Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Records of the Indian
indentured labourers
Inscribed 2011
What is it
Colonial records of Indian labourers in Fiji, Guyana,
Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Why was it inscribed
The documents offer a unique perspective of colonialism
as a major phenomenon in the unfurling of
world history.
Where is it
National Archives of Fiji, National Archives of Guyana,
National Archives of Suriname, National Archives
of Trinidad and Tobago
At the peak of colonialism in the early 19th century, slavery
was finally abolished. However, colonial administrators
were hard-pressed to find alternative cheap labour to meet
the demands of maintaining their empires, particularly
the vast sugar plantations on the many island colonies.
To meet this demand for labour they turned to the Indian
subcontinent. The recruitment process was often hasty and
unorthodox, targeting the populations of poverty-stricken
Indian provinces. Given that many people were landless,
affected by food shortages and unemployment, they were
easily lured and deceived about the work on offer. They
were hustled aboard the waiting ships, unprepared for
the long and arduous sea journey.
The Indian indentured immigration was first accounted
for in the 1830s and over a period of roughly 100 years
1,194,957 Indians were relocated to nineteen colonies.
These records are the only documents for ancestral and
lineage research for the numerous descendants of those
Indian labourers.
The arrival of large groups of Indian labourers in the
receiving colonies had immense repercussions, many
of which are still being felt today. This mass movement
of labour was meticulously recorded by former colonial
powers and stored in the archives of many receiving
colonies around the world.
The Indian diaspora to these nations had an enormous
impact on the local economy, the politics and the
socio-cultural makeup of the colonies. The indentured
344 Records of the Indian indentured labourers
descendants have gone on to create new livelihoods and
expanded their horizons beyond the colonies, with some
taking their place in the world as renowned sportsmen,
politicians, dignitaries and professionals. Their stories
are compelling and demand the equal attention of the
international community through the preservation and
accessibility of their documentary heritage.
The descendants of the indentured labourers have
become an integral part of the former colonies that
received them; the records pertaining to their forebears are
of irreplaceable social, cultural and historical significance.
The personal information contained within the records is
the only source for genealogy search for the descendants
of the labourers.
The legacy of indentured labour against the backdrop
of colonialism and the concept of Empire are vigorously
debated in learning institutions the world over.
� Emigration pass,
Trinidad, 1870