Monday, May 31, 2010

Indian Arrival Day

Today saw yet another Public Holiday in this twin island Republic! So for those interested, here's a little run down on this holiday.

Indian Arrival Day

Indian Arrival Day, celebrated on 31st May, commemorates the arrival of the first Indian Indentured labourers from India to Trinidad, in May1845, on the ship Fatel Razack. While this momentous event has been celebrated among the Est Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago for many years, it was only in 1994 that it was made an official public holiday. It was called Arrival Day. In 1995 it was re-named Indian Arrival Day.

Indian Immigration to Trinidad spanned the period 1845-1917. During this period over 140,000 Indians were transported to the island. The journey was long and arduous and living conditions were deplorable. The Indians were subjected to abuse, poor food, and dangerous weather conditions. Nevertheless these adverse conditions enabled them to form a bond which overcame their differences of language, caste and regionalism.

After disembarking at Nelson Island, the arrivals were fed and rested for a couple weeks and then sent to the various estates that had requested them previously.

When the Fatel Razack sailed into the Gulf of Paria in 1845, it brought not only a new labour force, but also a new culture, because the Indians brought with them their food, dress, language, music, dance, religion and customs.

Music

MUSIC AND DANCE

Music was and still is, a fundamental part of the various Indian festivals. Consequently, the Indians brought their musical instruments with them when they migrated to Trinidad. A number of these musical instruments were previously unknown in the West Indies. These include the tassa, tabla, dholak, majeera, bansoori, sitar and harmonium.

The most popular musical instruments were the drums, of which there were several types. There was the dholak, which provided the rhythm for most of the folk songs. It is a cylindrical, double-headed drum which is beaten on both sides. The larger side provides the bass and the smaller side the tenor. There was also the tassa drum which is made of clay covered with goat's skin. It is beaten with a pair of sticks. Usually several tassa drums are played together by a group of people. The tassa drums are used at weddings, Gathka dancing and Hosay celebrations.

The tabla, which was introduced into India by the Muslims of Persia was another type of drum which was an essential accompaniment to most musical performances. It consists of a pair of drums - one large and one medium sized - which is played with both hands on one end.

The Nagara drums have a leather face and a clay base. Like the tassa, they are beaten with a pair of sticks, and are played in Ahir dancing and at Biraha singing. In addition there was the bansoori, which is a bamboo flute with seven holes, and the harmonium, which resembles an organ, and has bellows which pump wind into the reed compartment.

There are also the jhal, majeera and sitar. The former consists of a pair of cymbals held in the hand and struck against each other. The majeera, which forms part of the rhythm section of an Indian orchestra, is made up of two brass cups held together by a string. These cups are struck against each other. The sitar is an adaptation of the vina, with the sound board nesting on a gourd similar to a pumpkin. The face of the sitar is made of hand-worked teak over which there are seven upper strings and eleven to twelve lower strings which vibarate in resonance to the notes plucked on the upper principal strings.

In addition to the musical instruments they brought with them, the Indians fashioned a new instrument - the Dhantal - from their environment on the sugar estates. The dhantal was a long steel rod which was adapted from the prong used to connect the yokes of the bullocks that transported the cane-filled carts on the estates. The metal horse shoe used on the estate horses and mules was used to strike the dhantal. In this way the dhantal became a new instrument for providing rhythm.

Along with the music are various types of songs such as the hori, birhas, and ghazal for different occasions. There are also the various types of dances, which range from classical Indian dance to chutney.

Customs and Festivals

The Indians brought to Trinidad a wide range of festivals and religious observances. For the Indians - both Hindus and Muslims - these celebrations were important. They allowed the immigrants to hold on to the values and principles which had sustained them for centuries. They also served to make the harsh daily life more bearable. Events such as Divali, Eid-ul-Fitr, Phagwa and Hoosay have over the years become part of the cultural fabric of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Indians who came to the Caribbean initially came from various regions in Indian, each with its own language and customs. However, by the late 19th century there was less diversity in language as the majority of immigrants originated from Uttar Pradesh. The inhabitants of this region spoke Bhojpuri, a Hindi dialect, which became the shared and unifying language for Indians in Trinidad.

