents ...” The collection and study of artifacts may not only be used in conjunction with documentary evidence to augment the interpretation of history, but it can also be used to contradict past interpretations.

The authors are responsible for the content of their articles. The opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright © 2005 by ICC

ICC is an independent non-profit educational organisation recognised by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It is dedicated to publishing two magazines a year - a Divali souvenir magazine, and an Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine.

Dr Kumar Mahabir, Editor and ChairmanIndo-Caribbean Cultural Council (ICC)E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707http://www.geocities.com/icc_tt/ Cover depicts a licensed porter (“coolie”)at a railway station in India. 2005Photos by Kumar MahabirCover and page design by Preddie Partap

Editorial

Page 5: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 6: Indian Arrival 2005

4

PRIME MINISTERREPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Greetings on the occasion of Indian Arrival Day 2005

On May 30 1845 the first group of East Indian indentured immigrants arrived on our shores, heralding a process of large-scale East Indian immigration to Trinidad that was to last until the early twentieth century. Several developments on the Indian sub-continent and in Trinidad and the Caribbean precipitated this migration, which in turn profoundly impacted our nation and the Caribbean. When groups migrate they do so always as bearers of culture, which can provide a lot of information about the society from which they emerged, the challenges they faced in their old and new homelands, and how they and their descendents have adapted and adjusted. Undoubtedly, therefore, there exists a wealth of historical and other data associated with the immigration of our East Indian and other ancestors to our country, and which we will do well to continue to ferret and explore. The Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council (ICC) has been at the forefront of many initiatives to improve our understanding and appreciation of the East Indian presence in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere. The ICC’s dedication of this year’s Indian Arrival Day publication to Indian artifacts in the Caribbean is a further reflection of the organization’s commitment to our national progress in this regard. When our sages and scholars advise us to study our history they really mean that it is the responsibility of every generation to explore the past with the enlightenment offered by its own age. Old household artifacts, tools, cooking utensils, musical instruments and other paraphernalia can help in unlocking mysteries and revealing more about who and what we are, but more particularly through what illumination and explanation only our age can proffer. Our nation has only to gain. Recall Hitopadesa’s admonition that “Amongst all things, knowledge is truly the best thing.” And what of the well known claim that “As knowledge increases, wonders deepen”? As we come together once again to celebrate Indian Arrival Day, let us endorse and participate in all efforts towards the perpetuation and advancement of the quest for self-knowledge of the people of our nation.

Happy Indian Arrival Day to all.

Patrick Manning

Page 7: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 8: Indian Arrival 2005

6

MINISTER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CULTURE AND GENDER AFFAIRS

INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY GREETINGS FROM SENATOR THE HONORABLE JOAN YUILLE-WILLIAMS.

Indian Arrival Day provides an annual reminder to members of our East Indian community that their ancestors were part of a transatlantic movement of people who arrived in the Caribbean during the nineteenth century, and laid the foundation for creating our multi-cultural society that is Trinidad and Tobago.

The celebration of Indian Arrival Day is therefore grounded in a common historical journey and the shared experiences of our diverse population. Our ancestral differences have resulted in a wide range of unique cultural products which converge to form our national heritage.

There is perhaps a better way to recognize the contribution of the East Indian community to the tapestry of national life than to document for posterity the intangible and material cultural products which represent the hallmark of their social existence.

I therefore compliment the Indo- Caribbean Cultural Council for the reliable annual production of an Indian Arrival Day Magazine and, in particular, this year’s edition on the theme, “Indian Artifacts in the Caribbean.”

I take the opportunity to extend most sincere greetings to the East Indian community on the occasion of the celebration of Indian Arrival Day 2005.

Senator The Honorable Joan Yuille-WilliamsMay 12, 2005

Page 9: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 10: Indian Arrival 2005

8

HIGH COMMISSIONERHIGH COMMISSION OF INDIAP.O. BOX 530PORT OF SPAINTRINIDAD & TOBAGO, W.I.

Virendra GuptaHigh Commissioner

It is a matter of great pleasure to learn that the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council is bringing out a commemorative magazine to mark the 160th Anniversary of the Indian Arrival Day this year.

