By Sue-Ann Wayow
IN reflecting on Indian Arrival Day, citizens should adopt endurance to overcome the harshest of circumstances including poverty, crime, misogynism and intolerance.
President Christine Kangaloo in her Indian Arrival Day message fro 2023 reflected on the first time East Indians came to work in Trinidad and Tobago arriving on May 30, 1845 aboard the Fatel Razack.
It signalled the beginning of a significant chapter in the country’s history as 225 passengers disembarked to survey their adopted homeland, exhausted from their long and arduous journey over the treacherous kali pani, yet buoyant with hope and expectation for the future, she said.
President Kangaloo said, “On Indian Arrival Day, we celebrate the legacy of those dauntless immigrants who brought with them their cultures, traditions, values and mores as well as the drive and determination to forge a better and brighter future for themselves and their offspring.
“Although they faced harsh working and living conditions, meagre wages and rampant discrimination even after the end of the indentureship system, they persevered, remaining fiercely committed to their customs and beliefs and sacrificing tremendously to achieve their goals. They triumphed over adversity and they made this country their home.”
Among the most enduring lessons that their arrival and their way of life have taught citizens was the power of commitment and the importance of resilience.
Kangaloo encouraged, “Let us, therefore, use the occasion of Indian Arrival Day to do more than reflect on the experiences of our Indian forebears. Let us also go beyond reflection, and let each of us adopt, in our own lives, their ability to endure and overcome even the harshest of circumstances and press on through times of difficulty with fortitude, resolve and courage.”
She added, “Let us honour the memories of those who gave their lives for future generations by embracing the cultural diversity and heritage to which they richly contributed, and resisting all forms of division and discord.”
The President urged that children be taught the meaning of resilience and citizens re-commit to making Trinidad and Tobago a home, “the most amazing nation on the face of planet Earth.”
