Sabir Nakuda’s recently published book, Bengal To Barbados, is in many respects a watershed on the role of the East Indian community in Barbados.
Launched last Friday at the Grand Salle, Tom Adams Financial Complex, the book gives a definitive insight into this segment of the community and, more important, clearly established that after 100 years they are an integral part of the community.
His book shows that they have always considered themselves loyal sons and daughters of this land, but have been misunderstood because of their religion, traditions, ethnicity and even the retention of various Indian languages.
This way of life by those who have adopted Barbados as their home has its proponents and opponents. Some see this community as being “close-knit”, operating the same way Caribbean people tend to do in the big cities in North America and Britain. Another view is that they have avoided being full members of the society from which they have made great gains.
However, it must not be lost on us that this community is not homogeneous, in fact having a clear divide among Muslims and Hindus. The commonality may be that they are driven by values which speak to thrift, hard work and self-attainment, some of which seem to be lost on many in the majority segment of the population.
Their contributions to the development of this island cannot be ignored. From the itinerant salesmen who in times past walked, rode and drove the length and breadth of this island delivering a service valued by many households to the professionals who contributed immensely in various spheres of endeavour to those involved in sports. Much of what they do in welfare outreach is often done out of the public eye.
While we do not see these East Indians actively participating in Crop Over or liming on our main thoroughfares, that does not signify a sense of not belonging to the society. Their religions demand they shun some of our lifestyle mainstays, such as pork and alcohol. Today they are active in politics, value education and have long promoted a spirit of entrepreneurship.
Nakuda, not an academic, undertook his research based largely on oral investigations primarily in Barbados and in India, highlighting their tangible contributions to the growth of this society. One hundred years after the East Indians made their journey here, the expectation is that their descendants, who are now truly Barbadian, will fully embrace this society without giving up on their values and traditions.
As a people we have been very tolerant without trying to truly understand each other. The challenge for the East Indian community is to debunk some of the arguments that they are only interested in enrichment. Whatever we conclude, their role is one we can neither ignore nor overlook.