I would like to commend the publishers, Dr. Kumar Mahabir in particular, for their thoughtful and painstaking efforts for this project. The theme for this year’s magazine, “Indian Artifacts in the Caribbean” is especially appropriate one for the occasion.

These artifacts tell us a very instructive story of our ancestors, their trials and tribulations and their collective wisdom in finding solutions to various day-to-day problems. They also provide an insight into the historical events for us to draw inspiration and useful lessons, as we charter our future.

I wish that the magazine would be popular with both scholars and the general public alike and be a collector’s copy.

As in the previous years, this year too, the High Commission of India is organizing a series of events to commemorate the Indian Arrival Day to celebrate great contributions of the East Indian community to the overall national development of Trinidad and Tobago and in promoting the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and India. The events include visit of an Indian Parliamentary delegation led by Honorable Speaker of Lok Sabha Mr. Somnath Chatterjee, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indians’ Affairs Mr. S. Krishna Kumar, International Seminar on Indian Diaspora issues, Indian Food Festival, Photo Exhibitions on Idea of India reflecting various moods & shades of our country and Islamic Cultural Heritage, special talks and the first Indian Book Fair, etc. I avail this opportunity to thank all the individuals/ organizations, which are collaborating with us in these events.

I would also like to take this opportunity to convey warm greetings on Indian Arrival Day to the friendly people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Message from the Indian High Commissioner

Page 11: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 12: Indian Arrival 2005

10

The employer of the indentured laborer in Trinidad had to furnish each immigrant with either a house or a room in some building and a food allowance per month. Food allowance consisted of rice (45 lbs.), salt (l lb.), dal or split peas (9 lbs.), ghee or oil (.25 gal.), saltfish (8 lbs.), and onion and chillies (2 lbs.). Housing laws issued in Trinidad in 1872 required that all dwelling be properly drained, floored with wood, whitewashed annually, and of not more than one storey. Barracks were required to have a gallery of at least four feet wide running their whole length. In 1889 roofs were required to be of shingles or galvanized iron boarding, floors to be of wood or rammed earth, and walls of wood or concrete. Rooms were usually 10 feet square and 8 or 10 feet high for a couple with two children or three single men. Huts in village settlements which arose from the 1870s were commonly nearly twice as large as the barrack rooms. They were made of galvanized iron roofs but more often of mud and tapia (wattle and daub). Some were crudely constructed with a variety of materials made of bamboo and palm-leaves. Each barrack room and most of the huts were equipped with a simple piece of furniture, a large bedstead known as a charpai with a bottom made of rope or wicker (the khatoola of British Guiana), which served for seating by day and sleeping by night. In the 1890s much improved and more substantial wooden houses began to appear, usually built on pillars to protect them from flooding. Once the Hindu immigrants were settled, they began to construct temples next to which they planted jhandis (flags) fixed atop of bamboo poles. The temples were attached to a shed under which a congregation could have assembled. They installed wooden, stone and brass images of deities on the inner sanctum of the temple. Kingsley (1873: 363) describes the icons in the inside of a temple: “Sometimes the poor folk have

taken the trouble to bring them all the way from India on board ship. Hung beside them on the walls are little pictures, often very well executed in the miniature-like Hindoo style by native artists in the island. Large brass pots, which have some sacred meaning, stand about, and with them a curious trident-shaped stand, about four feet high, on the horns of which garlands of flowers are hung as offerings.” Kingsley notes that sculptures of deities were sometimes also carved by Indians in Trinidad. For each year of indentureship the immigrant worker was given clothes - males were given two trousers, a woolen cap, a woolen cloth jacket, a felt hat, two check shirts, and two blankets; women were issued two strong shifts, two strong petticoats, one wrapper, two handkerchiefs and two blankets (Weller 1968: 28). When not in the fields, Indian immigrant males wore their dhoti (loin cloth) and went about bare-chested. Kingsley (1873: 123) notes that “The dress of many of the men was nought but a scarf wrapped round the loins ... but the Hindu woman contrives to arrange it [a longer scarf] in a most graceful, as well as a perfectly modest covering, even for her feet and head.” The manner of male dress excited unfavorable comment from the newspaper letter-writers and editors who called on the government to pass legislation to “save the sensitive feelings of the gentler sex, especially from being so often hurt at beholding these barbarous and obnoxious spectacles.” Working men loaded the persons of their wives with an abundance of silver ornaments, sometimes one on each arm, sometimes six, or maybe ten armlets, ear rings, nose rings, and silver chains around their necks. Indian women wore as much jewelry as their husbands could have afforded, sometimes upwards of a score of gold or silver bangles for a start. Kingsley (1873: 121) observes that the indentured woman in Trinidad was “bedizened with jewels” even on work-days while she was hoeing in the canefield. She wore “heavy silver bangles” not only on her feet but also on her arms, ankles, neck and nostril. The press began to assert that by hoarding their wealth in this way, and generally saving money instead of spending it, the Indians were failing to contribute their fair share to the internal retail trade. Melting coins to make bangles was seen as a threat to the supply and circulation of money (Laurence 1994: 242).