The indentured labourers brought not only their religion, food and clothing, but also the names of the places from which they came. They gave to the places they settled in Trinidad, the place names with which they were familiar. Hence the reason for village names such as Fyzabad, Barrackpore, Chandernagore, and many others.

Family and community were very important to the immigrants.They brought the panchayat system which was a way of dealing with with inter-communal conflicts and family problems. They also continued their naming convention of family members. Below is a sample list of Hindu and Muslim names and their meanings.

Hindu Names

Hindu Names

Muslim Names

Muslim Names

Girls

Boys

Girls

Boys

Aruna - Dawn
Chandra - Moon
Indira - Lakshmi
Indrani - Wife of Indra
Lalita - Variety, Beauty
Madhuri - Sweet Girl
Mohini - Most beautiful, Bewitching
Prema - Love
Shanti - Peace

Avinash - Endless, Boundless
Hemaraj - King of Gold
Manoj - Born of Mind
Mohan - Charming, Fascinating
Prakash - Light
Rajesh - God of Kings
Saurav - Divine, Celestial
Sundar - Beautiful
Vijay - Victory

Alia, Aalia - Exalted
Aneesa - Friendly
Fareeda - Unique
Fatima - Name of the Prophet Muhammad's Daughter
Kaamla - Perfect
Nadia - The Beginning, First
Nadira - Rare, Precious
Rasheeda - Wise, Mature
Saleema - Safe, Healthy
Yasmeen - Jasmine
Zahraa - White

Ali - Excellent
Hamza - Lion
Hassan - Beautiful
Jamal - Beauty
Kareem - Generous, Noble
Khalid - Eternal



One ancient practice which has recently become a western phenomenon is the Mehndi (or Henna) which is the ancient art of body tattooing. Mehndi powder is made out of dried leaves from a shrub. Traditionally, mehndi is used to decorate the hands and feet of a new bride

Fashion

The East Indians introduced new fashions and clothing such as the sari, choli, kurtah, orhni, salwar kameez, garara, dupatta, gangri, pagri, and dhoti. Jewellery included the nakphul, bera, churia, and baju band, to name a few.

The sari is an unstitched length of fabric up to 9 yds in length and 18 to 60 in width with a decorated end panel draped in a wide variety of styles. It is perhaps the item of clothing most familiar to westerners, and is part of ancient tradition culture. According to legend, when the beautiful Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, was lost to the enemy clan in a gambling duel, the Lord Krishna promised to protect her virtue. The evil victors, intent on claiming their prize, caught one end of the sheer material that covered her so demurely yet seductively. They continued to pull and unravel, but they could not reach the end. In this ancient epic virtue triumphed once more.

The Shalwar/Kameez (Salwar Kameez) is a knee-length dress worn over tight fitting trousers and dupatta. This is the second most popular dress in most parts of Indian and was brought to the West Indies by the Indian immigrants. The dupatta is a long veil.

The gangri is a long, full skirt reaching down to the ankles. The choli is a short blouse worn with the sari, and the orhni is a veil which covers the upper part of the body. The kurtah is a long loose shirt, and the dhoti is a cotton loin cloth. Both garments are worn by men. The kurtah is also worn by women in combination with the garara.

Food

The indentured labourers who came to Trinidad brought with them their own East Indian cuisine, complete with traditional seasonings and ways of cooking. Most important of their spices were the curries. Foods such as roti, doubles, saheena, katchowrie, barah, anchar and pholourie have become part of the national cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago.



East Indian Foods

Types of Roti

Sweets

Fruits and Vegetables

Curried channa and roti

Sada

Dosti

Paratha (Buss-up-shut)

Dhalpourie

Aloopourie

East Indian sweets

Khurma

Peera

Ladoo

Goolab Jamoon

Jellaby

Goolgoolah (Ripe fig)

Sawine

Shadon Beni

Baigan - Egg plant

Aloo - Potato

Damadol - Tomato

Dhal - Split Peas

Nariel - Coconut

Bhaat - Cooked Rice

Tarkaree - Cooked Vegetables

Ghee - Clarified Butter

Bandhaniya - Shadon Beni

Carili - Bitter Gourd



Cooking Utensils

In addition to the their cusine, the East Indians also have special cooking utensils. Below is a list of these utensils and their description.

