Exhibition: Indo + Caribbean: Untold stories in the creation of a culture
The journey from India to the British Caribbean and beyond
Personal Stories of Indo-Caribbean Culture
There just aren’t enough stories publicly shared and documented about Indo-Caribbean culture. The Museum of London Docklands is trying to change that by bringing the lesser-known history of Indian indenture in the British Caribbean to the public. A free display, exploring Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture, runs until 19 November, 2023.
Following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, British planters in the Caribbean devised a new scheme to source cheap labour for their plantations, recruiting workers from India to work for three to five years in return for transport, a minimal wage and some basic provisions.
Having successfully petitioned the British government for their support, the first indentured ships- Hesperus and Whitby- set sail in 1838. By the end of indentureship in 1917 around 450,000 Indians had undertaken the long and arduous 5 months journey by sea to the Caribbean.
Working together with Londoners of Indo-Caribbean descent, Indo-Caribbean: Untold stories in the creation of a culture tells the underrepresented history of Indian indenture and explores Indo-Caribbean culture in London today.
The displays explore the transition between enslaved African labour and the start of Indian indenture, including letters petitioning the government from planter Sir John Gladstone. Visitors will examine the poor conditions on board and the strong bonds forged between migrants as they crossed the Kala Pani or ‘dark waters.’ Life in the Caribbean for indentured labourers was arduous from the moment of their arrival. The exhibition also explores Indo-Caribbean Londoners today, exploring migration to the United Kingdom and drawing on personal stories of London’s Indo-Caribbean community.
Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture is the result of a call for ideas to feature in the museum’s permanent London, Sugar and Slavery gallery. It is part of the Museum of London Docklands’ 20th anniversary programme.