Material culture of indentured Indians

in Trinidad

Page 13: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 14: Indian Arrival 2005

12

Artifact

Tarwaar [pen cutlass]

Tarwaar [pen cutlass].

Length 76 cm. (30 in); length of blade 61 cm. (24 in.); widest width of blade 11 cm. (6.5 in.).

Metal, wood.

This is a rare find in the surface recovery of agricultural tools used by early Indian laborers in Trinidad. Like a fork, the tarwaar was held with both hands by its handle to dig and cut well-defined shallow trenches in the soft soil where animals were kept.

Tarwaar[pen cutlass]

Page 15: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 16: Indian Arrival 2005

14

Artifact

Pooknee and tawa [bellows and griddle]

Pooknee and tawa [bellows and griddle].

Length of bellows 45.5 cm. (18 in.).Diameter of 34 cm. (13.5 in.).

Iron.

The bellows was blown with the mouth to emit a concentrated current of air into the fireside. It was made from a piece of sawed-off iron water pipe, the treading of which can still be seen at the end of the one on the right. It is still used today by women venders who roast corn on coal pots. The griddle was made from a flat plate of iron to which a handle was attached. The one in the collection was mended by means of welding.

Pooknee and tawa [bellows and griddle]

Page 17: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 18: Indian Arrival 2005

16

O(u)khri and musar [mortar and pestle].

Height of mortar 58 cm. (23 in.);Circumference of mouth 86 in. (34 in.).Length of pestle 116 cm. (46 in.)

Wood.

The mortar and pestle were each made from a single block of heavy wood and was never polished, painted or decorated. The mortar was made by hollowing the top part and giving shape to the rest of the outer body. The base was shaped like a skirt so that it would keep the entire vessel steady while pounding and mixing grains and seeds like dried, cocoa beans. The pestle was shaved narrow in the middle for a convenient hand grip and was rounded at both ends.

O(u)khri and musar[mortar and pestle]

Artifact

O(u)khri and musar [mortar and pestle]

Page 19: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 20: Indian Arrival 2005

18

Artifact

Chimta [cymbals]

Chimta [cymbals].

Length 35.5 cm. (12 in.).

Metal.

This is a pair of tongs to which are attached shaking platelets. The arms are made of metal, thin and flat. Short rods were passed through the plates to give them the freedom to produce a clashing or jingling sound. The chimta was used for rhythmic purposes in folk music and dance. It was popular in Punjab and neighboring states in India during the time of indentured emigration to Trinidad(Krisnaswami 1971: 102).

Chimta[cymbals]

Page 21: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 22: Indian Arrival 2005

20

Artifact

Janj [cymbals]

Janj [cymbals].

Diameter 25 cm. (9 in.).

Copper, wood.

Brass cymbals are still played by men today in the tassa ensemble, but this pair was made by heating and pounding two flat pieces of copper.

Janj[cymbals]

Page 23: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 24: Indian Arrival 2005

22

Artifact

Simthaa, Belna, Kalchool, Dabla, Daahl ghotnee

Simthaa [a pair of tongs].Length 40.5 cm. (16 in.). Metal.

