----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Allicock" <richwyn@idirect.com> To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 2:45 AM Subject: Re: East Indian Indenture Immigration W.I. /St. Vincent Presbyterian Church. <SNIP> > And yet boys will be boys, and it was much to chagrin of the missionaries, > when the young children and young adults started tagging along behid the > Hindus when they celebrated their Festivals. Very soon certain festivals > were banned, for being disruptive to the work schedule on the > Estates/Plantations, but one also suspects also for the exhibition of > Heathenism. <SNIP> From what I have read, the Hindu festivals were permitted in Trinidad, althought there were instances where the activities got out of control. I'll try to look up a specific example... <SNIP> > It is also not surprisising that it was the Canadian Presbyterians that led > the way. It was also this group of Prebyterians that did much to > Christianise and educate a significant number of East Indians to produce an > anglicised East Indian middle class in British Guiana. <SNIP> The Canadian Presbyterians were quite successful in Chritianising the East Indians in Trinidad as well. They set up schools etc., and it wasn't long before the most fervent evangelists in Trinidad were themselves Indians.

Both Naparima College and Naparima Girls High School were part of the presbyterian effort in Trinidad and to this day are some fo the best schools in the island. Rory -----Original Message----- From: Dean de Freitas [mailto:caribgw@bellsouth.net] Sent: 16 June 2003 14:07 To: CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: East Indian Indenture Immigration W.I. /St. Vincent Presbyterian Church. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Allicock" <richwyn@idirect.com> To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 2:45 AM Subject: Re: East Indian Indenture Immigration W.I. /St. Vincent Presbyterian Church. <SNIP> > And yet boys will be boys, and it was much to chagrin of the missionaries, > when the young children and young adults started tagging along behid the > Hindus when they celebrated their Festivals. Very soon certain festivals > were banned, for being disruptive to the work schedule on the > Estates/Plantations, but one also suspects also for the exhibition of > Heathenism. <SNIP> From what I have read, the Hindu festivals were permitted in Trinidad, althought there were instances where the activities got out of control. I'll try to look up a specific example... <SNIP> > It is also not surprisising that it was the Canadian Presbyterians that led > the way. It was also this group of Prebyterians that did much to > Christianise and educate a significant number of East Indians to produce an > anglicised East Indian middle class in British Guiana. <SNIP> The Canadian Presbyterians were quite successful in Chritianising the East Indians in Trinidad as well. They set up schools etc., and it wasn't long before the most fervent evangelists in Trinidad were themselves Indians. ==== CARIBBEAN Mailing List ==== Before posting a query, check to see if the question has already been asked on the List. All messages posted to CARIBBEAN-L are archived by date or thread at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/CARIBBEAN. You can search the archives at http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=CARIBBEAN.

I just finished watching this show on BBC4 in the UK .... it was quite good and the first time I have seen a documentary about this outside of Trinidad. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/coolies.shtml COOLIES: THE STORY OF INDIAN SLAVERY Monday 16 June 2003 9pm-10pm; rpt 1am-2am The slave trade was officially abolished throughout the British Empire in 1807. This documentary reveals one of Britain's darkest secrets: a form of slavery that continued well into the 20th century - the story of Indian indentured labour. Coolies: How Britain Re-Invented Slavery reveals the astonishing and controversial story of the systematic recruitment and migration of over a million Indians to all corners of the Empire. It is a chapter in colonial history that implicates figures at the very highest level of the British establishment and has defined the demographic shape of the modern world. Combining archive footage and historical evidence the programme includes interviews with Gandhi's great grandaughter, Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie, about Gandhi's campaign to end indentured labour and David Dabydeen - author and academic - whose great grandfather was an indentured labourer in British Guyana. Coolies: How Britain Re-invented Slavery traces family stories through epic voyages across South America, the South Pacific and Africa, as descendants investigate their past and trace the last surviving witnesses.

Dean wrote: (16/06/03) "From what I have read, the Hindu festivals were permitted in Trinidad, althought there were instances where the activities got out of control. I'll try to look up a specific example." Hi Dean, Thanks for confirming the role of the Presbyterians in Trinidad. In relation to the above, the same was the case in Biritsh Guiana. As you can imagine, such festivals and their outcome did involve the "disturbance of the peace" as it occasioned much use of alcohol and Bhang or Ganja. A good excuse to bann or limit them. One thing that was banned was the use of the Tadja Drum for obvious reasons. This is a huge drum that makes a booming noise. If there was something to disturb the peace of the country-side, that drumming was one. African drumming had long been banned for its communicative and conspiracy potential, so the banning of this and that cultural activities or their limitation was nothing new. You know the old joke about the Golden Rule? "He who has the gold makes the rules". Looking forward to your examples in the case of Trinidad and from others in relation to the other Islands. Thanks. Richard ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dean de Freitas" <caribgw@bellsouth.net> To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 6:06 AM Subject: Re: East Indian Indenture Immigration W.I. /St. Vincent Presbyterian Church. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Richard Allicock" <richwyn@idirect.com> > To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 2:45 AM > Subject: Re: East Indian Indenture Immigration W.I. /St. Vincent > Presbyterian Church. > > > <SNIP> > > And yet boys will be boys, and it was much to chagrin of the missionaries, > > when the young children and young adults started tagging along behid the > > Hindus when they celebrated their Festivals. Very soon certain festivals > > were banned, for being disruptive to the work schedule on the > > Estates/Plantations, but one also suspects also for the exhibition of > > Heathenism. > <SNIP> > > From what I have read, the Hindu festivals were permitted in Trinidad, > althought there were instances where the activities got out of control. > I'll try to look up a specific example... > > <SNIP> > > It is also not surprisising that it was the Canadian Presbyterians that > led > > the way. It was also this group of Prebyterians that did much to > > Christianise and educate a significant number of East Indians to produce > an > > anglicised East Indian middle class in British Guiana. > <SNIP> > > The Canadian Presbyterians were quite successful in Chritianising the East > Indians in Trinidad as well. They set up schools etc., and it wasn't long > before the most fervent evangelists in Trinidad were themselves Indians. > > > > ==== CARIBBEAN Mailing List ==== > Before posting a query, check to see if the question has already been asked on the List. All messages posted to CARIBBEAN-L are archived by date or thread at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/CARIBBEAN. You can search the archives at http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=CARIBBEAN. > >