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MAY 2017 FREE DISTRIBUTION

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Tying up loose ends...

Indian Repatriation Fund Monies Expropriated

Origin of indentureship

Page 2

Will justice ever be done?

Page 4

Page 3

2 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 2017

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

M

A European indentured ‘indented’ contract. The jagged indented top indicates this is the bottom half of the indenture contract

ost of us know that ‘Arrival Day’ is about the ‘arrival’ of ‘indentured servants’ to labour on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery first the Portuguese (1935), West Indian Africans (1835), Indians (1838), and, finally, the Chinese (1853).

But exactly what is an ‘indentured servant’? It is actually one of a series of arrangements in which individuals were pressured by various devices - which were enacted into ‘law’ - to provide their labour under controlled and

specified conditions.

‘Indentured labour’ was but one of various guises under which individuals across the globe were conscripted to provide labour in the development of the ‘capitalist’ mode of production that developed as Europe began to exploit the worlds it had ‘discovered’ – and more germanely, conquered – after 1492. There were indentured labourers from Europe starting from the 17th century long before the Indians from India.

White Indentureship

The Master or his representative in Europe, who would be recruiting workers, would write up the agreement detailing all the terms that would have to be agreed to by the servant. Typically, the servant would be transported to a plantation in the new world at the master’s expense, where he was supposed to work for a specified number of years. He would be provided with food, clothing, and other necessities and, at the end of the said period,

he would be either given land on which he could farm or on a few occasions be given a passage back to the ‘old country’.

The agreement was written twice on the same piece of paper then was separated in a manner that left jagged ‘indents’ - from which the word ‘indenture’ was derived. At the end of the indentureship period, the indentured servant would present his portion of the agreement, which would be fitted to its other half to confirm they were the same contract with the same terms.

The British initially introduced indentured workers in the farms they established in America (Virginia) and Barbados, their first colony in the West Indies where tobacco was the main crop. Many of the whites presently residing in Barbados are descended from these European indentured servants.

But with the introduction of plantations in the seventeenth century - which demanded greater numbers and rigour than Europe could supply to cultivate sugar cane and cotton - the British turned to African slaves. They had to invent slave laws in Barbados that used the Spanishoriginated racist ideology to also justify the practice.

Indian Indentureship

In India, which the British East India Company conquered between 1657 and 1818, the British passed laws that changed the rules on land taxes and crops that should be cultivated. Consequently, millions died from famine and pushed off the land to become the excess labour that could be exported to other parts of the empire as needed.

Under the new racism, Indians were also lower intrinsically to whites.

Indentured Indian labour was first used within India in the tea plantations of Assam, and then to the newly acquired French islands of Reunion and Mauritius.

After the abolition of African slavery in the British Empire in 1834, rather than moving to ‘free labour’, as was promised, they introduced ‘unfree’ indentured labour by

law. The contracts of the indentureds were structured to keep them bound to their employer so that if they were not in the fields, they had to be either in jail or hospital.

Infractions of their contract were subjected to criminal penalties, and these were applied liberally.

In Fiji, the descendants of the Indian indentureds call themselves ‘GIRMITIYA’ people of the agreement by which they were bound to the new world.

The indenture contracts formed a partnership between the traveller and the ‘master’ to exchange years of service for a promise of future compensation like acres of land, livestock, clothing, room and boarding during the time of service.

The terms of this contract were between servant Patrick Larkin and Master Thomas Blood.

The Indian Indenture Contract

This is an example from Mauritius of the indenture contract that Indians were made to sign before embarking on the ship for the colonies at the beginning of indentureship. The terms were to be copied by all the countries such as Guyana and Trinidad, which received indentured labour later.

Copy Form of Contract Between the undersigned __ acting on behalf of __ of Mauritius, and the natives whose names are hereunto affixed, the following agreement has been entered into by the several parties binding themselves to the observance of the conditions thereof: 1. The natives agree to proceed to the Isle of France, to work as labourers there, upon a sugar estate, the property of __ and to remain there, if required, for the time of five years.

2. The passage of the natives to the Mauritius shall be paid by __ who shall also provide a passage again to this country, at the end of five years, for each native who may then wish to return; but if any individual, from any cause, should be discharged or leave

the employment of before the expiration of five years, such individual shall have no claim on him for a passage.

3. The pay of the natives shall be fixed at the rate of five rupees per month for each man. The labour required from them will be that of digging holes, weeding canes, working in the sugar-house, repairing roads and bridges, or otherwise making themselves useful, according to their ability, as __ may order them; the quantity of daily labour required from each to be fixed by the manager of the property; the pay of one sirdar shall be fixed at seven rupees per month, and that of one mate six rupees, and boys at three rupees per month.

4. As __ must be responsible to government that the natives shall not be a burden to the colony, in the event of their being discharged or leaving their employments, one rupee per month shall be retained from the pay of each individual, until there shall be a sufficient sum to provide a passage for each to Calcutta; should no such contingency take place, the money shall be restored at the end of five years.

5. In addition to the pay as above fixed, food and clothing shall be supplied to each as follows-Fourteen chettacks of rice (about 2lbs.), two ditto of dholl*, two ounces of salt, and some oil and tamarind, daily; and annually for each, clothing as follows; two dhooties, two blankets, one jacket, and one cap.

6. Each individual shall receive six months’ pay in advance, for which he shall give an acknowledgement here; their pay to commence from the date of their going on board the ship.

7. The nature of this agreement (which shall be registered at the police) is such that each native is individually responsible for the observance of its conditions by every one whose mark it bears; and it is further agreed, that while in hospital, from sickness or any other cause, the pay is stopped during such time.

Sample of an ad announcing the arrival of white indentureds

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MAY 2017

Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Tying up loose ends...

Monies or land in lieu still outstanding

Of recent there have been some erroneous claims that “land was given” to Indian immigrants. This may be due to confusion because over the course of indentureship, the contracted clause that Indian immigrants were owed a return passage was adjudged as too onerous a burden to the government and Plantocracy, which then attempted to induce immigrants to commute their return passages for small plots of land. By and

the emigrant sailed.

From the 396 that landed in 1838, sixty remained in Guyana after their contracts expired in 1843 and 236 returned to India. Ninety-eight others died and immigration was suspended because of the slave-like conditions imposed in British Guiana.

Immigration was reopened in 1845, at the insistence and importuning of the planters and after the Government of India Act XXI 1844, Guyana passed Ordinance No 12 of 1844

A group of Indian immigrants in British Guiana n.d.

Labourers' dwellings on sugar plantation (Photo by J Williams)

large, these schemes were unsuccessful. But no land was ‘given’ to Indian immigrants.

The Return Passage Clause

The Indian indenture contract was initially promulgated by the Colonial Government of India, which was supposed to secure the interests of its citizens being shipped overseas to labour.

However, the government of the receiving countries were all heavily influenced by the sugar planting interests, which had a strong lobby both in the colonies and with the Foreign Office and the Secretary for the Colonies. It should not be surprising that in the end, the “terms of engagement” were all aimed to squeeze the most profit from sugar plantations at the expense of the indentured workers, and even these were consistently violated on the sugar plantations.

One of the terms that the planters fought almost from the beginning was the right of a return passage by immigrants after they completed their prescribed years of indentureship.

The initial agreement Act XXXII in 1837 specified (3) Contracts were to be for one term not exceeding five years, or successive terms not exceeding five years each, with stipulation for a return passage to the port from which

to guarantee return passage to all immigrants after five years of indentureship.

Immigration was again suspended in 1848 because of conditions on the plantations.

It re-opened again in 1851 with the return passage clause intact, and this lasted up to 1853 as the planters encouraged the immigrants to remain in Guyana by securing a bonus to sign on for another five years, after which the return passage would be available. In 1856, this arrangement was solidified with the bonus being $50, but the return passage remaining.

In 1862, all contracts reverted to five years of indentureship with the right of return passage.

Even though the wages were abysmal, Indians, as most immigrants will, went to extraordinary length to save money, some in the hope they would use their agreed return passage to India and “live in style”, as they were promised when they were recruited. This return passage, which was such a prominent feature of the Indian indenture contract, soon became a source of concern to the planters. And starting from the initial position of guaranteeing passage after the fiveyear service, tried all means to have this changed because of the expense.

In addition to the funds

demanded for hiring ships, the planters were also anxious for the experienced workers to remain since the new arrivals had to undergo a period of seasoning, during which they were not so efficient. One study mentions that by 1869 there were 30,000 indentures who were eligible for return passages, and this would cost at least $250,000-$300,000 - an enormous sum.

Immigrants were encouraged to re-indenture for another five years with a bounty of 50 pounds.

Land to keep Indians in Guyana: None was ever “given”

Land Exchange for Return Passage

Acting on a suggestion of the Immigration AgentGeneral James Crosby, the government decided to offer land to the indentureds in lieu of their return passage.

In 1871, Plantation Nooten Zuill on the East Coast was bought for this purpose, but there were no takers because of the evaluation of the offered land by immigrants.

The Indians were demonstrating they would not jump ‘willy nilly’ into taking up unsuitable land. In the meantime, re-indenture bounty was discontinued in 1873. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Huist Dieren - 1881

Plantation

Huist

Dieren was purchased by Government in 1881 to offer to immigrants in lieu of return passage. The 768 acres purchased and divided into 350 cultivation plots of 2 acres each plus 270 residential lots ¼ acre each.

Most immigrants thought the infrastructure was deficient, and by 1882, when it was decided to sell outright rather than commute return passages, only 69 cultivation plots and 49 residential lots were occupied.

The price was judged ‘exorbitant’ being ten times the going rate and only 67 residential and cultivation lots were sold - 10 of which were repossessed by the government. Government resumed control of all unoccupied land and the experiment was declared a “failure” in 1888. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Change in Responsibility for Return Passages

On the demands of the planters and government, in 1893, the two administrations, British Guiana and India, decided that indentured labourers must pay half of their return passage.

With prices of sugar continuing to decline, the government and planters formed a committee in 1889 which proposed to discourage return passages by encouraging settlements. A “Return Passages Committee” was formed in 1896.

It is rather ironic, in light of claims in the present, that land was “given” to Indian immigrants that by the 1890s, with the boom in gold prospecting in the interior the changing voter demographics to include more Portuguese and ‘coloureds’, the law on acquiring land was made less onerous and the price of ‘crown lands’ plummeted. It was now much less expensive to acquire lands in British Guiana.

ing their return passages.

However, most of these did not take up their allotments for several reasons and the settlement was adjudged a failure, even though Rev. JB Cropper had been appointed Superintendent. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Whim, Corentyne - 1898

Between 1898 and 1899, five hundred and seventyfour cultivation and residential plots were allocated, and because it was close to Albion Plantation, even though faced with hardships like the settlers at Helena, the ones at Whim had an alternative employment outlet.

The great drought of 1899, however, took its toll and the results at Whim were not encouraging to the government from their perspective of having mass commutation of return passages. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice: 1897-1902

The property of Bush Lot, with 1,303 acres and 843 acres of it cultivable, was sold to the Government for $1,200

and handed over to the Return Passages Committee.

They spent $35.47 per caput to develop the land for the Indians who accepted their allotments in lieu of their return passages. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Maria’s Pleasure, Wakenaam: 1902-1903

One hundred and sixtyeight cultivation plots and residential lots were allocated in 1902 to 176 individuals in commutation of their return passages. But only 40 took possession and started building houses and cultivating crops. No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

In 1905, being very disappointed by the results of their plan to initiate a mass commutation of return passages, the Government handed over the four settlements to the Central Board of Health.

Henceforth, all lands that became available to the Government or from private owners were drained, irrigated, sold, rented or leased to immigrants at market rates.

No land was “given” to Indian immigrants.

Logies at Leonora Esate

Helena: 1896

Helena, an abandoned plantation in Mahaica, was purchased in 1896. In 1897, lots were allocated to 1,206 persons in lieu of commut-

Housing range of indentured labourers

4 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 2017

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Will justice ever be done?

Indian Repatriation Fund Monies Expropriated

be the granting or transporting of land or the making of money payment to them in lieu and satisfaction of their right to Return Passage, under the provision of Section 193 of the Immigration ordinance, Chap 208’ BE IT RESOLVED that this Conference respectfully requests Government to offer at an early date suitable lands or money payments to all immigrants, their wives, children and or, dependents entitled thereto in lieu and satisfaction of their right to a return passage in accordance with Section 193 to 195 of the Immigration Ordinance, Chap 208; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Conference urges upon Government as an alternative measure the establishment of land settlements at suitable sites for such immigrants at an early date under approved schemes in consideration of their right to Return Passages.