Belna [rolling pin].Length of large one 45 cm. (17.7 in.). Wood. Kalchool [spoon].Length 35 cm. (13.7 in). Metal.

Dabla [pallet].Length of large one 55 cm. (21.5 in). Metal.

Daahl ghotnee [swizzle stick].Length 66 cm. (26 in.); base 14 cm. (5.5 in). Metal.

The pair of long tongs was normally used for picking up food items from direct fireside heat. It has become useless with the use of gas-fueled stoves. Its function is now accomplished by using the handle of a pot spoon or spatula to turn the side of the roti [Indian bake].

Rolling pins are still used but they are store-bought instead of home-made like these in the collection. The deep spoon, made by beating a heated metal, was used for lifting liquids from pots. Wooden pallets of different sizes were used to stir pots. They are used today by men to stir food in huge pots only during the preparation of meals for large gatherings. The swizzle stick was made with large serrated edges around its base. Its main function was to swizzle daahl [split peas].

Simthaa, Belna, Kalchool, Dabla, Daahl ghotnee

Page 25: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 26: Indian Arrival 2005

24

Artifact

Sarangi [Indian violin]

Sarangi [Indian violin]

Length 56 cm. (22 in.); height 14 cm. (5.5 in.).

Wood, parchment, cloth.

The sarangi was made by hollowing out a single block of wood and covering its pinched belly with parchment. Only 1 of the 3 gut strings is left. One can only assume that other strings were of varying thickness. A fourth brass string was used as a drone. A bridge fixed in the middle of the belly with a support under the parchment is missing or was perhaps never present. Only 3 of the 4 tuning pegs are intact. The sarangi also had between 35 to 40 sympathetic strings under the 4 main ones. These were fastened to small pegs on the right of the broad fingerboard. They were tuned chromatically according to the scale of the raga played and were made of brass and steel. The neck is slightly tapered. The instrument was usually played with a horsehair bow, but sometimes a plectrum was used. Neither was found at the site.

There is a floral design on the upper belly of the parchment and a patterned border around the skin. The pegbox and the resonator are polished and carved.

Sarangi[Indian violin]

Page 27: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 28: Indian Arrival 2005

26

Artifact

Dipper

Dipper.

Circumference 33 cm. (13 in.);Length 46 cm. (18 in.).

Calabash fruit, wood.

Water was dipped from wells and drums with this gourd made from a mature calabash fruit. An auger was used to drill two holes through which a stick was inserted. The wooden stick served as a handle.

Dipper

Page 29: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 30: Indian Arrival 2005

28

Artifact

Hasswa [sickle]

Hasswa[sickle]

Hasswa [sickle].

Length of handle: 11.5 cm. (4.5 in.); length of curved handle 30.5 cm. (12 in.).

Metal wood.

One side of the crescent-shaped blade is jagged and the other is blunt. The “grass knife” was used by both men and women to cut green grass for cows and goats.

Page 31: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 32: Indian Arrival 2005

30

Artifact

Jharoo [broom]

Jharoo [broom].

Length 38 cm. (15 in.).

Leaf ribs, bark strips.

The short length of this broom is an indication that it was made to sweep ashes, charcoal and wood scraps around an earthen fireside. It was made from the green ribs of coconut leaves and tied with the strips of a tree bark.

Jharoo[broom]

Page 33: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 34: Indian Arrival 2005

32

Artifact

Sup [scoop]

Sup [scoop].

Length 36 cm (14 in.);Right height 12 cm. (4.75 in.).

Aluminum.

This was used almost exclusively to winnow locally grown rice. It was made by cutting an empty cooking oil tin crosswise and folding the sharp edges over to protect the hands.

Sup[scoop]

Page 35: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 36: Indian Arrival 2005

34

Artifact

Goglet [goblet]

Goglet [goblet].

Height of left one 33 cm. (13 in.);height of other 43 cm. (17 in.).Circumference of left one 58.5 cm. (23 in.);Circumference of other 72.5 cm. (28.5 in.).

Ceramic.

These vessels may have been salvaged from a nearby sugar or rum factory. They were made from ceramic and then glazed with fine lines and an ochre color added to the top rim. The handles have been broken and are missing. They vessels were used to store and keep water cool.

