ACROSS THE KALA PANI: UNTOLD STORIES OF INDENTURED INDIAN WOMEN OF CHRISTIAN ORIGIN IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

The indenture experience is one that is entrenched in the very being of the Indian community in South Africa. Recent times have seen a good spread of documentation on such experiences, especially in light of the 150th anniversary of the arrivals in South Africa, celebrated in 2010. What does become clear in such accounts, however, is that the experiences of women are subsumed within such historical records, therefore giving little or no attention to their voices. Indian women were hugely impacted by the indenture experience; however, these accounts are few and far between. The history of Indian women in South Africa is undoubtedly largely shaped by their experiences of indenture. Such history is encompassed within their trajectories of poverty, culture, education and religion as they took the courageous decision to cross the Kala Pani. In this short account, the indenture experience of the Indians in South Africa will be examined, giving specific attention to the aspect of poverty and the impact of mission on Indian Christian women. Various scholars briefly make mention of such experiences, however, it becomes important to apportion intentional spaces to those once muted, yet significant voices. Indentured Indian women of Christian origin have a story to tell – a story of their encounters across the Kala Pani. Such stories become important to the discourse of the history of the Indian community in South Africa.