Mover: Mr DP Debidin Seconder: Mr Sugrim Singh

By Ravi Dev

T

he first shipments of immigrants to British Guiana in 1838 were privately financed

by John Gladstone. Subsequently, the financing was raised through loans obtained in Great Britain, by advances from the British Government, and from the general revenue of the Colony.

In 1864, a decision was taken by the British Guiana Government to create an “Immigration Fund” to finance the cost of immigration and repatriation of immigrants.

This Fund was drawn from general revenue, duties levied on estates' supplies, plantation land usage, indenture and re-indenture fees paid by planters, fees paid for renewal of certificates of exemption from labour, and fees for the registration of Indian marriages.

The amount paid into this Fund grew significantly with each succeeding year.

From September 1, 1895 to October 1898, the Government unilaterally decided that male immigrants would have to pay quarter of their return passages and females one-sixth. From 1898, onwards males had to pay half and females one-third.

In 1898, “The Return Passages (subsequent to 1898) Fund” was created specifically to pay for the repatriation of immigrants who arrived in British Guiana after 1898.

The planters had to contribute to this fund. The authorities estimated that quarter of these arrivals would choose to return. Thus, the planters deposited quarter of the passage - which varied between $60 and $72.

In 1917, at the cessation of immigration from India, the Consolidated Immigration Loan Commissioners closed their account and transferred their $149,000 and $130,000 from the Immigration Fund to form a “Repatriation (prior to 1898) Fund”.

In December 1920, the sum of $765,577 was transferred to “The Return Passages (subsequent to 1898) Fund” to offset depreciated investments.

Since the 1920s, Indian leaders have consistently asked the Government of the day to utilise the monies in the Funds for the benefit of the descendants of the Indian indentureds.

In 1938, all the leaders of the Indian community, at the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana, repeated this call in the presence of the Governor. The proceedings were published in the widely circulated “The Indian Opinion” in May 1938 and was summarised in the Editorial, “The Centenary” by Mr J. Ramlogan.

Below is a pertinent excerpt: “Now, after Centenary, what?” is an important question for all our leading and thinking Indians in British Guiana.

What we certainly should expect to see, and would be glad to see is… the installation of a Resident Agent General… An Indian Agent General of the right type should be able to see to it that the halfa-million or more dollars lying at credit of the Immigration, or Repatriation Fund, is used wholly and solely for the purpose we

Immigration Fund Expropriated

East Indian immigrants in British Guiana circa 1800s

have often advocated (and legally we are advised) it could be used for no other purpose), and that is - the granting to every time -expired immigrant of money or land in lieu of a return passage to India to which he is entitled under the terms of his labour contract.

Government’s refusal of our Association’s request to utilise the money in its keeping in this direction has naturally laid Government open to the suspicion of being motivated by some ulterior motive in respect to it… making good the deficiency in some flagrantly underestimated undertaking…

We look to Government to be guided in its administration of the Colony’s affairs by some moral principle, by some sense of honour and justice, as we would expect of any individual public official of whatever grade or rank.

Surely, on the other hand, it cannot be, as one writer has suggested, that the government is playing a waiting game - waiting until all the Indians entitles to the right of repatriation have died out, and then take hold of the half-a-million as a sort of treasure trove. Surely, it cannot be that Government has so far degenerated in morals in respect to other people’s property - property to which there claimants still alive - as to be capable of acting in the mercenary spirit of the plunderer who said to his victim, “What I have I hold; what I hold I keep.”

We have often thought of the enormous economic possibilities for Indians lying in these halfa-million dollars at credit of the Immigration Fund. With a commutation of the repatriation claims to grants of cultivable Crown Land and of working cash drawn from this Fund to compensate adequately for the foregoing of that claim, what further endeavour and

achievement might we not expect of them in this second century of their settlement in this land of their adoption!”

The Centenary Conference Resolution on the subject was: Number 4: Repatriation and Return Passage WHEREAS there is a large number of Immigrants in the colony entitled to return passages to the port in India whence they came; AND WHEREAS for economic and other reasons it would be desirable to discourage their return; AND WHEREAS a strong factor in achieving this end would

In December 1948, these Funds were all merged as the “Immigration Fund (Amalgamated)” and amounted to $440,000. After the two ships between then and 1955 (MV Resurgebnt) took back immigrants to India, it was decided there would be no more chartering of ships and individual passages would be paid. There were only two. In 1966, approximately $280,000 remained in the Fund, according to Dwarka Nath.

In that year, Guyana became independent, the PNC government appointed a committee “to recommend in what way the amount lying in credit of the Immigration Fund should be used for the benefit of the surviving immigrants and their descendants”.

According to Nath, the committee recommended that three Indian Cultural Centres be established in the three counties, so that Indian culture could be kept alive.

The PNC government, howev-

The National Cultural Centre today

er, in 1968 declared that all the Indian Immigration Fund monies would be used to build a ‘National Culture Centre’ in Georgetown.

All the Indian organisations in Guyana protested - even the Maha Sabha, which said, “While not opposed to a part of the Fund being used for a ‘national’ cause, there should be Cultural Centres in Berbice and Esequibo also.”

The Gandhi Youth Organisation, under the leadership of Dr Balwant Singh, took the most consistent stand and demanded the Funds be used only on Indian Cultural Centres since the money was contractually and legally owing to the descendants of Indian immigrants.

All the protests fell on deaf ears, and the PNC government constructed the National Cultural Centre (NCC) in time for Carifesta 1972, which was boycotted by most Indian organisations in protest. As predicted by the organisations, the NCC has been utilised only occasionally by the generally ruralbased Indian population and resentment at the injustice meted out to Indian Guyanese remains in the community.

Between 1998 and 2000, the ROAR, Gurkha and GIHA Indian organisations called for Indian Cultural Centres to be built in the three counties.

Most recently, during the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Abolition of Indentureship, at its symposium “The State of the Indian Guyanese Community: Challenges and Prospects”, the Girmitiya Research Council reiterated the previous calls for the government to make amends for unilaterally expropriating the monies from the Immigration Fund (Amalgamated). It passed a resolution calling for the Government to construct Indian Cultural Centres in each county, with research, archival and museum facilities, to serve the community in dealing with the ravages of the indentureship experience on the descendants of Indian immigrants.

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MAY 2017

Times Indian Arrival Magazine

5

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

B y R yhaan S hah

M

uch discussion and debate surrounds the Indian presence in the Caribbean.

The late UWI Professor Rex Nettleford said that we have to “learn to be West Indian”, a statement which many have taken issue with since it suggests that our ‘Indianess’ is not compatible with being West Indian, but must be transformed in order to fit some other idea about ourselves. In the Caribbean context this means an African Caribbean culture and identity.

These were created and emerged from the broken state of the Africans who had been stripped of their beliefs, culture and even of their very humanity by the brutalities of slavery on the plantations. From this fragmentation has arisen, like the mythical phoenix from the ashes, new sounds, language, and a new selfhood as transmitted through calypso, reggae, steel pan, carnival, and dialects that have refashioned the English of the slave owners with new rhythms and idioms that bear the echoes of a remembered heritage.

In his Nobel Laureate speech, Derek Walcott spoke of this lovingly when he stated: “Break a vase, and the love that reassembles the fragments is stronger than that love which took its symmetry for granted when it was whole. The glue that fits the pieces is the sealing of its original shape.

It is such a love that reassembles our African and Asiatic fragments, the cracked heirlooms whose restoration shows its white scars.”

Walcott spoke at length of witnessing a presentation of the “Ramleela” drama in the Trinidad countryside. He saw this, too, as part of the region’s cultural fragmentation. While Indians in the Caribbean have adapted to fit a Western environment and new circumstances, this adaptation amounts to adjustments that have been made in order to survive and progress; they can hardly be likened to brokenness and fragmentation.

In my poem, “I Did Not Begin Anew”, I challenge this idea of Indian cultural fragmentation with the lines:

“I did not begin anew but am the present from a past That was never abandoned on this distant shore.

I am no shard of history, no broken vase, but lived In every century of old, fought glorious wars, Beheld the gods and sang their songs of praise.”

Despite the brutalities of the sugar plantation, Indians never surrendered their beliefs and culture. On the contrary, these gave them strength and succour to survive the worst. The colonial masters did attempt to Christianise us as they had the African slaves, but our fore-parents saw no reason to give up their gods, beliefs and values for another’s.

As much as the English saw them as “the other”, they, in turn, viewed the white master as “the other” and were not willing to surrender their beliefs, culture, habits and their names to fit the master’s idea that they should be moulded into imitation English people or “mimic men”, as V.S. Naipaul so aptly named the phenomenon.

The fact that Indians in Guyana, Surinam and Trinidad and Tobago can still be identified as an ethnic group, through both physical appearance and cultural habits after the 179 years that have passed since the SS Whitby weighed anchor off Plantation Highbury in Berbice, is a triumph of the human spirit over the most challenging adversity.

However, this survival of Indians and Indian culture is often viewed negatively as triumphalism, racism, and supremacist

by African Caribbean critics. In their estimation, the Caribbean is a one-culture region and can only be home to the new expressions and beliefs that have emerged from the fragmentation and reassembling à la Walcott.

That Indians continue to sing, dance, pray, perform rites and rituals and hold to traditions and beliefs as passed down through generations from the very first Indian immigrants are seen as counter, even threatening, to the concept of one-Caribbean selfhood.

Some of the most vo-

ciferous critics and accusers are not even African Caribbean people, but Indians who have positioned themselves as multiracial and multi-ethnic mostly through mixed relationships. The choice of a spouse or partner is always purely personal, but many of them are moved to make their condemnation of Indian pride public.

They interpret our pride as criticism of their choice, which they defend in the strongest terms.

Interestingly, the mixed or African half of these multiracial partnerships never rises to such public defence of their choice whenever an African Caribbean person expresses pride in their African roots and heritage.

Perhaps, they are secure in the African entitlement of the Caribbean’s cultural status quo.

However, the Indian, who is now moving to that belonging and is the one who is expected to adapt, appears insecure about their new footing and, therefore, moves to condemn any Indian pride which they see as placing their newfound identity and social positioning in jeopardy.

Expressions of Indian pride are never meant to condemn or criticise, but are simply a celebration of the unique values and beliefs that provide us with a link to a heritage that still resonates in our daily life. All races, ethnicities and cultural groups display such pride. It is human and natural.

If the Indian partner in a multiracial relationship feels that they cannot or should not express such pride in their heritage, this does raise a number of serious sociological questions about the regional expectations with regard to culture and identity.

The idea of enforced change for any ethnic group is anathema to the norms of civilised behaviour and attitudes and the Caribbean, like most progressive countries and regions, surely has room for the acceptance and respect for diversity.

The values of decency, pride, justice, and a respect for all humankind as expressed by Indian culture are in perfect harmony with Caribbean and Western values and should, both socially and politically, be encouraged

and supported as good attributes for the region’s progress and development.

After 179 years, the Indian presence and Indian pride are very much part of Guyana and the Caribbean region.

There is much to celebrate and on this Indian Arrival Day, we can hope that every other ethnic group will celebrate with us, sincerely.

Ryhaan Shah

6 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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MAY 2017

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

By Petamber Persaud

W

henever I talk about or even dare to mention a ‘Guyanese literature’, there are loud sounds of scoffing and large signs of scepticism. A whole lot of people think that this is a farfetched idea – what could a relatively young nation and small country like Guyana have produced to call its own literature, perhaps forgetting St. Lucia, in respect of nationhood, and Ireland, in respect of size, both countries producing Nobel Laureates.

The scoffing and the scepticism to a Guyanese literature was sort of a blessing in disguise. In 2013, I was able to compile and publish a substantial book of some 150 pages titled, “Introduction to Guyanese Literature”.

This book underwent three printings. The natural progression is now for me to do a revised edition to include ‘new’ writers, new publications, ‘new’ literary enablers, new anthologies and new anthologists. Since the Caribbean Press, there has been no known institution or institutional work to add to the information already in that book.

I’m belabouring this point because of something that happened in 1883, something that all writers, especially emerging writers, can use as inspiration.

When Egbert ‘Leo’ Martin, our first major poet and short fiction writer, was crit-

icised for focusing on foreign subjects for his first book of poems, he responded by producing “Leo’s Local Lyrics”.