Goglet[goblet]

Page 37: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 38: Indian Arrival 2005

36

Artifact

Pot and lid

Pot and lid.

Height of pot 24 cm. (9.5 in.).Diameter of cover 23 cm. (9 in.).

Aluminum

This aluminum pot was used to store milk or water. The handles of both the pot and lid were welded on the body. The flange of the lid and the rim of the pot are so neatly rounded that they may have been cut by a machine-driven blade.

Pot and lid

Page 39: Indian Arrival 2005

Website: www.cott.org.tt

Page 40: Indian Arrival 2005

38

Artifact

Sapat [sandals]

Sapat [sandals].

Length of left sandal 23 cm. (9 in.);width 10 cm. (4 in.).

Wood, rubber.

Ethnographic information indicates that most sapats were cut with curves on the side to match the soles of the feet. They were not decorated. This pair was made of cedar wood strapped with a strip of bicycle tyre. The strap was fastened to the sides by means of a nail. There were worn by both men and women at home.

Sapat[sandals]

Page 41: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 42: Indian Arrival 2005

40

Artifact

Esraj [stringed instrument]

Esraj [stringed instrument].

Length 81 cm. (32 in.).

Wood, metal.

This is an upright fretted bowed instrument with a small resonance box. There are metallic movable frets. This Bengal variety of the sarangi is made only of wire strings. The tuning is Sa Sa Pa Ma (C C G F), the Ma being the chief string.

It was a very popular instrument in Bengal, India, where it was played by both professionals and amateurs (Deva 1978: 169; Krishnaswami 1971: 58).

Esraj[stringed instrument]

Page 43: Indian Arrival 2005

From a beautiful lotus in the far eastA pollen grain has blown,

Traveling in the air,Soaring like wisps of clouds

So seemingly near.“O pollen grain,” asks the wind...

“How long is your journey...?You have traveled miles away from homeThough it seems, you are not yet there.”

“Vast is this world my friendI am leaving the Far East.A great mission I am on....

I ask of you, please help me in this feat.”“O pollen, how can such a small grain

Perform any great feat....?”

“O wind I ask of you...How can one so invisible support any feat?”

Smiling, “Come my brother,lets us go together....

May your sweet fragrance,Spread throughout the land

May your roots (philosophy)be embedded deep into the earth.”

Like the sun that shines its raysUpon the entire universe,

Denesh says; spread the story

of the pollen and the windMay the lotus forever bloom

upon this new land.

Dedicated to the 160th Anniversary of East Indian

Arrival to Trinidad and Tobago. 1845-2005.

By Dilip MaharajTeacherVishnu Boys’ Hindu College

Page 44: Indian Arrival 2005

42

Artifact

Veena [stringed instrument]

Veena[stringed

instrument]Veena [stringed instrument]

Length 130 cm. (51 in.);Diameter of bowl 30.5 cm. (12 in.).

Wood, gourd.

This veena was most likely brought from south India. The large bowl was hollowed out from a block of jackwood or blackwood and beautifully decorated with ivory carvings. In rare cases, the whole instrument was scooped out of a single log of wood and was highly valued for its quality of sound. The bridge was placed in the flat center of the belly.

There is another smaller gourd on the other side of the neck which formed a kind of support for the veena. It is decorated with floral designs and were also used to increase the volume of the sound. It was easily detachable. The 24 missing metallic frets, 1 for each semitone of 2 octaves, were fixed in a resinous substance between two parallel ledges. The tuning pegs were fixed on either side of the neck.

The strings of brass and silver were passed over the ivory bridge between the neck and the stem. The veena had 7 strings, 4 of which were the main strings which passed over the movable frets, and the other 3 were stretched at the side of the finger-board. The 3 side-strings were used for the drone and for rhythmic accompaniment. At one end of the stem is attached a “scroll,” which was carved in the form of a dragon’s head covered with gold leaves.

The player of the veena sat cross-legged on the floor and held it vertically in front of his/her body. The bowl of the veena rested on the ground and was supported by the right thigh.

Page 45: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 46: Indian Arrival 2005

44

Artifact

Boli [gourd vessel]

Boli[gourd vessel]

Boli [gourd vessel].

