Indo-Caribbean Women Experience of Indenture - Essay Example

The Indo-Caribbean Women's Experience of Indenture THE INDO-CARIBBEAN WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF INDENTURE Titus Rock Manickam Order No. 293141 23 April 2009 Table of Contents Introduction.3 Transformation of gender relations.4 Multiple forms of patriarchy, gendered violence and resistance.6 Conclusion..10 Sources11 THE INDO-CARIBBEAN WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF INDENTURE Introduction The subservient behavior of Indian women in the Caribbean is the cultural outcome of a male dominated society since ancient times. We are talking about Indian women post 1838 when the first group of indentured Indians landed on the Caribbean shores to work on the sugar plantations of the British colonists. Driven as it is by caste and class segments, the Indian society has put women in a position where she is at the mercy of the male members, be it social events, family, a group or the formal office. Thus, when the Indian woman was taken abroad she found herself facing similar situation albeit on foreign environment. The few who dared to revolt or oppose inevitably faced the consequences of their actions. They were ridiculed, humiliated, subjected to the whims of their British masters, at times sexually exploited, and put back in their places for it was not a criminal act in the eyes of the law for the British nationals to exploit their workers. Society then was not as liberal as it is today. It was considered all right by the authorities to kill people at the slightest provocation. Indian women were killed and there was not much enquiry into the incident if it was felt that she had died as the result of her husband's suspicion about her character. Between 1838 and 1917 during the indenture period, Indians lived in poor sanitary conditions. They had to do everything as expected of them. Indian women were not allowed maternity benefits during pregnancy. Women worked carrying their babies in the field until they could leave their babies home under the care of an older child (Janet A. Naidu). The position of the Indian woman in the Caribbean has perceptibly changed now. But the change can hardly be expected to be on the lines of a person living in a free country. It is over ninety years now since the indenture discontinued in 1917. However, social and cultural knots continue to fetter the Indian woman living in the Caribbean. There were few Brahmins in the Caribbean during the indenture period. They were sought for on religious and auspicious occasions. Indians mostly comprised the agricultural caste or low caste. Since the number of Indian women was few, it became difficult for the Brahmins to seek girls from higher castes making them vulnerable to marry girls from the lower echelons. Transformation of gender relations The Indian women living in the Caribbean can now thank their stars that they did not see the persecutions of their counterparts early in the 20th century or during the greater period of the 19th century. I deliberately use the term 'persecution' because that is what she must have felt in an alien land. The male female ratio did not cross the halfway mark in favor of the male since the time the first Indian landed in the Caribbean. The best that happened was 50 females for every 100 males at that time. This was in 1860. The figure slipped back to 41 females for every 100 males in 1890. The Indian male fared no better with his British master because the working and attitudinal conditions forced on them by the colonizers were slavery and demeaning. The Indians came to work on a 5-year contract as 'indentured laborers'. Up to 1862, they were provided with free travel back home after the completion of the 5-year period. From 1862, they had to pay their own way to the Caribbean or else work 10-years to get a free trip back home (Janet A. Naidu). The Indians contributed significantly to the economy of the Caribbean. Their population although as minority was quite significant. However, they did not enjoy commensurate representation in politics or the government. Thus, the men folk suffered almost as much as the women did early on. In the circumstances, it was quite natural that the gender divide turn narrower than what it was in the home country. Ultimately, when the indenture labor contracts came to an end, the bonds between men and women remained strong. Nonetheless, the women continued to suffer more because of their low figures population-wise as compared to their male counterpart (Janet A. Naidu). Internally, the caste system did not prevail in the new environment of the Caribbean simply because the British colonizers did not care for it. In the tough working conditions, there were few options to observe the social and religious ceremonies and cultural observations necessitated in the turning fortunes of the different castes. As workers and home makers, women invariably awoke from their hereditary roles as mute slaves and retaliated. They had few options. But they did rise! They took part in political and social movements. They struggled for education. In fact, there were very few girls who enrolled for education for women until the 1950s to keep them from being exposed to Christianization. The abysmal condition of the Indian women could be gauged from that of her African counterpart who had easier access to institutions like the Young Women's Christian Association. Most Africans were Christians and they enjoyed better treatment from their British masters. Having been animists, the British found it easy to convert the Africans to Christianity. They found it difficult to routinely convert a Hindu woman who already had a religion and form of worship. The Hindus had strong ties with their gods and goddesses and it was not so easy to convince a Hindu who felt that his or her religion was at least equal to any other religion in the world. The formation of organizations such as the Hindu Society and British Guyana East Indian Association resulted in education for the girl child in the 1920s. Now many women have made their way offshore to Canada, England and the United States. Thus, even now one may find it difficult to see Indian women make their mark academically or politically in the Caribbean. They find more liberty in Canada, England and the United States to express their academic talents. Multiple forms of patriarchy, gendered violence and resistance The scarcity of women in the Caribbean situation made life doubly miserable for the Indian men. Added to this was the high-handed British overseer who was all-powerful and had the empire behind him to make the men and women