Additionally, and more recent to Leo’s case, is the situation of N. E. Cameron who, while studying at Cambridge in the early 1920s, was unable to give a proper account of the literature of his country. The upshot was his compilation of the first anthology of ‘Guianese’ poetry.

When in 2008, I produced “The Balgobin Saga” - a small part of Indian folk literature in Guyana - many academics condemned that ground-breaking work. As I continue to share my findings on an unfolding IndoGuyanese literature, I was emboldened by sparks of support. Let me hasten to say, all my work – years of producing of Guyanese literature on television and in the press - would reveal a dominant interest in preserving and promoting Guyanese literature first and foremost.

Now in 2017, I have published a book showcasing over 70 Guyanese writers of Indian ancestry. As the questions and the scoffing and the looks of disbelief appear, I allow myself a moment of vanity. Yes, in the book, there are over 70 Guyanese writers of Indian ancestry, and those are only the ones I was able to get sound information on and a proper image of.

For far too long we were been fed on the old tradition peddled by an old guard who was/is grudging with its compliments of other peoples’ writings and was/is comfortable with the state of play. This is not intended to take away from the import of the exceptional and substantial corpus of work done by the Mittleholzers, and the Carters, and the Harrises. But there is an unacknowledged parallel tradition in the Indian community of writers going way back

to the early nineteen century. My new book seeks to correct sins of commission and sins of omission, among other objectives.

For the first time, some of the neglected, slighted and the omitted writers will see the light of day and breathe again, their voices heard again as more research will fill out the skeleton of data and infuse character into them.

For instance, you would come face-to-face with the first Indian anthologist

whose work surface about three years after Guyana’s first anthology. You would also come face-to-face with the first Indian novelist, the first Guyanese and Indian satirist, the first Guyanese and Indian to write his autobiography, the first Guyanese woman and Indian biographer, among other significant and lesserknown achievements of the Indian community of writers. You would come faceto-face with those who laid the foundation for an IndoGuyanese literature and those who are building on that foundation to make all Guyanese proud of a burgeoning literature.

“Guyanese Writers of Indian Ancestry” is the second publication in a series of full-colour pocketbooks designed to present interesting and little known information in a way that it can be readily and easily absorb. This second pocketbook is much thicker than and as attractive as its sister, “Made in Guyana”, published in May 2016 to mark the country’s Golden Jubilee.

Granted this pocketbook is small and slim, it covers a lot of ground previously untouched by anyone and contains some of the data in my effort to map Guyanese literature, some data I have been collecting for over two decades. So we could say this little book took some 20 years of work.

First and foremost, this

pocketbook is to mark the centennial end of indentureship in 2017, evoking nostalgia for some and adventure for others. Secondly, there is not much information readily available on IndoGuyanese literature and this project will attempt to fill that lacuna. Finally, this book is an acknowledgement of our literary ancestors.

This book is designed to be used by anyone interested in Guyanese heritage, including students from primary to tertiary level education – the information is not cryptic and the language undemanding.

Although this book captures the life and work of more than 70 writers, it is an introduction, whetting the appetite, eliciting respect and appreciation to encourage more scholarship on Indo-Guyanese literature and, by extension, Guyanese literature.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s Happening: It’s here: “Guyanese Writers of Indian Ancestry” was launched to commemorate the centennial end to indentureship and (Indian) Arrival Day. The book is available at Austin’s Book Service and directly from the author; it will soon be at other locations including the National Library, hotels and airports.

guyanatimesgy.com

MAY 2017

Times Indian Arrival Magazine

7

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Georgetown Sugar Estate, British Guiana

Protesting at Skeldon Estate

By Ashraf Dabie

S

ugar was the raison d'etre for Guyana in the early 17th century by the Dutch and continued as the foundation of the economy up to the ending of the 20th century. After the abolition of slavery in 1834, indentured labourers were brought from every continent to keep the sugar industry going since the freed Africans, not surprisingly, wanted to have the least to do with the site of their degradation. By 1848, more than half of the 82,000 freed men and women had left the plantations to form the Village Movement.

Portuguese, Indians, West Indians, Africans and Chinese were all brought as indentured labourers to form the new multi-cultural, multi-religious, multiethnic society as we know it today. Because the sugar regime in Europe had changed with the increase in beet sugar and removal of preferential tariffs in England,

the West Indian planters cut wages drastically from the 1840s into the end of indentureship in 1917.

The workers, especially the Indian indentureds that formed the bulk of the workforce, face tremendous hardships in those years. They had to literally face bullets to struggle for recognition of their humanity and for a living wage. Since the sugar interests were the mainstay of the government, to struggle against sugar meant a struggle against the state.

The sugar workers’ struggle in the 20th century led to the independence from Britain.

However, in the recent years, Guyana has been dumped from the economic stability which was almost entirely supported by the production and exportation of sugar to regional and international markets.

With the decline in the agricultural industry, primarily the production of rice and sugar, the country was forced to make several dras-

Albion Sugar Estate circa 1920

tic changes to adapt to the new developments. Among these changes were proposals for the closure of sugar estates, which once provided the backbone of the country’s economy. This then gave rise to the sugar fiasco, which is currently unfolding in Guyana.

Following the announcement by the government early last year regarding the proposed closure of several sugar estates as well as the sale of the operations site at Skeldon, sugar workers, as well as relevant stakeholders, have been relentless in their outcries to halt and reverse such drastic actions against the industry in Guyana.

Various forms of demonstration were staged within the last year, with the frequency and magnitude intensifying, especially in the past four months. The concerns of unemployment and disturbance to the livelihood of workers and their families, along with the blow which the termination

of operations at these major sugar production hubs will have on the economy, were the headlines of the protests which materialised at several locations throughout the country.

After months of taking to the streets with placards and chants, it is evident that the actions of those affected have had a lasting impression, given that it has sparked conversations at various levels, including direct attention from the President and his Cabinet.

However, these protestors and their representing body, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), are still of the opinion that nothing is being done. As such, the sugar workers and their Union have pledged continued support to the protests to prevent a total shutdown of the sugar industry in Guyana.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, the president of GAWU, Komal Chand, pointed out that despite several attempts by authorities to justify the butchering of the sugar industry, workers and the long list of affected citizens have united in their opposition against the government on this decision.

“The numbers are getting bigger. We see this growing because workers realise it is the only way to force to government to revoke the decision,” he declared.

However, Chand acknowledged the govern-

ment’s position on the sugar industry being in a deplorable state with a decline in production over the last few decades. Nonetheless, Chand noted that correcting the deficiencies within the industry is a more plausible solution rather than closing these estates, which will inherently affect the entire country. Family life and communities will be affected with looming financial challenges being a threat to education, and even an upsurge in crime. This therefore creates a new list of substantial expenses for the government, which may be significantly more than what is initially required to rectify the shortcomings on these estates.

As such, Chand proposed a series of recommendations, which he had presented to the government, but to no avail. Among these recommendations were the streamlining of management of the estates and implementing new strategies to tackle the production deficits. Furthermore, he suggested the exploration of additional industries, such as the selling of electricity, setting up a refinery to supply CARICOM countries and the establishment of a new distillery to further generate capital.

Concerning the sale of electricity, Chand commented that about $9.5 billion was generated from the Skeldon Estate from electricity produced by the boilers on site. With that,

Plantation Enmore, British Guiana

not only will production increase, but the potential for these estates goes beyond the production of sugar.

Chand added that in 2015, the government had launched a Commission of Inquiry to assess the feasibility of the closure of the Wales, Enmore and Skeldon Estates with the reports advising against such actions.

Even then they were still determined to close these estates, leaving some 350 cane cutters of Wales without their severance packages. This publication also understands that potential buyers are lining up for the sale of these prime lands, which is further evidence of the potential these estates possess.

It is with these beliefs that GAWU and sugar workers attached to estates across the country continue to express their grievances and call for the consideration of the alternatives to the closure of sugar estates in Guyana.

There have been announcements by both the President and Prime Minister that the sugar industry will not die, but GAWU is not sold on the integrity of such claims.

The acts of protest by those affected are keeping the conversations on sugar relevant and holding those in authority accountable, thereby controlling and even preventing drastic actions from being taken against Guyana’s sugar industry.

8 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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MAY 2017

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

By Isahak Basir, CCH

G

olden Fleece Sugar Estate was one of some 55 estates developed by the Dutch in the 17th century and closed by the British owner John Dodds in 1910. The estate’s owner and his political influence saw the end of sugar cane cultivation and the last sugar factory closure in 1934 in Essequibo.

Bacchus from Wakenaam, then by present owner, Nazeemul Hakh.

Golden Fleece estate is predominantly rice producing, and the present owner hails from a rice-growing family. They are in the business since 1938 on the West Coast of Demerara.

Over the years, the landscape of Golden Fleece has changed. It is developing due to the construction of a

Fleece and Zorg is an elevated formation of white clay.

This clay, when dissolved in water, was used extensively by indentured Indians to “white-wash” their logies and other house facilities. The alkaline white clay was distributed all over the county of Essequibo and island of Wakenaam. It was a household need for weddings and religious functions. Consequently, the Aerial shot of Golden Fleece Estate with rice mill in centre view

Golden Fleece rice mill (Photo by Nigel A Singh)

The estate is located about six miles from Adventure and the main residential area is located on a sand reef about a kilometre inland, west of the public road. The old sugar factory site is now a very modern rice-milling complex.

Its first owner was a Muslim individual who bought the estate from the British Guiana Trustees.

This was the only alternative for departing British estate owners to leave their estate in trusteeship.

History has also recorded that the Trustees were forced to sell several estates to meet drainage and irrigation expenses. On one occasion in early 1909, Pareekan Singh purchased several abandoned sugar estates in Essequibo.

The second owner of Golden Fleece Estate was C. R. Chan, followed by Kader

modern rice complex, which has contributed to the social and economic gain of community. Access via sections of paved roads can allow tourists a one-mile ride between orchards and new buildings that have replaced mud houses made with thatched roofs, troolie palms and walls made out of wattles.

Some symbols of early Dutch occupancy are still visible in Golden Fleece.

The Anglican Church is adorned with century-old palm trees, which were used to guide sugar punts in and out of the area. The main estate road is elevated ten feet above the rice fields and is commonly known as Truck Line.

The kilometre long rail carriage that facilitated the transport of sugar and molasses to the waterfront in the backlands of Golden

constant removal of this clay created a tunnel, which eventually caved in. In 1938, a resident, Anand Barose of

Golden Fleece, was removing clay and was crushed and killed.

Like all sugar productions, water supply was a prime necessity. As such, a huge water reservoir was created at the extreme west end of Golden Fleece and Perseverance. This reserve is filled by a natural spring known as “washer woman”.

In the vicinity lies a Dutch tomb that has a huge padlock, which can be seen still. The sandy soil of the housing area allowed the propagation of many fruits; one of which was the olive plant known as “Nulluck catcher”. This tree would bear fruits from its roots upward. Sadly, it has been used many times for suicide by hanging.

At one time in the history of sugar in Essequibo, British plutocracy was so impressed with the productivity of indentured works that an estate owner decided to examine one of the workers’ lunch bowl. He discovered shelled hassar and sijan sticks. In alarm, he referred to the diet as “sticks and crocodile”.

By 1935 a religious organisation by the name of The Canadian Mission saw the need to advance Christianity, and, as such, the Fisher Primary School was built. In 2010 the school was replaced by a modern structure under the PPP/C government.

Golden Fleece Estate is a well laid out village, having had the full support of the

current government, with well-paved streets, a school, playfield, modern pubs and fast food restaurants.

The proprietor of Golden Fleece Rice Complex offers subsidies transportation of burnt paddy husk to residents who wish to cultivate other crops. The Golden Fleece Rice Complex not only endured hard days, but produced and exported high quality rice while creating employment for scores of workers.

Golden Fleece Estate can be easily identified at nights with its illumination and under the flight path of aircraft to the Caribbean, U.S.A. and Canada. (Photos

by Marco Basir)

Rice harvester in the fields (Photo by Nigel A Singh) The old Fisher Primary School

Tall palm trees in the Golden Fleece area

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

“Tadjahs” British Guiana. No date (S.P.G. Postcards, England)

By Neaz Subhan

T

he anniversary of the arrival of Indo-Guyanese foreparents should be a much anticipated opportunity for the current generation to meaningfully reflect on the transition of this ethnic group. One would assume that in this process foremost would be status, contribution and relevance in the contemporary Guyanese society with a keen perspective on what the future can bring.