Circumference 61 cm. (24 in.), left,and 70 cm. (27.5 in.), right.

Calabash fruit, wood, wire.

None of these gourds has a cover or stopper, though one has a roll of wood for a handle. The vessel on the left has a hard smooth outer surface; the one on the right has lost its round shape and glossiness because of age. A boli was made by extracting the intestines of a mature fruit using a sharp pointed stick through a hole made on the top. Generally, they were used to carry water to the fields. The shell was then left to dry for a few days. A cracked gourd would have been discarded and not mended or painted/decorated with symbolic figures. If the pieces were hollow enough, they served as bowls to dip water and as eating untensils for man, animals and birds.

Page 47: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 48: Indian Arrival 2005

46

Artifact

Pot and cup

Pot and cup.

Height of pot 20.5 cm. (8 in.);Circumference at belly 66 cm. (26 in.).Height of cup 12 cm. (5 in.):Circumference 28 cm. (11 in.).

Brass and aluminum.

This is an unusual brass pot to be found in Trinidad; it is commonly used in India by women who carry it filled with water on their heads. Its lips are torn and the curve where the top rim narrows is cracked. The aluminum cup was used by Hindus of the high caste.

Potand cup

Page 49: Indian Arrival 2005

MUSIC – THE MELODY OF

MONEY

– by Ms. Allison Demas,CEO-COTT

Music is everywhere around us. It is so much a part of our lives that we often take it for granted. Music can be heard on the radio, television, via the Internet and telephones; at concerts, fetes, Carnival and other festivals; in bars, restaurants, hotels, shops, malls, offices; in airplanes, buses, taxis … and the list goes on and on.

With the widespread use of radio, television, compact disc players and the Internet, music is ubiquitous. One result is that the public performance has become the most important legal right for musical compositions, providing the largest single source of income for most composers, songwriters and music publishers.

Some business people are surprised to learn that using music in their place of business can be considered “public performance” of the music. The price of a Rikki Jai CD does not include the rights to use East Indian music for a television or radio commercial. Likewise, buying a CD does not include the right to use music for any business application whatsoever.

Radio stations pay licence fees for playing music on air. However, a merchant has to pay to play radio music in his or her store – this is a public performance, which is separate from a broadcast. Business owners must recognise that like other products, music is not free.

Composers and songwriters, like other suppliers in the market place, deserve to be paid for the use of their property. The copyright system enables the creators of music to control and be compensated for each use of his/her property through commercial licensing arrangements.

The Copyright Act recognises three main rights in the case of musical works: • The right to copy the music work (such as sheet music) • The right to reproduce and distribute the musical work, including mechanical rights (such as cassette and digital audio reproductions) and synchronisation rights (such as music in films, videos and multimedia productions). • Performing Rights which are the rights to broadcast the work, the right to communicate to the public (such as music on the internet) and the right to perform a work in public (such as a live concert or playing a radio or stereo in a shop or office).

Research indicates that music can help to set the style and tone of an establishment, as well as influence customer behaviour and improve turnover. Music has been clearly proven to increase the pace of shopping, predispose shoppers to buy; create willingness to stay longer at bars and restaurants and order more; reduce impatience while waiting for service. (The Effect on Perceived Atmosphere and Purchase Intentions in a Restaurant – report by Dr. Stephanie Wilson, June 2000). If you use music in your business or function, you need a performing rights licence.

Whether you play the radio, TV or CDs at your business premise, have live performances or music via an on –hold system on your telephone, you need permission from the copyright owners

COTT makes this simple. Rather than having to obtain permission from each copyright owner, locally and internationally, you can obtain a COTT licence to cover your business’ music needs. This licence can give you access to music from around the world for as little as $25 per week. Approximately 70 cents of every dollar collected by COTT is distributed as royalties to the creators and publishers of the musical works performed in T&T and around the world.

Page 50: Indian Arrival 2005

48

Artifact

Wooden shovel

Wooden shovel

Length 84 cm. (33 in.);width of scoop 27 cm.(10.5 in.)

Wood.