Utensils Description Utensils Description

Tawa

Belna

Chauki

Dabila

Puchara

Chulah

Pukni

Chimta

Karahi

Baking stone

Rolling pin

Paste board

Flat wooden spoon

Cotton brush for oil

Fireside

Long hollow pipe

Tongs

Cauldron (big pot)

Sup

Saphee

Dhall-ghotni

Okhri

Musar

Sil

Lorha

Jharu

Strainer

Kitchen towel

Swizzle stick

Mortar

Pestle

Grindstone (used with Lorha)

Hand-held stone grinder

Cocoyea broom

East Indian Cooking Utensils

Utensils Description Utensils Description

Tawa

Belna

Chauki

Dabila

Puchara

Chulah

Pukni

Chimta

Karahi

Baking stone

Rolling pin

Paste board

Flat wooden spoon

Cotton brush for oil

Fireside

Long hollow pipe

Tongs

Cauldron (big pot)

Sup

Saphee

Dhall-ghotni

Okhri

Musar

Sil

Lorha

Jharu

Strainer

Kitchen towel

Swizzle stick

Mortar

Pestle

Grindstone (used with Lorha)

Hand-held stone grinder

Cocoyea broom



The Fatel Razack brought not only a new labour force to assist in the economic development of Trinidad, but also a new people with a new culture. On 31st May each year, Indian Arrival Day commemorates this momentous occasion. The event is celebrated by staging a re-enactment of the arrival of the Fatel Razack at various beaches, as well as with music and dance ceremonies. Outstanding members of the community are also honoured for their contributions to society.

Source:


NCIC. Conference on "Challenge and Change: the Indian Diaspora in its Historical and Contemporary Contexts" Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indian Indentured Labourers in Trinidad. August 11-18, 1995.
NALIS

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Divine Justice!

We went to the doctor yesterday morning as planned,
My husband will have to have some more tests but what I was afraid of, was not the cause of the problem so that's an enmormous relief.
But divine justice stepped in!!
The appointment as you know, was not for me but something happened to me yesterday morning which I shared with the doctor. This has resulted in me having to have some tests - the doctor wanted me to have them done instantly - emergency appointment at the hospital. I declined thank you. I agreed to the middle of next week.
That's what happens when you insist that your other half goes to the doctor!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Grow Dope!

I am not happy with my husband. He is very unwell and has refused to see a doctor - until this morning that is when our daughter and I frightened him into making the appointment.

So now I'm going to go home, check him out and take up gardening.




Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Our House Exam Time Again



My daughter just called me having come out of the first, second year law exam.

Me: "How was it?".
Daughter: "A man just stopped me and asked me if he could photograph
my feet".
Me: "What?"
Daughter: "A man just stopped me - what a freak!".
Me: "Well that's a new pick-up line. How was it?"
Daughter: "No Mummy he was serious. He then wants to sculpt them.
Freaky, very freaky".
Me: "Could have a foot fetish". HOW was it?"
Daughter: "Freaky".
Me: "The exam?"
Daughter: "No the man".
Me: "So how was the exam".
Daughter: "Don't want to talk about it. What a freak
Me: "HOW WAS THE EXAM?"
Daughter: "I told you I don't want to talk about it".
Me: "Well I want to know how it went"
Daughter: "I just told you......."
Me: "Was it doable?" Totally exasperated!
Daughter: "Yes it was doable but I don't want to talk............"
Me: "Young lady.............."
Daughter: "Have to concentrate on the ones coming up not the one I just did".
Me: "You could just tell me......."
Daughter: "I don't want to talk about it. Have to go. See you later. Love you".

Don't you just hate it when that happens
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...