The relevance of this reflection would have probably heightened from two standpoints: the related impact of the current circumstances, which are unfolding nationally; and 2017 being the centennial anniversary of the abolition of the Indian indentureship scheme.

The complexities, which this reflection can unravel, should not be underestimated. These have the potential to precipitate other convolutions that can force descendants to make painful undesired sacrifices. That said, one potential impact could be on the preservation of the rich cultural traditions Indo-Guyanese ancestors brought in 1838. One hundred and seventynine years after, it would be useful to ponder how it withstood the test of time.

This would attract divergent views depending from where it originates. One extreme is that much has been lost and the loss continues. The other is that pres-

ervation has not waned and that related efforts have been relentlessly sustained.

Objectively, it would not be erroneous to posit that both views have aspects of accuracy and are probably embellished with dosages of exaggeration. What seems irrefutable is the bombarding of the culture over time by other influences, which brings other issues into focus. Given that, there has been waning, there has been loss, but there have also been commendable efforts to preserve and foster these traditions over the years. The latter gives much needed hope for the future.

The obvious questions would be what has waned and what has been lost? One could easily venture to say that the Tadjah festival, which disappeared over 100 years ago, probably following an order of governance, is something that has been lost. While that may connote an extreme case, singing of “Beraha” has drastically declined to almost being non-existent. This open form of improvised poetic storytelling, which probably began to lament being away from home (India) and missing loved ones, evolved into bringing focus to issues that affected the immigrants.

“Taan” singing, which are traditional songs that expresses emotions and relates to every moment of the day, situations and conditions, is another that would have

declined with the passage of time as it is no longer seen as attractive to some. On an encouraging note, there were talks to have this art form be revived with a national completion being touted.

This would be most welcomed and would probably be seen as “new” to sections of the current generation.

Chutney music, with its general single straight-style, originated from this region. Many are of the opinion that its contemporary form has strayed far from its origin. Evolution is cited as the reason for the decline and, with the advent of modern electronic instruments and changing human preferences, Taan singing, for example, can be deemed a casualty of this on-going metamorphosis. Its decline may exemplify the claims by some; that of a similar fate of other aspects of the culture.

Take for example the languages of Urdu and Hindi; they are no longer prevalent as they once were.

It would not be insensitive to state that apart from some religious circles, these languages are no longer spoken locally when compared to its usage just east of these shores in neighbouring Suriname.

Of course, there are other factors that would have contributed, but gone are the days when in the villages, wiling children would gather to learn these languages from an elder. It transcended religion and complemented efforts in the Madrasas and Temples. Then, these holy places brimmed with youngsters with competitive dispositions, not just to pray, but to learn the languages. Present information suggests a decrease in numbers and little or almost no authentic village tutelage.

Music in general has survived especially given the tremendous influence of Bollywood and its legends like Talat Mahmood, KL Saigal, Hemant Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, Geeta Dutt, Suraiya, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle among others. But even from among these names, how many are still remembered is an un-

avoidable question.

Similarly, Bollywood cinema superstars like Dilip Kumar, Askok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Maduhbala and Meena Kumari, were local household names. The Filmfare magazines and Indian movie posters were always in demand as star-struck fans with modest financial means, spared no efforts for information and photographs to adorn their walls. Time has now given Shreya Ghoshal, Himesh Reshammiya, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and other present day artistes.

What possible could have been lost in that? Some posit the soul of music, the art of movie making, the passion in adulation and the deep felt attachment. Others believe nothing has been lost, and in fact claim that much has been gained. They cite the positive impact of technology on movie making and music and its real-time availability on portable communication devices.

Here again is the factor of evolution, which in some way divides perspectives. Tassa drumming waned and was spiritedly revived, however, the proclivity for classical dancing is far from what it once was despite efforts as is the case for Indian drama.

In the context of 100 years after the abolition of Indian indentureship, does the decrease in attendance in the Madrasas, Temples, classical dancing and music classes, a seeming reduction in passion of adulation, and to use fingers to feed one’s mouth, a verified fact that the culture is waning or has completely lost some aspects?

Based on what is communicated, for many, the answer is a worrying yes. For them, concerns are rife about the influence from other cultures and for some, lifestyle changes resulting from financial advancement. One would find it difficult to ignore these concerns.

The temptation would be to deem as pessimists.

The optimists argue that the mere fact they are scores or activities across the country to celebrate

and commemorate Indian festivals and historic events prove that the culture brought here some nine decades ago remains relevant and is being fostered and sustained. On the surface it would be difficult to disagree with that. International Indian artistes who perform here are always mesmerised by Guyanese in an English speaking country singing Bollywood songs.

More so, there are always in awe of the overwhelming crowds in attendance.

However, for all involved, the optimists must prevail, but in the context that it continues to mean something and its authenticity uncompromised even after taking into consideration evolution with time. Nothing else can suffice if the desire is for the culture to remain relevant into the future.

Here is where all those who are involved in its preservation must be commended and encouraged to continue.

There is concern and clearly there is much more to be done including the most important of all; imparting on to the young. They must be taught to see the need to be responsible for its survival. Like our fore-parents, today’s parents have a crucial role in guiding their children towards the culture in an effort to imbue that sense of appreciation and belonging. In this modern world it competes with other desires, however, identity and love for it are compelling factors.

Indo-Guyanese fore-parents sacrificed and laboured tirelessly, without any of the amenities available today, to impart values, culture, pride and dignity.

Descendants can therefore not afford to allow pride to escape them despite the current challenging circumstances. Inspiration can be found in reflecting on the achievements of their ancestors and how they endured. While things will evolve, the basic elements of these cultural traditions must be guarded. It is only with selfless efforts and a profound sense of pride instilled within that this can be achieved.

East Indian Tadja. Berbice. No date (Berbice Gazette)

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Times Indian Arrival Magazine

MAY 2017

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

D

Artist Darshani Kistama

arshani Kistama is an artist with a knack to beautify. Her aim is to preserve her Indian culture through art,

and this she does passionately.

One of her most creative works is her hand-painted Indian wear. Her beautiful stencil print sarees, embroidered leggings, tie-dye salwar kameez and sarees are fashionable pieces that showcase a love for her heritage.

Darshani is a graduate of E.R. Burrowes School of Art. Her minor at the institution was art and major was in textile designs.

“Nature is my number one inspiration. I am influenced and inspired by the magnificence and splendour of the natural environment. However, due to my commitment to my religion, I am often driven to produce works that are closely related to my culture, that is Hinduism,” the artist said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Darshani’s beautiful sarees and other artistic works are currently on display at the “Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey” exhibition, which is being held to commemorate the centenary of the abolition of the Indian indentureship. The exhibition opened on April 11 and will continue until May 9, 2017 at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road.

Admission is free.

For more information on the artist, visit Touch of Art on Facebook or her website at darshanikistama.tk.

Stencil print saree Embroidery legging

Tie-dye salwar kameez

Found object print saree

Tie-dye saree

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Ayube Hamid

Ayube Ahamad Khan, known as Ayube Hamid, was born Sept 20, 1926 in Danielstown village, Essequibo to parents born of Muslim indentured labourers who had arrived in the 1880s.

He attended St Agnes Primary School in Georgetown and, with his exceptional abilities, was able to attain a scholarship to attend the prestigious Queen’s College, when he was awarded the highly contested Essequibo County Scholarship prize in 1937.

He was also a devout Muslim, and learnt Arabic and Urdu while also regularly attending his Essequibo neighbourhood masjid. At just 17, Hamid became a trustee of the Queenstown Masjid – a lifelong position that he held.

At Queen’s College, he was a member of the QC Cadet Corps and had hoped to study medicine. However, after completing his secondary education and unable to fund travel and tuition fees overseas, Hamid began his work career first in the geophysical surveys department of the Demerara Bauxite Company, before leaving to take up a job in the Chemistry department of the Anna Regina Department of Agriculture.

He was later selected by the agriculture department to attend a training course in Jamaica for food processing where he earned a certificate in canning technology.

But neither field were to be his calling.

Applying for a vacant post as broadcaster for, at the time the only radio station in British Guiana, ZFY, he would be selected to begin work on April 1, 1954 as news announcer. It would be the start of a more than five-and-a half-decade long, remarkable career.

At ZFY, he met renowned broadcaster Rafiq Khan; with two “Khans” on the air, there was a need to avoid mix-ups with names. Ayube Khan was given the moniker “Ayube Hamid”, the name to which generations of Guyanese tuned in on radio. He had found his niche.

Moving from just news, Hamid also interviewed personalities and played music.

His apparently innate abilities in broadcasting soon led to his own programme as host of ‘Indian Memory Album’. Over the years, his programmes widened to include different music genres including country, classical and a variety of Indian music.

But it would be his signature playback of “Sahani Raat” for ‘Indian Memory Album’ that would remain a golden memory in Guyana’s broadcasting history.

Hamid’s broadcasting career would span ZFY radio, Radio Demerara, GBC and NCN before retiring from radio to become producer and promoter in his later years, lending his fabled voice on special occasions as master of ceremonies.

But his love for broadcasting would be matched only by his dedication to his Islamic and Indian heritage; Hamid became one of Guyana’s foremost proponents for cultural revival, reminding the ancestors of indentured immigrants that “the passing of the years from indentureship has not, and will not, obliterate the love and sense of cultural belonging ...”

Hamid was credited for introducing Islamic quasida competitions to Guyana, and was one of the founders of the Gandhi Youth Organisation, as well as being in the forefront of the Indian Commemoration Trust. He was also a major supporter in setting up the Indian Monument Gardens in memory of Indian indentureship in Guyana, and was an enthusiastic MC at IA Day ceremonies there.

For his contributions to Guyana and his heritage, Hamid received several awards, including a 1986 national Medal of Service and a Golden Arrow of Achievement award in 1997, along with a 2003 award from The Guyana Cultural Association (New York) and an achievement award from the Indian Arrival Committee in 2006.

Ayube Hamid died Jan 21, 2009 at 82years-old from heart complications, leaving to mourn his only child, Safiyya; his wife having died in 1994.

Dr Moti Lall

An experienced pulmonologist, he took up the post of Medical Superintendent at West Demerara Regional Hospital in 1974, where he remained until his 2001 retirement. He has also been widely hailed for his efforts in limiting the spread of tuberculosis in Guyana through education and control.

His interest in TB eradication led to the opening of the Chest Clinic in Orange Walk, Georgetown, now housed in the compound of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. He was also president of the Chest Society, and helped raise funding for the local fight against TB. Recognising his efforts, the health ministry awarded Lall a Silver Medal in 1983, and in 1998, he received the country's third highest honour: the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH). On May 25, 2011, the Seventh-Day Adventist Guyana Conference awarded him for his outstanding work in his field, “in recognition of the impact that his life and professional work had on the citizenry of his beloved Guyana.”

Dr Lall also served as chairman for the Central Housing and Planning Authority, and was president of the Central Demerara Lion's Club. His humanitarianism also saw him a proud member of Arya Samaj and a member of several NGOs in the country.

He also served as MP from Nov 24, 1992 until Feb 15, 2001, then retired in 2002. He was a well-respected doctor of the Vreeden-hoop area, often assisting poor families without recompense.

Dr Lall died Jan 10, 2012 from heart ailments, and cremated after numerous glowing eulogies at Kaashi Dhaam, Ruimzeight on the West Coast Demerara.

Nesbit Chhangur

Dr Moti Lall was born Jan 14, 1942 at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, the eldest of six siblings, but grew up in Buxton, East Coast of Demerara. His mother was a single parent owing to the early death of her husband.

Having excelled in primary school, Lall gained a scholarship to Queen’s College, the premier academic institution in the country, journeying by train to school and back each day. Encouraged to pursue a career in medicine by the school’s principal, Vivyan Joseph Sanger-Davies, Lall would finish secondary school with a scholarship to study medicine in Havana, Cuba in 1964.

He completed undergraduate studies in Cuba before leaving for Germany in 1967 to complete his postgraduate programme that included an in-depth knowledge of TB. He would then complete a post-graduate programme in pulmonary care. After graduating, he migrated to Canada in 1970 where he began working at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg.

Dr Lall returned to Guyana in 1974 and met Chitrarakha Kumar; he married her in February 1975, and they raised three children together.

