Iguana posted:Tola posted:
Racism
Anti-black racism in East Indian spaces is rampant. I understand this as a colonial haunting. When the British brought Indians to work the plantations, slavery was recently abolished and the British gave Indians work that would have gone to Afro-Guyanese, shaping the relationship between the newly freed people and the newly imported labor. Members of my own family like to say things like “we were never slaves” when the truth is we absolutely were; we have more cultural commonalities and values with Afro-Guyanese than we do with anyone from the Indian subcontinent. India is not “home”—it is a mythological homeland.
In her essay, “The Indo-Caribbean Experience: Now and Then,” Elizabeth Jaikaran writes about this racism as a way for the British to keep two major ethnic groups divided, so that they would not unite against their common oppressor:
“Do not speak to the Indians,” said the British to the Africans. “They are vile and carry diseases.”
“Do not speak to the Africans,” said the British to the Indians. “They are vile and carry diseases.”Surprised no Indians commented on Tola's post. I extracted the above on racism. What Rajiv Mohabir wrote is instructive for some of the Indian racists who run around here spreading fairy tales of Indian supremacy. Touches on the root of animosity between the 2 groups.
Lots of other useful info on some things we discussed on Anta's thread re domestic violence and alcoholism, might actually be rooted in this period of history and due to the suffering endured under indentureship. Interesting stuff.
No comment was necessary on Tola's post because he is 100% correct !