The risk to cultural identity – Narrative of Mrs Takurine Mahesh Singh (1872–1959)

Archary, Kogielam K.; Landman, Christina

doi:10.4102/hts.v77i2.6800

Cited by 2 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The available, suitable and relevant literature review for this research revealed that there is a severe lack of documentation and information on the topic under consideration. 'Academic research on the theme of cultural heritage and cultural transformational amongst indentured Indian national female breadwinners in South Africa' (Archary & Landman 2021).…”

Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As there are: Interestingly, for academics to note is that 'despite and through the various political systems, cultural transformation emerged and this allowed the Indian community in South Africa to remain behind' (Archary & Landman 2021). They chose, whether by force or voluntarily, not to 'return to India when their period of indenture terminated.…”

Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They chose, whether by force or voluntarily, not to 'return to India when their period of indenture terminated. Of note and importance is that deculturalisation did not take place as aspects of cultural heritage remained intact' (Archary & Landman 2021).…”

Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The challenge is to document as much as possible while nonagenarians are alive as they give a voice to another political timeframe especially when 'sugar cane plantations flourished across the world, and in the British owned Colony of Natal low-cost labour was needed'. (Archary & Landman 2021) Further and necessary research on (Archary & Landman 2021):…”

Section: Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This article is closely integrated with a previously published article (Archary & Landman 2021) as the respondent in the study is a 90-year-old grandfather who was 29 years of age when his grandmother passed on. At the time of the research he was of clear mind and able to reflect with ease and clarity on his lived experiences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Indian diaspora, cultural heritage and cultural transformation in the Colony of Natal (1895–1960) during the period of indenture

Archary

2022

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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The article chronicles diasporic cultural heritage in Natal during the period of indenture in an Indian community in colonial South Africa. Using the qualitative ethnographic research methodology the focus is on the period 1895–1960. This methodology was chosen as it is a qualitative method where observation and/or interaction has taken place in real-life environments. In this article, the Indian cultural heritage as experienced by Mrs Takurine Mahesh Singh who arrived in Port Natal in 1895 is chronicled through the reflective memories of her South African-born eldest grandson, Mr J.S. Singh (b.1930). Further to this, her life in South Africa is explored as she lived in different worlds through various political systems and this life experience extended to include a cultural transformation. During 1960, the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the indentured Indians to the Colony of Natal was commemorated. Hence, this study considers the period 1895–1960. Moving across continents, the indentured Indians arrived in the Colony to work on the sugar plantations. Cultural heritage may be viewed as a sense of one’s subjective self-perception based on one’s language, ancestry, values, rituals, traditions and religion. During the political era of colonisation and indenture, the Indian nationals became displaced. This displacement created an intrinsic emotional threat. This emotional threat compromised their cultural heritage and consequently led to other forms of cultural transformation. During the oral history interviews, it emerged that the Indian nationals and their descendants in South Africa did not experience abject deculturalisation as they were able to practise aspects of their cultural heritage without the complete loss of their identity. This is one of the findings of the article. The findings indicate that complete deculturalisation did not take place even though cultural transformations resulted in the Indian diaspora in Natal.Contribution: With a unique focus on aspects of cultural heritage in the Indian diaspora, this article contributes to the knowledge of the social memory historiography with a spotlight on descendants of Indian indentured labourers in South Africa. The overarching contribution of this article focusses on the cultural transformation during the period under review.

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Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literary Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The Indian diaspora, cultural heritage and cultural transformation in the Colony of Natal (1895–1960) during the period of indenture

Archary

2022

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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Reflective memories: The Indian diaspora who call South Africa home

Archary

2022

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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Durban, a coastal city in KwaZulu-Natal (one of the nine provinces in South Africa) boasts the Durban Harbour. One hundred and sixty-two years ago, this harbour was referred to as the Port of Natal. Between the year’s of 1860 and 1911, 152 184 indentured Indian labourers entered the British owned Colony of Natal through this port. Even though indentureship was officially abolished in Natal on 21 July 1911, the hardships and challenges endured by Indian nationals in Natal continued. This article shines a spotlight on the period 1895–1960 through the theoretical prism of indentureship by focusing on the reflective memories of the respondent, Mr J.S. Singh, a nonagenarian. Using oral history methodology, face-to-face interviews were held with the respondent. His reflective memories brought alive the reality of life experiences in Natal between 1895 and 1960. He shared the journey of his Indian born paternal grandmother, Mrs Takurine Mahesh Singh who constitutes the cohort that left their country of birth as Indian nationals but subsequently created the Indian diaspora in Natal, where their descendants now call South Africa their home.Contribution: The content of this article is not simply described but also briefly reflected upon and explored as certain issues may be of interest to new, emerging and established oral historians. Furthermore, audio and video recordings of the interviews, which clearly illustrate oral history as the methodology as applied in this research, are available for academic, education and research purposes.

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The risk to cultural identity – Narrative of Mrs Takurine Mahesh Singh (1872–1959)

Cited by 2 publications

References 4 publications

The Indian diaspora, cultural heritage and cultural transformation in the Colony of Natal (1895–1960) during the period of indenture

The Indian diaspora, cultural heritage and cultural transformation in the Colony of Natal (1895–1960) during the period of indenture

Reflective memories: The Indian diaspora who call South Africa home

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