Nesbit Chhangur was born in the early 1930s at Fyrish, Lower Corentyne, Berbice in British Guiana to a musical family – his father sang and played the sitar while his siblings (three brothers and four sisters) played the piano accordion, harmonium, and fiddle; Nesbit played the dantal and loved to sing.

He attended Fyrish and Albion primary schools, and by the time he was eight he was performing in school, accompanied by one of his brothers on the piano accordion. At ten, he received his first guitar lesson from an elder in the Fyrish village. He later attended Corentyne High School at Rosehall, and by 15, he began entering musical competitions. In the early 1940s, he won a local radio (ZFY) talent contest.

This win led to airtime on local radio alongside other local bands, while

famed Guyanese broadcaster Olga Lopes Seale featured him on her weekly New Amsterdam produced radio programmes.

He became a weekly guest artiste on a talent show called “Berbice Calling” and her show, “Olga Lopes sings”.

Nesbit is described as “Guyana first singing cowboy”; his love for American country music first began when his father bought “T is for Texas and T is for Tennessee” and “Blue Yodel”, a 78rpm Bluebird record by Jimmy Rogers.

As WWII left American records scarce commodities on the colony, Nesbit tuned into American radio stations to listen to cowboy music especially, and was a special fan of the “Grand Ole Opry” broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee in the U.S. The war also created a shortage of guitar strings, but Nesbit found a solution to the problem: Usually playing at Providence on the East Bank Demerara, which was near Everton where bauxite would be loaded onto boats bound for the U.S, Nesbit met American sailors who had heard his singing on local radio. Happy to hear their country music so far from home, they volunteered to bring back guitar strings along with a country-and-western music book for Nesbit.

Nesbit is credited with being the first person to record songs in the colony of British Guiana. The recording of his own composition in the 1950s, “Sunny Corentyne” was done by ACE Records, a local entity set up by local entrepreneur Vivian Lee. Nesbit would record several more records there, including his versions of “There’s no room in my heart for another”, “Starry Waltz” and “I’m so lonesome I could cry”.

The BBC would later use Nesbit’s version of “There’s no room in my heart for another” in their documentary “Roraima, the lost world”.

For Guyanese, it would be his song, “Guianese Lament”, recorded in 1964 after the arrival of British troops on the colony to quell racial disturbances, which would resound. He also donated money raised from the sale of its records to the Red Cross Disaster Fund, and recorded another patriotic composition, “Call to Guiana”.

But singing cowboy and patriotic songs was not a lucrative career for Nesbit. He also became a well-known and respected teacher and administrator. He taught at the Albion, Albion Front and West Coast Bushlot primary schools, and was history teacher and choirmaster at the Berbice Educational Institute in New Amsterdam before becoming its vice principal.

Nesbit Chhangur also became British Guiana’s first local YMCA (Guyana) executive director and general secretary. It was at the YMCA complex in Thomas Lands, where British troops were garrisoned in the 1960s, that he composed “Guianese Lament.”

He would also be called upon to perform at many significant local events such as the Catholic Standard Diamond Jubilee in 1965, and at the 1961 inauguration of Cheddi Jagan as prime minister. In addition, he was invited to sing at one of the Miss Guyana competitions hosted by Lady Sarah Lou Carter.

Nesbit Chhangur is said to live in Canada with his family after emigrating in 1967, but still enjoys teaching music. A qualified Canadian teacher, he enjoys playing and recording his music.

He has received numerous honours and awards, including the Wordsworth McAndrew Award at Folk Festival 2002 in Brooklyn, New York, and, in November 2004, he received a special award from the Berbice Educational Institute. continued on page 13

J

oel Pharous, known as Prince JP, is a Guyanese Chutney artiste making waves in the local music industry. Born Dec 30, 1989, he grew up in West Ruimveldt but later moved to Diamond, EBD, and is currently residing in the U.S. The 28-year-old started his singing career in his West Ruimveldt School choir at the age of 10 and at 18 began singing in a local band, though not taking the singing seriously. Ultimately, Joel discovered that his destiny was to sing and he has not looked back since. Today, he has successfully taken part in many singing competitions and entertainment shows, as well as produces his own music. Recently, he released his latest single titled, “Wine that Sexy Body”. The song was written by the Guyanese artiste and is a groovy soca hit. He also recently became a father, but still manages to find the time to write and record his music – something he is passionate about. The music for the this new release was arranged by Shastri Music out of Orlando, Florida, but the vocals were recorded at Prince JP’s Home Studio in New York. Planning to return to the land of his birth sometime soon, Prince JP can be followed on his website www.princejpmusic.com for all the latest in videos, photos and music. The singer’s future plan is to continue to record music. He revealed that in August he will be releasing his first R&B album as well a mixed one. He will also be working on a few chutney songs for his fans.

12 Times Indian Arrival Magazine MAY 2017

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Little-known Indo Guyanese...

from page 11

Ram S. Singh

Ram S. Singh was born March 26, 1912 in Alexander Village to indentured parents who had arrived in the colony of British Guiana in 1894. His father died in 1938 and his mother 10 years later.

Singh began his career with the British Guiana Museum of the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society as a “washer or museum assistant” in 1924 at just age 12, after completing his basic education at the Ruimveldt Anglican School on what was then considered the East Bank of Demerara.

The then museum curator Walter E. Roth, along with P.S Perberdy, who was to succeed Water Roth as curator, further mentored the young Singh. In 1939, Singh was awarded a Diploma in Taxidermy of the North-Western School of Taxidermy in Omaha, Nebraska; then in July 1946, Singh was sent to the U.S under a special scholarship, to take a course in modern, scientific and educational techniques of taxidermy and exhibition arrangement at the Chicago Museum of National History.

By courtesy of the director of the museum Colonel Clifford Gregg, Singh also received an eight-month practical course in Taxidermy, Botany, Anthropology and Zoology, and went on to study the preparation of school exhibits. Upon completion, Singh was invited to study at the Colorado Museum in Denver for two months, in which time he visited the premier museums in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Iowa, Milwaukee; the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

During his time in the U.S, Ram Singh received a diploma in zoology, and was highly praised by both staff and students for the quality of his work. He became a member of the American Ornithological Union (MAOU) and the British Ornithological Union (MBOU). He returned to British Guiana June 11, 1947 to continue his work for the BG museum, when he was appointed assistant curator.

Ram Singh was also an expedition pioneer. Before his studies in the U.S, he accompanied both Walter Roth and Perberdy

on interior scientific expeditions; going with Perberdy on the Pinkus-Perberdy Mount Roraima Expedition of 1938-1940.

In 1939, Singh accompanied Dr E. Davis of Harvard University on a field expedition up the Mazaruni River.

After the Feb. 23, 1945 Great Fire of Georgetown destroyed the museum and many of its exhibits, Singh would lead at least 11 special expeditions into Guyana’s interior to collect new material for the museum. He first travelled to the Abary region Feb. 4, 1946; two years later, he reached the upper Abary, the Demerara River, through the north-west regions and the Rupununi district, collecting specimens.

He also travelled extensively along the coastlands from Essequibo to Berbice.

The specimens were stuffed in the field before being brought to Georgetown; something, it was said, that had never been done before in the colony. With his extensive knowledge gained from travels in the US, British Guiana and Brazil, Singh was able to collect, preserve and exhibit museum specimens.

Interior of a logie

Manager's house, Plantation Non-Pariel

Creole labourers dwellings at Pln Ma Retraite, British Guiana.

No date.

(Berbice Gazette)

Semi-detached labourers' cottages at Plantation Ogle (Photo credit B.G. Sugar Producers' Association)

The Great House of former Aurora Estate (Essequibo Coast). Its broad gallery has been enclosed and fitted with windows.

Trashing rice on the plantation

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Kunal Kapoor to raise money Shah Rukh Khan: ‘I sell dreams, peddle love to millions’ for the rehabilitation of paraplegics S

K

unal Kapoor has always been known to back a good cause, whether it is raising money for the victims of the Nepal earthquake or people suffering from cancer. The actor has now focused his attention on raising funds for our soldiers.

Kunal’s crowdfunding platform, Ketto, had started a campaign after the Uri attacks to raise money for the family of soldiers, successfully raising funds. The actor has now taken his commitment to help soldiers of the army a step further.

A source reveals, “Kunal has collaborated with the IPL team, Rising Pune super Giants to raise money for the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC) and the campaign is called Shukriyasoldier. PRC is a rehabilitation centre for defence forces that are medically boarded out i.e. retired from service due to spinal cord injury while serving the Nation. Though, wheelchair bound, these soldiers have not let their disabilities come in the way of their achievement. There are paraplegic soldiers that have won medals at national and international events in various sports”.

Talking about it, Kunal says, “I went to the PRC and came back incredibly inspired by the soldiers and the work that the organ-

isation is doing. These soldiers have not let their disabilities and the challenges that they faced, stop them from achieving amazing things. They are real life superheroes and I think it’s important that their stories reach out to people”. (Hindustan Times)

K

atrina Kaif has a new feather to add to her cap. The actor is now the first Bollywood star to be featured in Peruvian photographer Mario Testino’s Towel Series.

Katrina posted the photo from the shoot tagging Mario and wrote, “Thank you @ mariotestino for the wonderful experience of shooting for the legendary #TowelSeries ...

You must come see us again soon. Here u go @anaitashroffadajania.”

In the photo, Katrina can be seen wrapped in nothing but a white towel. Her back and legs are exposed as she strikes a mean pose for the lens. Her hair is bundled up in another towel.

Mario has shot several international celebs like Britney Spears, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart, Selena Gomez, Kendall Jenner and Cindy Crawford for the Towel Series.

Katrina posted a picture with Mario in January on her Facebook. He had come to

hah Rukh Khan has become synonymous with the phrase “dreams come true” in Indian cinema and the actor says he believes love is the emotion that inspires and keeps one from failing.

In his first address at the TED Talks, which was laced with his signature wit and humour, the Bollywood superstar proclaimed that he sells dreams and love to millions around the world. “I sell dreams, and I peddle love to millions of people... I’ve been made to understand there are lots of you here who have never seen my work, and I feel really sad for you. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m completely selfobsessed, as a movie star should be,” TED Blog quoted Shah Rukh as saying.

The actor, 51, said love is the simplest yet greatest emotion known to mankind.

“I’ve learned that whatever moves you, whatever urges you to create, build, whatever keeps you from failing, whatever helps you survive, is perhaps the oldest and the simplest emotion known to mankind, and that is love,” Khan said.

Shah Rukh, the first Indian actor to deliver a TED Talk, compared his “ageing” movie star persona to humanity. “Humanity is a lot like me. It’s an ageing movie star, grappling with all the newness around it, wondering whether it got it right in the first place and still trying to find a way to keep on shining regardless,” he said.

Talking about his constant face-off with controversies, be it about his faith or opinion, Shah Rukh said it has become a practice with people active on social media to target him. “Everything I said took a new meaning; everything I did good, bad, ugly, was there for the world to comment upon and judge... I started to feel that I couldn’t be who I wanted to be or say what I actually

thought. We had expected an expansion of ideas and dreams; we had not bargained for the enclosure of judgement.”

The actor said one always has the option to utilise one’s faith to break walls or to spread fear. “You may use your power to build walls and keep people outside. Or you may use it to break barriers and welcome them in. You may use your faith to make people afraid and terrify them into submission. Or you can use it to give courage to people, so they rise to the greatest heights of enlightenment.”

Shah Rukh will return to Indian television as the host of TED Talks’ Hindi version, titled “TED Talks India: Nayi Soch”. (PTI)

Vinod Khanna dies at 70

V

attend the Vogue India party with his team.

Currently, Katrina is busy with her next film, “Jagga Jasoos”. The film has been directed by Anurag Basu and also stars Ranbir Kapoor. She will also be seen with Salman Khan in “Tiger Zinda Hai”. (Hindustan Times)

eteran Bollywood actor, politician and former union minister Vinod Khanna passed away in Mumbai on Thursday morning following prolonged illness. He was 70.

His funeral took place at a crematorium in Worli, Mumbai, in the evening which was attended by a number of his contemporaries, including Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Ranjit and many others.

Khanna was hospitalised over a month ago for cancer but the family then re-

mained tight-lipped about his condition. In a brief statement, the hospital said

Khanna breathed his last at 11.20 am due to advanced bladder carcinoma.

Amitabh Bachchan reportedly rushed to Vinod Khanna’s family’s side after hearing the news of his death. According to reports, Bachchan was giving an interview for his upcoming film “Sarkar 3”.

