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FM
Former Member

By Indrawattie Natram

– Daughter of indentured labourer talks of the days of old

 

‘Aunty Baby’ reading a poem

Last week, Guyana observed the 180th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indians, and as this time comes around, more than ever, there remains several Guyanese who can clearly recall the experiences of their fore parents, having lived to hear some of them tell the stories themselves. One such person is 88-year-old Rajkumarie Prashad aka ‘Aunty Baby’ of Perseverance Village on the Essequibo Coast.

‘Aunty Baby’ is one of the oldest women in her village. The Pepperpot Magazine conducted an interview with her and her story was quite interesting as she traced back with vivid memories that her father- who was an immigrant- left with her. ‘Aunty Baby’s’ father Pansham (only name given) was among the thousands of Indians who were brought to Guyana for indentured labour between 1838-1917. She stated that Pansham came to Guyana with his parents in the early 1900s. Her father later got married to her mother, Bhagpat, and started his life in Guyana after he opted not to return to Calcutta, India.
Unveiling her story, she said that she can vividly recall growing up in a Logie- a house that accommodates several families and was constructed by the Indians when they came to Guyana.

LIVING IN A ‘LOGIE’
“In those days they call it range houses or Logie. Different families lived in different compartments. Everyone had their privacy… [and] the unity and love were there,” ‘Aunty Baby’ related.

She said that for over 16 years she had lived in a Logie and still remembers those golden ages when no one locked their doors and persons were living in comfort and trust. The only daughter of her parents, ‘Aunty Baby’ said that she enjoyed life long ago much better than in the modern age.

Rajkumarie Prashad celebrating her 88th birthday at the Golden Fleece mandir.

“Growing up in the 40s was peaceful. We enjoyed cooking on we fireside. We [use to] wash we clothes in a trench and after my mother [would] bathe we and then send we home. The life was so good and children were honouring their parents,” she recalled.
After marrying at the age of 16 on May 10, 1947, to Kamta Prashad, ‘Aunty Baby’ said her life continued to prosper. She lived 70 years with her husband happily before he passed away in 2016. During her lifetime, she had many different jobs, including manually planting rice, selling vegetables and planting in her own farm.

From rice planting, she began selling at the Bourda, Suddie and Anna Regina markets to fend for her children. During her marriage with the now deceased Kamta, she gave birth to eight children, all of whom are still alive except for one of her sons- a lawyer- who passed away while he was still young.

‘Aunty Baby’ said that although today’s life is much more comfortable because of the many technological advances, she enjoyed the bond families shared in the simpler days.

“Long ago not only your parents can scold you, but anyone from the village can pull you up whenever you erred and no one get upset. These days you can discipline nobody children. Long ago was strict and loyal days,” ‘Aunty Baby’ further reminisced.

She also recalled the poor infrastructure that she grew up under especially the inability to access potable water and electricity.

Thanking God every day for living to see such a golden age, she related that she continues to keep herself happy with ancient memories. At the age of 88, she spends most of her time reading, writing poems and also singing bhajans (Hindu religious songs).

Almost every Sunday, she spends her time at the Temple where she engages in congregational worship. She related that she always keeps God close and although her life has become a lonely one she is occupied with the essence of God. In her spare time, she washes, cooks and tidies her yard. She is a lover of fresh roses and flower plants and has her own flower garden.

Her children, who reside in the United States of America, often encourage her to go live with them, but the country-minded ‘Aunty Baby’ said she love Guyana. She enjoys the fresh air and the comfort of the green scenery she inherited in her backyard. The woman visited her daughters and son in the USA in the year 1995 but said she loves her birthland Guyana more than any other country.

She is, however, comforted by the love of her children and her countless grandchildren. When asked what she would attribute to her long life, she said healthy eating and serving God. Her advice to young people is to stay truthful to themselves and to aspire to the righteous life.

http://guyanachronicle.com/201...rowing-up-in-a-logie

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I know she will give you a world of knowledge before you were born. All the elders from my family are gone except for one aunt. Anytime we meet, we only talk about life in her time. Unfortunately, she suffers memory lapse now.

FM

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

V
VishMahabir posted:

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

Generational history is for keepsakes. This is not glorifying the past. It's a living testimony from a generation that is close to extinction. The lady son was a lawyer and her children are living in America. I am sure most of them didn't waste time in school being that their parents are from the stone age.   

