About Indentured Labourers in Agalega

 

I would like to share some information about the Agalega Islands with your readers, as these islands are very much in the news these days. Most of the first permanent inhabitants of Agalega were Indians from India and their children, among them were:

 

Born in Agalega        Date of Birth             Parents                                  Passenger No

Lutchum Permal        27.10.1879              Father Permal

                                                          Mother Carpaye

Kistnen Samy           2.06.1881                Father Permal Veerapen       297489

Permal                                                 Mother Pottoo Malain           234904

Sinasamy                 5.09.1882                Father Permal Veerapen      

Permal                                                 Mother Pottoo Malain

                                                          Declared by

                                                          Kootapermal                      20347

Marie Olympe           28.01.1883              Father Anthony Poonoo

                                                          Mother Baba Mootoosamy

                                                          Mother signed in

                                                          Tamil

Vythilingum              28.02.1993              Father Anamalar                 8694

Anamalar                                              Mother Perrié Nayagan         91

                                                          Declarant: Chellin               205412

Natharamah             17.04.1883              Father Narsimooloo             336762

Narsimooloo                                          Mother Permaye Coonthian

Joseph Veeroo          17.04.1883              Father Veeroo                    204533

                                                          Declarant Uppiah                237780

Marday                   3.06.1884                Father Samy

Mootoosamy                                         Mootoocarpen

                                                          Signed in Tamil

                                                          Mother Sanasee Adélelon

                                                          Declarants :

                                                          Vencatachellum                 136659

                                                          Chiniah                             371668

Soondaren               17.11.1884              Father Narainsamy signed   

                                                          In Tamil

                                                          Mother Manekion

                                                          Declarants :

                                                          Rangalsamy signed

                                                          In Tamil

Kaneesamy              15.02.1885              Father Virabadran Chellan    387905

                                                          Mother Maree Kullar

Mareeye                  22.02.1885              Father Carpen

                                                          Soobramanien

                                                          Signed in Tamil

                                                          Mother Volovaye Coonthan

Goinden                  18.04.1884              Father Nursimooloo             336762

                                                          Thooroovengaloo

                                                          Mother Permaye Coonthan

Mardemootoo           17.08.1885              Father Rengasamy              2477

                                                          Virapadiachy

                                                          Mother Pareyacoothy           359519

                                                          Gopaul

                                                          Both signed in

                                                          Tamil

Sorsson                  4.03.1886                Father Veeroo                    204533

                                                          Mother Cathapermal            23232/16884

                                                          Modéliamar             

                                                          Narayen

                                                          Declarant: Rajiah                121972

Pythien Mootoo        19?Month 1890         Father Govinden) North

                                                          Elamah) India

                                                          Declarant      As per CSO

                                                          Armoogum – From

                                                Madras                  

Coopoosamy            16.04.1890              Veeroo Modeliamar

Poonamah               23.04.1900              Father Ramdass

Ramdass                                               Mother Kamatchee

Mootoo                   27.05.1891              Father Narainsamy

                                                          Signed in Tamil

                                                          Mother Manikan

Meenatchee             12.07.1891              Father Moonsamy               280704

                                                          Mother Kamatchee

Mootoo                   20.07.1891              Father Veerapen Ramsamy

                                                          Mother Periamah

                                                          Thimonee

Lutchoomanin           22.01.1892              Father Soobramanien

Soobramanien                                       Sababady

                                                          Mother Maureetatheea

Camelama                19.08.1892              Father Vavamootoo

Vencatachellum                                     Vencatchellum

                                                          Mother Moutamah

                                                          Solumbrum Pillay

Fatmah                   17.08.1895              Father Alacootee

Aboobakar                                            Aboobakar

                                                          Mother Mooniah Sookram

Viramah                  4.07.1893                Father Veloo Anamalai)                 Signed in

Annamalay                                            Mother Periayee Runghen)              Tamil

                                                          Declarant

                                                          Sambalingum Pillay

                                                          Rangasamy

                                                          Virapathachy

Cosila                     10.10.1912              Father Jouri Callychiarane

Callychiarane                                         Mother Rachel Ramsamy

 

The Indians were brought to replace the African slaves who refused to work there and were shipped outwards. It appears that these Islands were a “lieu de transit” for the slaves, indentured labourers, immigrant trade between India and the Indian Ocean Islands and a ‘terre d’exil’ for those beings who dared to voice out their rights.

“Mo grand famille ti Maurice, zotte tile retourne l’Inde, Anglais mette zotte dans bateau, quitte zotte dans zile, dilo to pourri là-bas, zotte révolté. Anglais reprend zotte quite zotte Agaléga,” recalls one of the oldest present resident.

There the indentured labourers, treated  more like slave immigrants, were forcefully made to work in the coconut plantations and to build a settlement from corals dug from the ocean, for the commandeurs involved in the coconut oil business and most probably with human trade.

Villages were named after the number of times those poor defenseless human were whipped. With hands tied at the back they were tied to a pole in Village 17 near the ship landing site or in Village 25, in the middle of bare dry land in the scorching sun; after having walked kilometers from their site of work, and flogged in public. Without fresh running water, no rivers, no land animals, no vegetables, the inhabitants had to survive on rain water, coconuts and fish from the unpredictable highly dangerous ocean. All the meals were fish boiled in coconut milk. Underground water still has the putrid smell and is highly saline. Later, farm animals were introduced. However, their breeding was not successful due to poor soil quality and unavailability of natural food.

The rulers of those days saw to it that the Code Noir was applied in its integrity. The islands were regularly visited by Christian priests whose  mission was to spread “la bonne parole” and mass christianisation of the inhabitants.

The practice of Indian-Hindu religion and rites was forbidden, loss of identity was ensured by giving children names totally different from those of their parents, usually a Christian name, parents with Indian names were renamed, thus Mardaye became Edith etc. A South Indian Hindu rite -- walking on fire -- was banned. (The site is still there) yet many of those Indians – male and female, were educated, literate who signed in Tamil in the Civil Status Office register.

The first Nursing Officer was an Indian, Mr Perianen No. 282928. One wonders whether any last respect was allowed to be paid to, any rite performed for the dead. The two cemeteries,  one ‘blanc’ and one ‘noir,’ witness the degree of consideration that was given to mankind by some. The ‘cimetière des noirs’ has always been in an abandoned state, burial sites unmarked.

I would like to reproduce here an article about coconut oil production in Agalega by Père Duscelles, French priest: ‘L’huile était primitivement extraite au moyen d’une énorme presse, formidable machine aux membres lourds, ayant une vague resemblance avec nos pressoirs à pomme où à raisin. Pour pressurer sur la maie, le coprah entassé que venaient recouvrir de pesants madriers, les esclaves attachés comme des bêtes actionnaient les quatre poutres épaisses, établiess en croix qui faisaient office de lévriers de sevrage. Qui sait, si à l’huile généreux ne s’est pas mêlé quelquefois le sang des pauvres diables giclant sous les coups de fouet des commandeurs barbares?!”

It is neither my intention to start nor to fuel any ‘polémique’ about the roots and  religious belongings of the inhabitants of Agaléga, nor to question the role of the past or present leaders including religious ones in the development of Agalega. I leave it to the officers concerned with the Indian Diaspora to enlighten us on this part of our history. However, as far as I can recall  nobody has asked forgiveness for the atrocities committed.

I would like to quote a statement made recently by one of our world leaders: “Ne jamais oublier les victimes, les bourreaux et le silence du monde.”

 

Dr Mala Modun Bissessur, LRCP LRCS

Medical & Health Officer on post in Agalega

April - July 2005