Khanna is survived by his wife Kavita, son Sakshi and daughter Shraddha, his former wife Geetanjali and their sons Akshaye and Rahul. (Hindustan Times)

Priyanka Chopra: ‘Don’t like Shilpa’s name dragged in business sensationalising stories’ row to create hype, says husband

A

fter a criminal case was lodged against Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra for duping a textile firm owner for a considerable sum of money, the businessman said

his wife’s name has been dragged to create media hypes.

Kundra released a statement on Friday in which he says that “the vendor is misusing his connections in various stations”. “This is a

civil matter and an abuse of the law. We have tight contracts signed and on the contrary, the vendor owes us money for not fulfilling orders. Beat deal is unfortunately being wound up due to the business failing and we are following the laws of the land to close the various matters properly,” Kundra said in a statement.

Kundra also added that Shilpa has nothing to do with the daily running of the business. “It’s sad that at every step of the way, my wife’s name is dragged in to create media hype. She was a non-executive, who had nothing to do with the daily running of the business,” he said. (IANS)

A

ctor-producer Priyanka Chopra, who has done some bold scenes in the American series Quantico, says she doesn’t like to sensationalise stories into sexuality.

“I haven’t done anything more than what is shown here in Hindi films. I am an actor and I don’t like sensationalising stories into sexuality... so, it just becomes a big deal,” said Priyanka.

“I have my limitation and people over there know that.

In Hollywood, I have only done what I have done in Hindi films. I keep my standard same for everything,” she added.

She is now set to make her Hollywood debut with “Baywatch” as the antagonist Victoria Leeds.

“I feel the world is maledominated, whether it’s in India or abroad. Outside India, there is also same fight of equality for women as much as it is here in India.

Entire world... over the years has told women that they are second class citizens all their lives. Even in films, male actors are given reverence but with female actors, we have reached a stage where female actors have crossed Rs 100 crore-mark at the box office.

It was achieved by Kangana Ranaut and it is the biggest achievement.”

She wants Indian and south Asian talent to get represented in global cinema. “We are one-fifth of the world population, but very few Indian actors are seen in international cinema. So, I

want to take on roles which are not written for Indian actors,” she said.

She also spoke about Indian celebrities getting trolled online. “I feel that media gives undue importance to tweets made by celebrities or other influential people. My each tweet becomes a news article. I have over 17 million followers on Twitter and when they see it, then there is no need to make news about that,” she said.

Talking about working with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, she said, “We have spoken about other films, but not for Padmavati. I’m sure it will look beautiful.”

“Padmavati” stars Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. (Hindustan Times)

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

I

n 1872 two men began work on a lexicon of words of Asian origin used by the British in India.

Since its publication the 1,000-page dictionary has never been out of print and a new edition is due out [in 2013]. What accounts for its enduring appeal?

“Hobson-Jobson” is the dictionary's short and mysterious title.

The subtitle reveals more: "A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms etymological, historical, geographical and discursive. By Colonel Henry Yule and AC Burnell."

But even the word "discursive" doesn't quite prepare the reader for what is to come.

"It's a madly unruly and idiosyncratic work," says poet Daljit Nagra.

"Not so much an orderly dictionary as a passionate memoir of colonial India. Rather like an eccentric Englishman in glossary form."

Take the entry for the Indian word dam. The dictionary defines it as: "Originally an actual copper coin. Damri is a common enough expression for the infinitesimal in coin, and one has often heard a Briton in India say: 'No, I won't give a dumree!' with but a vague notion what a damri meant."

That is the etymology of

dam. But Yule and Burnell have more to say.

"And this leads to the suggestion that a like expression, often heard from coarse talkers in England as well as in India, originated in the latter country, and that whatever profanity there may be in the animus, there is none in the etymology, when such an one blurts out 'I don't care a dam!' in other words, 'I don't care a brass farthing!'"

There is a huge delight in language that's evident throughout the dictionary, says Dr Kate Teltscher, reader in English Literature at Roehampton University, who is preparing the new Oxford World Classics edition.

"It's a hugely ambitious attempt to trace linguistic influence… it's all about the distance that words travel," she says. "It's also about looking at words in their context, and seeing how they describe a lost way of life."

When the book was published, it was already a source of nostalgia for the passing of the East India Company era as India came under British rule.

"There was a market for it in India, amongst the British serving in India.

One review recommended it as an ideal 'after-dinner reading in camp'," says Teltscher.

"It does include a lot

Words from India

A - atoll, avatar B - bandana, bangle, bazaar, Blighty, bungalow C - cashmere, catamaran, char, cheroot, cheetah, chintz, chit, chokey, chutney, cot, cummerbund, curry D - dinghy, doolally, dungarees G - guru, gymkhana H - hullabaloo J - jodhpur, jungle, juggernaut, jute

of administrative terms things that the British needed to know. But it was also clearly meant for diversion and entertainment, both for the British serving in India and the British when they had returned home."

Anglo-Indian food features prominently. For example, it defines kedgeree (or kitchery) thus: "A mess of rice, cooked with butter and dal and flavoured with a little spice, shred onion, and the like.

It's a common dish all over India, and often served at Anglo-Indian breakfast tables. In England we find the word is often applied to a mess of re-cooked fish, served for breakfast, but this is inaccurate. Fish is frequently eaten with kedgeree, but is no part of it."

Chilly, we learn, is "the popular Anglo-Indian name of the pod of red pepper".

"There is little doubt that the name was taken from Chile in South America," the compilers Yule and Burnell say, "whence the plant was carried to the Indian archipelago and thence to India."

"Who doesn't know what chilli means now?" asks Daljit Nagra.

"But here it's been recorded probably for first time in a Western dictionary and I love the idea of witnessing the birth of that word."

For writers such as

K - khaki, kedgeree L - loot N - nirvana P - pariah, pashmina, polo, pukka, pundit, purdah, pyjamas S - sari, shampoo, shawl, swastika T - teak, thug, toddy, typhoon V - veranda Y - yoga Sources: Hobson-Jobson, Oxford English Dictionary

Nagra, Hobson-Jobson has often been a source of inspiration.

Here is how HobsonJobson defines naukar-chaukar. It means "the servants" but the authors continue: "One of those jingling double-barrelled phrases in which Orientals delight even more than Englishmen... As regards Englishmen, compare hugger-mugger, hurdy-gurdy, tip-top, higgledy-piggledy, hocus-pocus, tit-for-tat, topsy-turvy... harum-scarum, roly-poly, rump and stump, slip-slop…"

"I love these rhyming words in Hobson-Jobson," says Nagra.

"They're such a familiar feature of my mother tongue and I can see how it's inspired so many writers, most famously Salman Rushdie whose novel “Midnight's Children” is richly sprinkled with phrases such aswriting-sh[y]ting, puddingshudding."

The word Hobson-Jobson itself is one of these.

"My friend Major John Trotter tells me that he has repeatedly heard this phrase used by British soldiers in the Punjab. It is in fact an Anglo-Saxon version of the wailings of the Mahommedans as they beat their breasts in the procession of the Moharram - 'Ya Hasan! Ya Hosain!'"

Another author who has drawn inspiration from the dictionary is Tom Stoppard.

In his play “Indian Ink”, two characters compete to use as many Hobson-Jobson words as possible: Flora: "While having tif-

fin on the veranda of my bungalow I spilled kedgeree on my dungarees and had to go to the gymkhana in my pyjamas looking like a coolie."

Nirad: "I was buying chutney in the bazaar when a thug who had escaped from the chokey ran amok and killed a box-wallah for his loot, creating a hullabaloo and landing himself in the mulligatawny."

Stoppard says he deliberately chose words that the English-speaking audience would be familiar with. One of the surprises is that there are so many of these.

"By exploring the words that are in Hobson-Jobson we start to realise how many words that we use every day, we don't even think of as particularly being of Indian origin actually are," says Teltscher.

"So words like shampoo, words like pyjamas, words like bangle. We tend to think of Empire in terms of domination and control, in terms of the way power was used and abused. But we can also think of it in more intimate ways and I think HobsonJobson allows us to do that."

Nagra says this is exactly what he loves about Hobson-Jobson.

"That it now feels like a benign project of Victorian multiculturalism, where words from Hindi, Malay, Arabic and even Chinese can cohabit and intermingle with English words - words that have themselves been remade by rubbing alongside their new neighbours."

In his introduction to the

Shampoo: To "knead and press the muscles with the view of relieving fatigue".

Pyjamas: A "pair of loose drawers or trousers, tied round the waist".

Gymkhana: "It is applied to a place of public

book, Yule writes that words of Indian origin have been "insinuating themselves into English ever since the end of the reign of Elizabeth and the beginning of that of King James".

Terms such as calico, chintz and gingham had already by then "effected a lodgement in English warehouses and shops, and were lying in wait for entrance into English literature".

Eccentric, entertaining, full of curious detail, the dictionary is nonetheless very much of its time. Teltscher notes "an almost innate sense of British cultural superiority" running through the book.

Novelist Amitav Ghosh, meanwhile, is quite sure he would not wish to meet Yule and Burnell.

"No. I don't think I would at all," he says. "I enjoy the book but it's absolutely ridden with ideas of racial separation. I would never be a guest at their dinner party."

Arthur Burnell, a scholar of South Indian languages, died before the project was completed.

Colonel Henry Yule, a retired Bengal engineer, who became president of the Royal Asiatic Society, eventually drew his 14-year labour to a close in 1886, not because it was finished, but as he put it, "ars longa, vita brevis". Art is long, life is short. (Source: BBC News Magazine, “Hobson-Jobson: The words English owes to India” By Mukti Jain Campion. July 11, 2012)

resort at a station, where the needful facilities for athletics and games of sorts are provided".

Veranda: "An open pillared gallery round a house".

Source: Hobson-Jobson

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MAY 2017

Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration Nrityageet

Nrityageet dancers Sony Sikandar, Rewattie Datt, Indira Itwaru, Koreena Itwaru, Keon Heywood, Mikel Andrews

By Ashraf Dabie

T

he cultural heritage of those who came as indentured labourers is still evident in present Guyanese society. As a matter of fact, some of those traditions brought to these shores by our Indian ancestors have laid the foundation upon which our society operates.

However, though several aspects of the tangible and non-tangible inheritance from our Indian forefathers have managed to weather the years, some elements have either been completely erased or fused with other ethnicities to create a unique creole culture.

The 'Bangra Boys'

Nonetheless, masses of traditional Indian societies and cultural activists have successfully established various avenues to preserve and celebrate the contributions of their predecessors.

One such example is the annual classical dance production, Nrityageet.

Nrityageet features a fusion of traditional Indian dances, including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, as well as the more modern Caribbean evolutions such as Chutney and Soca.

After being staged for over 30 years, the production has been established as a highly anticipated cultural spectacle, while honour-

ing the founding fathers of Indo-Guyanese society and educating those in attendance of their historical arrival and presence.

Nrityageet was birthed 38 years ago, when the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe first launched their annual celebration of the arrival of the first batch of East Indians to the then British Guiana.

The Shah family, being direct descendants of Indian indentured labourers, remained dedicated to honouring their roots though music, drama, poetry and, later, dance. The idea came to life following a conference at the University of West Indies, as the administration celebrated the arrival of East Indians to Trinidad.

It was at this event that Nadira Shah was invited to perform, and her stellar presentation of the classical Kathak dance inspired the concept that such national productions can be done in Guyana. As such, the Shah family went on to stage the first ever Nrityageet in the year 1979 at Queen’s College, after which it was moved to the National Cultural Centre, where it remains to date.

Seeta Shah Roath, one of the Shah’s sisters and organisers of the annual cultural event, as well as director of the troupe, vividly recollected when the inaugural

Nrityageet was held.

“The idea was to remember our ancestors by highlighting the cultural traditions that have been passed down,” Shah explained.

She pointed out that initially the focus was on classical Indian music and dance, but over the years the production has evolved to include poetry and dramatic presentations, as well as folk dances inspired by the “plantation society” and modern presentations.

Shah added what started out as a tribute to Indian culture has eventually diversified to include influences and fusions of other ethnicities within the multicultural society of Guyana.

“New dancers are joining all the time, learning and exploring the world of dance, learning from the greatest while adding their flair for the modern and different. Nadira Shah Berry, Suzanne Shah Nilsson, and Rewattie Datt DaCosta are also currently training new dancers in traditional and modern dance, as they explore new trends and create new experiences. We are exploring futuristic dance theatre with ballet and modern dancers blended with influences of traditional styles with the best dancers in Guyana, exploring new frontiers in the art form,” Shah expressed.