FM
VishMahabir posted:

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

Vish,  please let me ask you this question. Do you still have ancestral blood running in your veins? Ole people used to say that like river which have sources, trees have roots. If you don’t know from where you came, you don’t know where you going. If people are happy living in the plantation, let them live. To them a logie was a home not a house. We’re you not born and lived in plantation on the West Coast of Demerara? Have you arrived?

FM
Last edited by Former Member

I have family in Cane Grove and many years back they were living in logies on Coconut Dam ,I used to enjoy my August month visits as a little boy eat in one logie ,sleep in another. In one range of logie was all the same family they were farmers, rice, provision and cattle, I learnt to ride horses on my visits, eat fresh fruits and drink creek water.

 Many of those families are now living in North America and England, a couple that remained have built big houses and still do rice farming on a larger scale, today they use combine to harvest the rice.

 Most of all I enjoyed listening to the old stories being told by the older folks, some were about the "Dutch Man on a Horse" and Old Higue.

Never forget your past, it's beautifull, it's pure.

K
Dondadda posted:
VishMahabir posted:

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

Vish,  please let me ask you this question. Do you still have ancestral blood running in your veins? Ole people used to say that like river which have sources, trees have roots. If you don’t know from where you came, you don’t know where you going. If people are happy living in the plantation, let them live. To them a logie was a home not a house. We’re you not born and lived in plantation on the West Coast of Demerara? Have you arrived?

All the young people who were hollering “Time for a Change” in 2015 are the ones who don’t know their history.  Now they want to change back.  Too late.

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:
Dondadda posted:
VishMahabir posted:

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

Vish,  please let me ask you this question. Do you still have ancestral blood running in your veins? Ole people used to say that like river which have sources, trees have roots. If you don’t know from where you came, you don’t know where you going. If people are happy living in the plantation, let them live. To them a logie was a home not a house. We’re you not born and lived in plantation on the West Coast of Demerara? Have you arrived?

All the young people who were hollering “Time for a Change” in 2015 are the ones who don’t know their history.  Now they want to change back.  Too late.

Why would history be related to wanting to remove the kleptocratic cabal that is the PPP? Please inform us how this matters. 

FM
Stormborn posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:
Dondadda posted:
VishMahabir posted:

Y’all Coolie people need to stop glorifying the past. They should look at what these people went through and where they at now...many of them are still living like they still on the plantation,

they should encourage their children to become leaders, engineers, etc., because it look like they still not emancipated yet. Not Black people celebrate EMANCIPATION, not arrival.

That’s my two sense...

 

Vish,  please let me ask you this question. Do you still have ancestral blood running in your veins? Ole people used to say that like river which have sources, trees have roots. If you don’t know from where you came, you don’t know where you going. If people are happy living in the plantation, let them live. To them a logie was a home not a house. We’re you not born and lived in plantation on the West Coast of Demerara? Have you arrived?

All the young people who were hollering “Time for a Change” in 2015 are the ones who don’t know their history.  Now they want to change back.  Too late.

Why would history be related to wanting to remove the kleptocratic cabal that is the PPP? Please inform us how this matters. 

Stormy, if you love the PPP go join them. BJ probably will give you a cabinet post. He like PNC people.

FM
Dondadda posted:
Stormborn posted:
\

Stormy, if you love the PPP go join them. BJ probably will give you a cabinet post. He like PNC people.

Does any of the above suggest I like crooks? BJ need to get the full Malaysian treatment where they arrest his thieving behind and leave him in a dark, dank cell somewhere so he can pay for his sins. The entire PPP is paying presently and if they put this fellow up as their front person I would be ready and willing to shout him down again.

FM
Stormborn posted:
Dondadda posted:
Stormborn posted:
\

Stormy, if you love the PPP go join them. BJ probably will give you a cabinet post. He like PNC people.

Does any of the above suggest I like crooks? BJ need to get the full Malaysian treatment where they arrest his thieving behind and leave him in a dark, dank cell somewhere so he can pay for his sins. The entire PPP is paying presently and if they put this fellow up as their front person I would be ready and willing to shout him down again.

Your hate for coolies. Black people can do no wrong. Looks like YOUR PNC are and were altar boys. How come you don't shout down your black people? 

FM

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