Pioneers of Indian Arrival Day Commemorations in the Caribbean

Pioneers of Indian Arrival Day Commemorations in the Caribbean

Indian Arrival (Immigration) Day is commemorated on various dates in the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius and South Africa to mark the arrival of Indians to their respective destinations as indentured labourers, brought by European colonial authorities and their agents.

It is observed in Grenada on May 1^st as Indian Arrival Day in remembrance of the day, in 1857, when 375 of an eventual 3,200 indentured Indians first arrived; in Guyana on May 5^th as Indian Arrival Day, commemorating the first Indians who landed in 1838. In all, a total of 238,909 immigrants arrived; in Saint Lucia on May 6^th as Indian Arrival Day marking the day in 1858 that 362 immigrants of a total of 4,350 arrived; in Jamaica on May 10^th as Indian Heritage Day for the day in 1845 when 258 immigrants of a total of 36,412 first landed; and in Fiji on May 14th as Girmit Remembrance Day for the indentureds who started to arrive in 1879. On that day, 463 of a total of 60,965 arrived.

The historic day is commemorated in Trinidad and Tobago on May 30^th as Indian Arrival Day for the day that the first 227 immigrants of an eventual 143,939 arrived in 1845; in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on June 1^st as Indian Arrival Day to celebrate the arrival of the first 259 immigrants of a total 2,472; in Suriname on June 5^th as Indian Arrival Day for the first arrivals in 1873 – 399 people out of a total 34,304; in Mauritius on November 2^th as Indian Arrival Day for those who first arrived in 1834, eventually totalling 453,063 persons; and in South Africa on November 16^th  as Indian Arrival Day to honour the group of 342 of 152,184 immigrants who first arrived in Durban in 1860.

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Indian Arrival Day observances in most countries take the form of prayers, speeches, songs, music, dances and plays in communal as well as public spaces. The spirit of the day is invoked at various beaches with the re-enactment of the landing of the first boatload of pioneers. At libraries, books and other reading materials are put on display. Schools engage children in art and research competitions and in the reconstruction of their respective family trees. Citizens are encouraged to collect and display old photographs and artifacts relevant to the history of Indians in the Diaspora. Participants recommit themselves to traditional values and celebrate their contributions to the multi-ethnic society.

Please join us THIS SUNDAY for a joint ICC & AGI ZOOM Public Meeting, May 29, 2022 at (1.00 p.m. Belize), (3.00 p.m. New York/Eastern time), (3.00 p.m. Trinidad/Atlantic time), (3.00 p.m. Guyana), (4.00 p.m. Suriname), (8.00 p.m. England), (9.00 p.m. South Africa), (Mon 12.10 a.m. India, ND), (Mon 7.00 a.m. Fiji).

TOPIC:

Pioneers of Indian Arrival Day Commemorations in the Caribbean

SPEAKERS:

Ramdath Jagessar (Canada/Trinidad) – Former journalist. Founder of Indian Revival and Reform Association that revived Indian Emigration Day, and renamed it Indian Arrival Day in 1979.

Salaudeen Nausrudeen (USA/Guyana) – CEO of Positive Plans, a marketing and advertising agency in Guyana and Florida. Commerically and culturally active in Guyana and its diaspora.

Dr. Radjen Baldew (Suriname) – Medical doctor, entrepreneur and culturalist activist (sewak). Promoter of the Sarnami Hindi in Suriname, only place it’s spoken daily in the Western World.

Shadel Nyack Compton (Grenada) – Attorney, President of the Indo-Grenadian Heritage Foundation, First Honorary Consul of India to Grenada, & Managing Director of Belmont Estate.

Keith Compton (St. Lucia) – Founder and President of the Indian Heritage Association of St Lucia. Organiser of public events featuring speeches, Indian songs, music, dance and food.

Lenroy Thomas (St. Vincent) – Co-Founder of the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation. Researched indenturship records at the National Archives in UK. Author of Stories from our Indian Elders.

Followed by Q&A

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