The shovel was used in the drying houses of the cocoa and coffee estates to scoop beans into a heap. Cocoa beans were “oiled” and “danced” on to add weight and to radiate a shine for better prices. The shovel was made from a single block of light wood. A metallic blade would have damaged the beans.

Woodenshovel

Page 51: Indian Arrival 2005

49

East Indians in the Caribbean: an Illustrated History

...provides a new and fascinating account of the arrival and settlement of this ethnic group in the Caribbean. This beautifully illustrated work is a general guide to East Indian history and culture for young Indo Caribbean readers and for all Caribbean peoples. This book gives reasons for emigration from India and describes life on the estates and in the early villages, the education of the East Indian the transition from immigrants to permanent residents. An overview of migration indentureship and settlement is given but the focus is on three former British territories - Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica.

Florence Pariag is a librarian at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Her ancestors came as immigrants from India to the Caribbean.

New Book Release

East Indians in the Caribbean: an Illustrated History

Page 52: Indian Arrival 2005

50

Artifact

Ektar(a)s [stringed instruments]

Ektar(a)s [stringed instruments].

Length 122 cm. (48 in.) and 91.5 cm. (36 in.).

Wood, gourd.

It is a very old simple instrument in India itself (Popley 1966: 115). It had only one metal string, without any frets, which was plucked with the forefinger.

Unlike the bamboo rod which was inserted into a pumpkin in India (Deva 1974: 134), a straight stick was driven through a hollow flat-sided gourd resonator in Trinidad. It was used mainly by beggars to give a twanging rhythm to accompany their songs in north India (Deva 1978: 150; Popey 1966: 115). It is believed that the ektar was the precursor of the modern veenas of north and south India (Krishnaswami 1971: 82).

Two ektars were recovered, the larger one had a peg attached to its distal end. A nail was fixed close to the carved end of the smaller instrument on which the single string was fastened. There is no evidence that a bridge was placed over the skin table. Why did immigrant laborers chose to bring this instrument of low status from India or recreate it in Trinidad? The answer supports documentary evidence that there were homeless people among the recruits.

Ektar(a)s[stringed

instruments]

Page 53: Indian Arrival 2005

51

New Book Release A Silent LifeAs a child growing up in a Guyanese country town, Aleyah Hassan dreams of dancing barefoot across the blank canvas of the sky, making her mark to save it from emptiness. But darker visions begin when she realizes that some mystery surrounds her beloved grandmother who, except for praying, spends her days in silence. When Aleyah finally prises a version of the secret from her mother, she learns that her grandmother once had a great deal to say, that Nani had been, as a younger woman, inspired by the call of revolutionary politics. Then, before Aleyah’s dreaming eyes, the tragedy of Nani and Aleyah’s late grandfather, Papa Nazeer, plays itself out to its horrifying conclusion.

As Aleyah grows up academically gifted and with a desire to change the world, her family is both proud and concerned, particularly by her and Nani’s mutual attraction. And when later, after winning a scholarship to England, Aleyah marries a charming fellow Guyanese, Nani is struck with terror that family history will repeat itself.

A Silent Life moves easily between the realistic and the poetic, combining strong social themes with a narrative that explores mythic patterns through elements of the otherworldly. Ryhaan Shah was born in Berbice, Guyana. She is currently active in Guyanese public life as the President of the Guyana Indian Heritage Association.

Cover painting by Bernadette PersaudFirst published in Great Britain in 2005Peepal Tree Press Ltd17 King’s Avenue, Leeds LS6 1QSEngland.

A Silent Life

Page 54: Indian Arrival 2005

52

Artifact

Goglet [goblet]

Goglet [goblet].

Height 33.5 cm. (13 in.).Circumference of belly 94 cm (37 in.).

Baked clay.

This globular kitchen water pot had to be lifted by its two handles because of its weight. The handles were made by attaching a roll of clay to the body. The fine circular lines and the dark shadow on the body are evidence that the vessel was wheel-thrown and fired. Its lid is missing. The unglazed pot was mostly used to store anchar (hot spicy pickles).

