Imij Ink

The People Who Came 

By Stan Bishop

Saint Lucia’s East Indian community has undoubtedly made a sterling contribution to our nation’s development. At times it seems that the recognition they deserve is not forthcoming. Their endless struggles, especially in the agricultural sectors over the past century and a half, need not go unnoticed. But just how did the East Indian experience begin in Saint Lucia?

According to an account published by Richard B. Cheddie and James Rambally, 318 East Indian indentured labourers arrived in Castries, Saint Lucia aboard the ship, “Palmyra”, on May 6, 1859. There were 240 male adults, 58 female adults, 2 male minors, 11 female minors, and 5 children (2 unaccounted for).

The “Palmyra” was the first of thirteen ships that brought 4,354 Indians to Saint Lucia. These Indian labourers were assigned to over 23 different estates and domiciles across the island to work in the sugarcane industry that was Saint Lucia’s principal economic crop at the time. They all received wages according to the type of and number of tasks they performed and were also afforded certain basic human rights.

At the end of their initial contracts, some re-indentured while others did not. During the latter years of indentureship, free Indians could accept a parcel of land if they chose to remain in the colony, or apply for free passage back to India. It was these factors that set them apart from being slaves, although the work and the punishments were no less harsh. By the time indentureship ended in Saint Lucia, 2,560 Indians had returned to India, while the remainder of them stayed behind to help build their homes.

The twelve other ships that brought East Indians to Saint Lucia were: “Francis Ridley” (1859), “Victor Emmanuel” (1860), “Zemindar” (1860), “Ulysses” (1862), “Leonidas” (1878), “Chetah” (1879), “Foyle” (1880), “Bann” (1881), “Bracadaile” (1884), “Poonah” (1885), “SS Roumania” (1891), and “Volga” (1893).

Today, the East Indian population in Saint Lucia is estimated to be between 8% and 10%, many of whom include people of mixed races. According to attorney Clarence Rambally, the new movement in no way attempts to create division among the various ethnic groups in Saint Lucia. Instead, he says, it aims to focus on how East Indians have been able to integrate themselves into Saint Lucian society to the extent that racial discrimination is almost non-existent.

“This is a Saint Lucian thing, not just an Indian thing,” Rambally said. “Nevertheless, we’re noticing that the East Indian values are sort of dying out. For example, our foods, our dances and the things we do that are different and unique to us are dying out. This whole idea is to make the point that when our history is read down the line, we want to be seen as a people who embraced their culture while at the same time embraced the other values and peoples that reflect our national identity.”