The troupe has performed for national and international programmes such as the InterGuiana Cultural Festival, CARIFESTA, World Expo and many other programmes in India, Europe, UK, U.S.A., the Caribbean, Latin America and around the world. With Nrityageet being in existence for 38 years, the presentations have been recognised internationally for its high standards in dance theatre in Europe and the United States, earning them the prestigious Madame Iffel Award of Barbados for the “Best Traditional Dance”.

The Guyana Theatre Arts Awards also recognised this troupe for its “Exceptional Diligence in the Pursuit of Excellence,” for “Best Dance Production” in 2004, 2003, 2000, 1998, and 1999; “Best Costumes” in 2003, 2002, 2000, and 1997; “Best Sets” in 2003, 2004. Most significantly, the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe received the Medal of Service (a National Award) for “Sustained and Outstanding Contribution to the Cultural Mosaic of Guyana”, and the New York Folk Festival Award for “Long and Sustained Dance Productions of Excellence”.

The celebration of the history and contributions of our Indian ancestors to the evolution of the diversified Guyanese society continues this year as the 38th production of Nrityageet is being held on May 6 and 7, 2017 at the National C u l t u r a l Centre.

The diverse dance theatre experie n c e , which

Suzanne Shah Nilsson

echoes the traditional values of Indo-Guyanese culture through the performing arts, is this year being staged under the theme, “Our Heritage, Our Treasures - Celebrating the

Arrival of All Peoples”. The event promises a colourful recollection of history while at the same time showcasing the diversity, creativity and accomplishments of modern Guyanese society.

Nadira Shah

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

A

pple recently rolled out the new iOS 10.3 update — and if you took the plunge and upgraded to the new OS, you might have noticed your iPhone is running a bit more quickly and smoothly than it did before.

Tech BYTE

Y

That alone shouldn't be a big surprise.

New software should make your phone hum, and this update in particular includes a fancy new modern file system that has played a part in freeing up more storage space on devices than the previ-

This gadget can turn an ordinary surface into a smart controller

ou can now turn on your smart appliances with a touch of any ordinary surface.

Welle uses embedded sonar and a sensitive algorithm to let you control your smart devices with simple hand gestures.

ous OS. But that's not the only reason your iPhone now has some extra pep, according to Apple engineer Renaud Lienhart.

He took to Twitter to reveal one of the undocumented tweaks to the OS. iOS 10.3 feels “snappier” because many animations were slightly tweaked & shortened, for the better.

The animations he's talking about come when you open, close or switch between apps, as BGR notes. This doesn't mean the apps will be running faster when you use them — it has to do more with improved responsiveness, which I noticed

right away while switching between open apps on the new OS. It's a small change, but it makes multitasking on the iPhone even more seamless than before.

You should update your device to iOS 10.3 for more than just the speed boost, too. It's always a good call to keep your phone's OS current, since updates usually fix issues and bugs, like the Safari ransom bug that 10.3 knocked out.

That, and you'll finally be able to track down pesky AirPods when they get lost and avoid dropping a $69 fee (not nice) for a replacement. (Yahoo)

Touch your table to turn off your TV. Move your finger a certain way to lower your shades.

Set that snooze alarm a little easier.

Welle is still in a Kickstarter campaign, so you can score an early-bird price of US$69. (Yahoo)

Tech NEWS

Drones posed 'significant risk' to passenger plane

Tech BYTE

A

A

eroMobil is calling this the nextgeneration vehicle.

The company unveiled their flying car in 2014 but it was not commercially available.

Now it’s ready and being presented at the Top Marques car show in Monaco.

The vehicle is fully functional as both a

car and an aircraft, and its hybrid engine makes it environmentally friendly.

You will need more than just a driver’s license to operate the car of the future – a pilot’s license will be needed as well.

This isn’t the first flying-car concept – Airbus and Italdesign debuted the Pop.Up earlier this year. (Yahoo)

near-miss involving a passenger jet and more than one drone has been reported in the UK for the first time.

The incident happened over east London as an Airbus A320 was approaching Heathrow Airport last November.

A report by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB) found the incident had "compromised the safety of the aircraft".

One pilot also said there would have been a "significant risk of collision" if the jet had been on a different approach path.

The plane was flying at 5,500ft on 20 November when its crew spotted two white, orb-shaped drones nearby.

The pilots "remained in constant visual contact" with the gadgets, which are estimated to have got as close as 500m to the aircraft, according to the report.

Less than 30 minutes later, a Boeing 777 approaching Heathrow flew within 50m of what is believed to have been one of the drones, described as white, about

2m wide and with four prongs.

A report was made to the Metropolitan Police, but the people flying the drones were not found.

The latest report from UKAB said there had been five near-misses between aircraft and drones in one month - bringing the total over the past year to 62.

But the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the 20 November case was the first time there had been an incident involving more than one drone.

According to CAA rules, drones must not be flown above 400ft or near airports or airfields.

Earlier this month, police forces in the UK said they were being "flooded" with reports involving drones.

Last year, more than 3,456 incidents involving drones were recorded, compared with only 1,237 in 2015, according to the PA news agency.

Incidents involved include invasions of privacy, disputes between neighbours, and prison smuggling. (BBC)

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration

Recipe of the Week

Ingredients

D

eeply rooted in the country's culture and history, Indian interior design features rich textiles and furniture,

4 cups milk, preferably full cream Few strands saffron 5 to 6 tbsp sugar 3 1/2 tbsp rice, soaked 12 almonds, blanched and sliced finely Few drops almond essence

often handmade using traditional methods. Transport yourself to this exotic country and get Indian design ideas for your home.

Rich colour and texture are key elements of Indian design. Coated with various shades of red Venetian plaster, the dramatic arch in this living room becomes the perfect backdrop for a framed Indian textile.

The columns are drizzled with copper paints and adorned with a subtle Moorish stencil design, while the remaining walls have a soft gold faux finish.

Embroidered throw pillows and a leather ottoman complement the lavish surroundings

Method

Microwave for 1-2mins until the Soak the rice for 20mins and grind milk comes to a boil again. Continue to a fine paste. Soak the saffron in 1 to cook for 5mins, stirring twice. Let stand 3-4mins.

1/2 cup warm milk.

Stir in most of the almonds and Bring the milk to boil along with essence. the sugar and saffron on the stove.

Pour into serving bowl and garnish Put into a large microwave-safe with the remaining nuts and some dish. Stir in the ground rice. raisins. Chill well.

I

Since Indian decor is often rich in colour, pattern and texture, just a few strategically placed pieces can fill a room with exotic flair. An antique Indian bedspread, hand-stitched with beading and gold thread, completely transforms this urban loft bedroom into a vibrant, energetic space. Patchwork pillows handmade from old textiles and the pink beaded sari vunderneath the ottoman, another vintage item from India, add another burst of colour Step inside a traditional South Indian home and you may find a jhoola, or swing.

Typically placed in the living room, indoor swings can be wood or metal, simple or ornate, and hung from the ceiling or from a frame

Greatest Cooking Tips

f you forget to soak channa overnight, just soak it in boiling water for an hour before cooking.

Don't burn your spices. When adding spices, add a little water to the pan to help cool it sufficiently to prevent the powders from burning. This also allows the pan to deglaze and keeps the bottom free of residue. The water also helps to bring out the flavours.

Except when frying the spices to begin the cooking process, or frying mustard seeds, it’s best to start the dish on a medium heat. Cook slowly to seal in flavours.

Use a heavy bottomed vessel to make kheer to prevent burning.

Soak potatoes and eggplant after cutting to avoid discolouration.

Soak almonds in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. The skin will peel off easily.

Always add hot water to gravy to enhance its taste.

T

Home Help

o keep ants out of the house, find where the ants are entering the house and sprinkle a "barrier" of cinnamon or any type of ground pepper to block their way. The spices are too “hot� for the ants to cross.

Baby wipes are miracle-workers on carpet stains, from motor oil to blood, they remove almost anything.

Smelly shoes? Simply fill a tube sock with kitty litter, baking soda or tea leaves; tie the end closed and place the filled socks in the shoes when you're not wearing them. These sachets can be used over and over in any kind of shoe.

If you need a wide piece of wax paper, seal two strips together with a hot iron; it cools quickly.

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration PARENTING w

T

JOKES Half It Your Way

he food at a sandwich shop I frequent is good, but any deviation from the norm throws the staff.

I once told a clerk that I wanted only half a sandwich. His reply: “What am I going to do with the other half?”

A week later, when I told another clerk the same thing, she responded, “Do you want the top or the bottom?”

T

One each

wo little boys stole a big bag of oranges from a neighbour. They decided to go to a quiet place to share the lot equally.

One of them suggested the nearby cemetery.

As they were jumping over the gate to enter the cemetery, two oranges fell out of the big bag but they didn't bother to pick them since they had enough in the bag.

A few minutes later, a drunk on his way home from a bar passed near the cemetery gate and heard a voice saying: "One for me, one for you. One for me, one for you. One for me, one for you."

He immediately sobered up and ran as fast as he could to a church nearby.

"Father, please come with me. Come and witness God and Satan sharing corpses at the cemetery."

They both ran back to the cemetery gate and the voice continued: "One for me, one for you. One for me, one for you. One for me, one for you."

Suddenly, the voice stopped counting and said: "What about the two at the gate?"

S

Dress feud

A

New will to live

R

Inside marriage

avitri’s wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement – not even her parents' nasty divorce.

Her mother had found the perfect dress to wear, and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Savitri was horrified to learn that her father's new, young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother.

Savitri asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused. "Absolutely not! I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it," she replied.

Savitri told her mother who graciously said, "Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day."

A few days later, they went shopping, and did find another gorgeous dress for her mother.

When they stopped for lunch, Savitri asked her mother, "Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."

Her mother just smiled and replied, "Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding."

n elderly gentleman named Raj had considerable hearing problems for a number of years. Naturally, Raj went to his doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that enabled Raj to hear perfectly.

Raj returned in a month to the doctor for his check up and was told, “Raj, your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.”

Raj grinned, “Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times, already.”

ohan and Shalini, young couple, got married and went happily on their honeymoon.

When they got back, Shalini immediately phoned her mother, who obviously asked, “How was the honeymoon, dearest?”

“Oh, Ma,” she replied, “the honeymoon was wonderful.

So romantic...”

Then Shalini burst out crying. “But, Ma, as soon as we returned home Rohan started using the most ghastly language... saying things I've never heard before! I mean, all these awful 4-letter words! You've got to come get me and take me home... Please Ma.” “Calm down, Shalini!” said her mother, “Tell me, what could be so awful? What 4-letter words?”

Still sobbing, Shalini whispered, “Oh, Ma...words like dust, wash, cook, and iron.”

B

umps and bruises are an inescapable part of childhood. Yet a light injury is only one step away from a dangerous fracture. To help a child avoid serious injury, parents need to follow some simple rules.

Sleep safety

A baby should sleep on their back. Since 1992, when an official recommendation changed from “sleep on the stomach” to “sleep on the back”, the mortality rate from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the countries of Western Europe decreased by three times.

Quilted blankets with lace can block the baby’s respiratory tract during sleep. A hard mattress and taut elastic fitted sheets are all you need.

A can of Coca-Cola should fit between the crib bars. This distance is optimum for a baby not to get stuck between the bars.

A sleeping baby should be free from scarves, clothes, hats with ties, bibs, pacifiers, or toys with strings.

Fall and injury prevention

it comes to staircases, they should be placed both at the top and the bottom.

Always buckle children when using high chairs or carriers. When putting your child into the carrier, set it on the floor, not on a chair, table, or other furniture.

If your child moves around the house in a baby walker, watch that they stay away from stairs, heating appliances, and hanging wires.

Put security bars on your windows. They must be provided with emergency release devices in case of fire.

Ensure secure fixing of furniture (especially of high cabinets) and any other things that can tip and fall.

(To be continued)

Install in your house certified safety gates. When

STORY TIME

The Little Mice and the Big Elephants

O

nce upon a time a village was devastated by a strong earthquake. Damaged houses and roads could be seen everywhere.

The village was, as a matter of fact, in a total ruin. The villagers had abandoned their houses and had settled in a nearby village. Finding the place totally devoid of residents, the mice began to live in the ruined houses. Soon their number grew into thousands and then millions.