Goglet[goblet]

Page 55: Indian Arrival 2005

53

New Book Release V. S. Naipaul:A World in

TensionSIR Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul has been either praised to the skies or he1d up to public obloquy; he is considered as the greatest writer in the English language, or as a writer whose ideological and political attitudes are sometimes considered dubious — few writers have been as controversial as V S. Naipaul. The tensions that surround the man and his oeuvre are only echoed by the multiple strands that his writing has been taking over the past fifty years — multifarious and yet paradoxically more and more centred. V S. Naipaul not only writes fiction and non-fiction, he covers a wide spectrum of the literary practice, writing short stories and novels, essays and travel writing. A few academics among the specialists of V S. Naipaul’s work present us with papers on different aspects and periods of the writer’s oeuvre, from 1957 to 2002, as well as the richness and complexity of the writing. They make it easier to understand how generic boundaries are not what matters. The sense of form and creation is simply at work in every text. It is the same furrow that is being ploughed with different tools. The papers were originally presented at the conference “V S. Naipaul: a World in Tension” (Paul Valery University, November 2002)

V. S. Naipaul: A World in Tension

Centre d’etudes et de recherchessur les Pays du Commonwealth

V. S. NaipaulA World in TensionUne oeuvre sous tension

Texts collected by Judith Misrahi-BarakTextes reunis par Judith Misrahi-Barak

Coll. « Les Carnets du Cerpac » n° 1Universite Montpellier III

Page 56: Indian Arrival 2005

54

New Book Release A Dictionary of Common

Trinidad HindiAn important reference book for all libraries, schools and offices.

This illustrated dictionary contains more than 1200 Indic/Hindi items, which were in common usage in the plural society of Trinidad and Tobago at the time of collection. The items had entered the Trinidad Creole by the process of cultural diffusion.

This dictionary is a welcome addition to our linguistic heritage.It is a triumph. - Reynold Bassant, “Trinidad Guardian.” The dictionary is a useful educational tool. - Debbie Jacob, “Weekend Sun,” Trinidad. One of the remarkable things about this dictionary is that it has captured so much in so few pages … - Sasenarine Persaud, “Indo-Caribbean World,” Canada. Apart from giving the meaning of different Hindi words, the compilers have also included some illustrations. This is a very unique and special factor. - Dr Laxminarian Sharma, Visiting Associate Professor of Hindi (1990), University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

TT $30Order copies by communicating toChakra Publishing House (Caribbean)LP 52, Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road,San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.Tel (868) 674-6008, 675-7707. E-mail: [email protected]

A Dictionary of Common Trinidad Hindi

Page 57: Indian Arrival 2005

... too seldom do we try to read objects as we read books — to understand the people and times that created them, and used them, and discarded them. In part, this is because it is not easy to read history from things. They are illegible to those who know how to read only writing. They are mute to those who listen only for pronouncements from the past. But they do speak; they can be read.— Steven Lubar and W. David Kingery, History from Things: Essays from Material Culture (1993).

Page 58: Indian Arrival 2005

56

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts

India is a storehouse of art forms from paintings that flourished from earlier periods, to its sensitive tradition of crafts. Its living traditions are a testimony to numerous art styles. From paintings in caves, temples to even roofs and courtyards of homes, Indians have in the arts, sought a spiritual contentment. Some art forms are homage to Gods, and are laced with humility. Artists believed that since art served a specific purpose of addressing the divine, there was no need to add their signatures to the artworks.

Indian arts and handicrafts have, since time immemorial, captivated the imagination of people globally- Every state in India boasts of an exclusivity and speciality, depending upon its historical influences, traditional skills, and raw materials. India is world renowned for its dexterity in paintings, exquisite embroidery, beautiful sculptures in stone, metal, wood, temple carvings and elegantly designed jewellery.

Paintings appeared on pots found in the Indus Valley Civilization as early as the 3rd century B.C. The cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora date back from the 1st to the 5th century A.D. These include the wall paintings on the Brahadeeswara temple in Thanjavur from 1st century A.D. and the Kalamkari art forms in the Vidharba temple in Lepakshi, portray advanced techniques and refinement of creative styles.

IncredibleIndia

Page 59: Indian Arrival 2005
Page 60: Indian Arrival 2005