under him work according to his dictates. What made the men vulnerable Even in the best times, that is, in the 1860s when the population of woman read 50 females to every 100 males, there was one woman for every two men. Men, who had families, came home tired and drunk after working in servile conditions. The women had to put up with the vicissitudes of working hours and returning home, they had to look after the house work and children. Indian men drank and came home to beat their wives and children. The social order was beset with families disproportionately male oriented and men powerless to emote at work places resorting to bestial tactics in the home place. Most of the time, the men lived cursing their lot and destiny. They were resigned to fate. They worked in the sugar plantations during the day without giving any thought for the morrow. The married men returned to their families after work. They drank rum after which they made the lives of their women even worse in the nights (Janet A. Naidu). It was left to the ever suffering woman to roll with the blows and simultaneously look for chances to bring about changes for the better. In the circumstances, there were two categories of women who reacted differently to the trying situations. There were the usually acquiescent women who bided their times till the end. Then there were those who reacted in different ways. Among those who reacted there were those who hit back and suffered the consequences. And the others hit back without resorting to physical tit-for-tat. They hit back by becoming more independent and active. They worked more. They undertook business ventures. They generated more income. And they played active roles in social and religious matters. The Indian women were backward educationally. Very few of them received education even in the early years of the 1900s. Traditionally, women were more inclined to participate in cultural ceremonies and festivals that had their moorings in the Hindu religion. In these, they went as far as the customs allowed them to go. They did not allow their backwardness or their dismal family conditions to deter them from performing their roles in the cultural programs. Educationally, the Indian women became involved only after the 1950s. It did not matter much if you were educated in the Caribbean. Few women ventured beyond the Caribbean borders and made a name in the more affluent Canada, England and the United States. In spite of the repressive conditions they lived in, Indian women had the knack to understand the nitty-gritty elements of business and sustenance. They learnt whatever they could through determination and application. They made inroads in the general economy. They survived harsh conditions. And they passed away without gaining any recognition for their efforts. However, they left behind a legacy for their children (Professor Rhoda Reddock). The women participated in the communal 'jhandis' (flags), the pujas, bhajans, and other cultural and religious activities. Their aim and goal in life was to secure more blessings for their families. The Hindu caste system failed to play any role in dividing the community. Thus, women from different castes had better chance of working together in cultural and religious festivals. Neither did they make any effort to visit temples. There were about 50 temples in Guyana in the 19th century. The women preferred to attend to the jhandis tied to bamboo poles in their vicinity. The perfunctory but smug alliance of these women with their religion kept them at a distance from their British overseers. It, however, brought them closer to other Indian men. The Indian women participated in protests against unfair treatment during the indenture. They even got themselves killed for it. This burning spirit for freedom and fair treatment, however, did not yield much result. Such protests were fissiparous although they left their imprints locally. The period of indenture was witness to many such incidents. Poor working conditions combined with poor sanitation in the dwelling places could only just about keep tempers in check. There were protests and resentments whenever the situations got out of hand. The Indian population was largely at the receiving end. The retribution was normally swift and brutal. The Indians were largely successful in sticking close to their religion. The efforts of Christianizing the Hindus had little impact except that it served to make the Indians more westernized (Anil J. Misir). By and large, the Indians were peace loving people. They had grown in numbers during the indenture. However, they did not use the numbers to create insurgencies. Their gathering was restricted to cultural and religious occasions. The political activities of the Indian women were not widespread or successful. However, their cultural and religious activities yielded results. The community was one when it came to culture and religion. It became less caste-ridden and was more homogenous. Socially, the Indians interacted with the Africans and the British. But they were loyal to their religion and there were few conversions to Christianity compared to the Africans who were almost totally Christians. Conclusion The transportation of Indian men and women to the Caribbean in large numbers from 1838 onwards without appropriate training provides the background of the management and the workers of the time. It was especially hard on the women to be removed far from home and then made to work in difficult conditions in a strange place. It is the sweat and blood of these women that makes the story inspiring and exemplary. They lived their own little lives in their own little ways. At times they struggled and revolted. But by and large, they put in their best efforts to produce the best out of the most difficult conditions. They did so in the belief that the days ahead would be better for their children. Their children today live in better conditions. However, that is another story. Sources: Anil J. Misir, The Attenuation of the Caste System among Hindus in the Caribbean, http://www.indocaribbeanheritage.com/content/view/24/45/ Hilary Beckles, Verene Shepherd, Book Review by Dennis R. Hidalgo, Caribbean Freedom: Economy and Society from Emancipation to the Present, http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.phpid=1323 Janet A. Naidu, Indian Women of Guyana, http://mittelholzer.org/forum/archive/index.phpt-511.html Professor Rhoda Reddock, http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Biography/RhodaReddockbio2.htm Reshma Budhu, Ramabai Espinet, 09 December 1997, http://section15.ca/features/people/1997/12/09/ramabai_espinet/ Read More