There was also a big lake situated near the ruined village. A herd of elephants used to visit the lake for drinking water. The herd had no other way but to pass through the ruins of the village to reach the lake.

While on their way, the elephants trampled hundreds of mice daily under their heavy feet. This made all the mice very sad. Many of them were killed while a large number of them were maimed.

In order to find a solution to this problem, the mice held a meeting.

In the meeting, it was decided that a request should be made to the king of elephants to this effect. The king of mice met the king of elephants and said to him, "Your Majesty, we live in the ruins of the village, but

every time your herd crosses the village, thousands of my subjects get trampled under the massive feet of your herd. Kindly change your route. If you do so, we promise to help you in the hour of your need."

Hearing this, the king of elephants laughed. "You rats are so tiny to be of any help to giants like

ephants. The elephants got trapped.

They struggled hard to free themselves, but in vain.

Suddenly, the king of elephants recollected the promise of the king of mice, who had earlier talked about helping the elephants when needed. So he trumpeted loudly to call the king of mice. The king of

us. But in any case, we would do a favour to all of you by changing our route to reach the lake and to make you more safe." The king of mice thanked the king elephant and returned home.

After sometime, the king of a nearby kingdom thought of increasing the number of elephants in his army. He ordered his soldiers to catch more elephants for this purpose.

The king's soldiers saw this herd and put a strong net around the el-

mice hearing the voice of the king of elephants immediately rushed along with his followers to rescue the herd. There he found the elephants trapped in a thick net.

The mice set themselves on the task. They bit off the thick net at thousands of spots making it loose.

The elephants broke the loose net and freed themselves.

They thanked the mice for their great help and extended their hands of friendship to them forever.

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Following are groups of three words.

Can you figure out the common link within each group?

Example: Hurricane, camera, needle (answer: eyes) 1: Barber, rooster, beehive 2: Bowling alley, tailor, wrestling match 3: Telephone, deck of cards, car trunk 4: Fishing rod, actor, checkout counter 5: Watermelon, tennis tournament, idea see ANSWERS on page 23

see solution on page 23

see solution on page 23

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Celebrating 179 years of Indian Immigration Creature Corner

GEOZONE

Gharial

G

harials are found in the rivers of the northern India subcontinent, including: Bangladesh (where they are close to being extirpated), Bhutan (possibly extirpated), India, Burma (possibly extirpated), and Nepal and Pakistan (possibly extirpated).

They are found within the river systems of the Brahmaputra in Bhutan and India, the Indus River in Pakistan, the Ganges River in India and Nepal, and the Mahanadi River in India, with small populations in the Kaladan and the Irrawaddy in Burma.

The word “gharial” is derived from the word “ghara”, which means “mud pot”. It was misread by Europeans who changed the word to “gavial”. Thus, this species is known both as gavial and gharial.

The gharial is one of the largest of all crocodilian species, approaching the Australian saltwater crocodile--the largest crocodilian--in maximum size. Males reach 20 to 23 feet (6 to

Please see solution on page 23

7 meters) in length.

It has the characteristic elongated, narrow snout, similar only to the false gharial. Variation in snout shape occurs with age.

It generally becomes proportionally shorter and thicker with age. The bulbous growth on the tip of the male's snout is called a "ghara" and is present in mature individuals. It has several functions attributed to it, most notably as a vocal resonator (that produces a loud buzzing noise during vocalization) and as a visual signal to females.

The diet changes as the gharial matures from a juvenile to an adult. The juveniles are well suited to deal with a variety of invertebrate prey such as insects, plus smaller vertebrates such as frogs, but they mainly eat small fish.

Adults are primarily fish-eaters, for which their jaws and teeth are perfectly adapted. The thin shape gives the snout low resistance in water that is suited to fast, sideways snatching movements underwater. The teeth are ideally suited for holding struggling prey such as slippery fish. Some of the larger gharials are more opportunistic and take larger prey, including mammals.

Gharials once nearly faced extinction.

Although they are still critically endangered, conservation efforts are helping to bolster their numbers.

The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

G

urez is a valley located in the high Himalayas, about 86km from Bandipore and 123km from Srinagar in northern Jammu and Kashmir, India. It sits directly below the high-altitude “Line of Control” that divides Indian and Pakistani controlled sectors of Kashmir, which is one of the most tensely guarded frontiers in the world.

For security reasons, Gurez was closed off to the outside world in1947, but the Dard Shin people who call it home were allowed to remain there.

While life in Gurez has been affected by the presence of soldiers guarding the border, the closure of the valley meant it remained totally untainted by tourism for 60 years. At the end of 2007, Indian authorities decided to open the area to

visitors.

The crooked wooden villages that dot the floodplain look like something straight out of an old folk tale. Most have no electricity, plumbing, or telephone. For half the year, the villagers are completely sealed off from the rest of the world, as the one road in and out of the valley is buried deep beneath snow. Most families farm small plots of potatoes, vegetables, and spices. In the highlands surrounding Gurez, nomadic shepherds arrive every ‘summer’ from other parts of Kashmir, and from Punjab, to graze their goats.

At about 8,000 feet above sea level, the valley is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It has diverse fauna and wildlife including the Himalayan brown bear and the snow leopard.

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and groom sit in a square marked out in the centre of the tent in front of the ceremonial fire. In front of them, sits the officiating pandit.

The pandit reads passages from the saved books, and offers a prayer that the deotas (deities) will witness the union and bless it with happiness and make it fruitful. The father of the bride gives her to the bridegroom with appropriate words, and the garments of the couple are knotted together; they then make a

bridegroom touches the head of the bride with sindoor (a vermillion powder).

The application of the sindoor to the parting of the bride’s hair is the climax of the ceremony; it was also the first time, perhaps, that the bridegroom glimpsed his future wife’s face as he raised the purdah (veil) covering her face, to apply the sindoor.

The ceremony outlined resembles the shaadi ceremony of a northern India caste of those times.

Another caste marriage

A typical setting during the religious aspect of a Hindu wedding

M

any of the traditions we uphold today were passed down from our ancestors.

One such tradition is the Hindu wedding.

The religious aspects of the wedding are intriguing, and originated from those who came as indentured servants from India.

Although the Hindu wedding ceremony became elaborated as time went by, the basic structure has remained the same.

It was the parents of the parties concerned who first decided that their children should be married to each other. A pandit(or priest) was then consulted as to an auspicious day for the celebration of the nuptials. A

few days before the wedding, the bride and groom each organize a haldi ceremony (sometimes called pithi ceremony) at their respected homes where the lagan (date) is fixed.

On the day of the wedding, the bridegroom was taken in procession to the bride’s parents’ house and conducted to a tent specially erected for the wedding.

In due time, the bride, “being shrouded in thick folds of muslin or variegated hues and patterns”, joined the groom and the ceremony commenced in the presence of the bride’s relatives, invited guests and the bridegroom’s baraat (a bridegroom's wedding procession made up of rela-

Ceremonial offerings by the bride and groom

tives and friends).

The ceremony sometimes lasts for hours.

During this time, the bride

circuit of the bamboo a stated number of times, and returning in their seats, the

ceremony was the dola. In the dola, the marriage ceremony took place at the

bridegroom’s residence, to which the bride came on the day before the ceremony.

Her coming was marked by an attitude of humility befitting a party importuning marriage on behalf of a poor girl.

In British Guiana, because of the scarcity of suitable girls for marriage, there was little need for a father to importune on behalf of their daughters; consequently, the dola was hardly practised.

But practices associated with the dola survived.

These included the ceremony of matikore or “dig dutty”, the ceremony of thappa lagana, in which the drum is featured, and the worship of Sharti Mata (Mother Earth.)

In all of these ceremonies, women are featured prominently. The dola further lent its name to the bride and groom who were called dolahin and dolaha respectively.

In the ceremony that evolved on the plantation, the dola rites were regarded as preparatory to the marriage ceremony itself. What seemed to have happened on the estate was that the dola and the shaadi were fused in the development of a ceremony that became widely used.

By the 1890s, this fusion had already taken place.

(From the text by the late Dale Bisnauth)

A husband applies sindoor to his bride's forehead

The garments of the bride and groom are knotted, a tradition that originated from India

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A

gem from 17th Century India, believed to have been worn by Mughal emperors, has been auctioned for more than a quarter of a million pounds.

The ruby-red Mughal spinel pendant is inscribed with the names of royal patrons and was lost for several weeks in England during the 1920s.

A US newspaper at the time reported that it was found by a Leicestershire railway worker before it was reclaimed.

It was bought by a private collector for £272,750 on Wednesday.

A

court in northern Indian has given the Ganges and Yamuna

The estimated guide price for the auction on Wednesday was between £60,000 and £80,000.

Benedict Carter from Sotheby’s auctioneers said the gem was a symbol of “power and prestige” and was expertly inscribed in “flowing Persian script” with the names of three Mughul emperors.

The spinel pendant is walnut-sized and hangs on a gold chain with a tassel of pearls.

Mr Carter said he found the American newspaper article in the archives but was unable to confirm the details because the pa-

rivers the status of “living human entities”.

The high court in

Brain Teaser Answer

1. Show and tell 2. Tried and true 3. Ways and means

4. Lost and found 5. Touch and go 6. Room and board

SUDOKU

KID SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand said this would help in the “preservation and conservation” of the highly polluted rivers.

It added that the “legal status” ensures that polluting the rivers would now amount to harming a human being.

Both rivers are considered sacred in India and are considered goddesses by the majority Hindu population.

The ruling comes a week after the Whanganui River in New Zealand became the first in the world to be granted the same legal rights as a person.

The court said in its ruling that Hindus had “deep faith” in the two rivers and they “collectively connect with them”.

“The rivers are central to the existence of half of the Indian population and their health and well-being. They have provided both physical and spiritual sustenance to all of us from time immemorial,” it added.

It went on to add that both rivers had become heavily polluted due to industrialisation and rapid urbanisation.

Two top state officials have been appointed as the “legal guardians” of the rivers and will represent their rights.

Activists say the order is likely to fast track efforts to clean the rivers. (BBC)

per had closed down in 1930s.

“The story was in the Shamokin Dispatch in Pennsylvania but I wasn’t able to find any other references to it in papers in the US or here in Britain.

“I have no reason to believe it’s not true,

though,” he said.

Mr Carter said the jewel probably came back to England with the wife of the UK deputy high commissioner in Lucknow in the 1920s. (BBC)

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Archie

Don’t let your emotions spin out of control. Be care(March 21ful when dealing with people April 19) putting demands on you or using emotional manipulation.

Don’t feel guilty about knowing enough to walk away.

ARIES

Get together with friends, TAURUS relatives or people who share (April 20- the same concerns as you.

May 20) The input you offer will be appreciated. Don’t be afraid to do things differently.

Refuse to let someone or GEMINI something from your past (May 21- stand in the way. Taking conJune 20) trol of any situation you face will do you good and encourage you to excel.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Put your time and energy into something you enjoy.

Indulging in a creative hobby, attending a trade show or taking better care of your health and well-being is a good place to start.

Be open to suggestions.

An interest in health and physical fitness will give you a sense of strength and power. Make decisions that will encourage you to enhance your best attributes.

Use your creative imagination when searching for personal solutions. Find out the truth before you make accusations. Answers can be found if you are understanding and tolerant.

LIBRA Situations will get blown (Sept. 23- out of proportion quickly if you Oct. 23) haven’t paid close attention to detail or others’ actions. If you don’t like something, say so immediately.

Peanuts

Personal changes look inSCORPIO (Oct. 24- viting. Choose to do someNov. 22) thing different or to take on a new and exciting lifestyle.

Attending a retreat or making travel plans that emphasize peace and quiet are favored.

SAGITTARIUS An investment or joint ven(Nov. 23- ture someone proposes is likely Dec. 21) to favor him- or herself rather than you. Negotiate to equalize the prospects, or decline and proceed to do your own thing.

Share stories with people CAPRICORN you haven’t talked to in a (Dec. 22- long time. Make changes to Jan. 19) your home or lifestyle that will bring you joy.

Calvin and Hobbes Personal changes will AQUARIUS raise your confidence and at(Jan. 20- tract attention. Put personFeb. 19) al matters first and make plans that include your family, loved ones and friends. A physical challenge will do you good.

Look at your current sitPISCES (Feb. 20- uation at work and home. If Mar. 20) you don’t like what’s happening, do something about it.

Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move.