East Indian/South Asian Artifacts in the Caribbean

Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine 2005

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council (ICC) wishes to announce the publication of its latest magazine commemorating Indian Heritage Month (May 2005) in Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean). The theme of the magazine which marks the arrival of East Indians/South Asians from India to Trinidad during indentureship (1845-1917) is Indian artifacts in the Caribbean.

Artifacts are old, broken or discarded objects such as musical instruments, cooking utensils, household items, ritual paraphernalia, old tools, etc. that have been used by past generations. The magazine carries photographs of these recovered material remains, and describes and analyses them in relation to their uses. The objective of selecting this theme is to illustrate how non-textual sources of information can also be used to re-construct the history of Indian immigrants in the Caribbean.

May-June 2005

11 x 8 ½ inches

56 pages with advertisements and articles

ISSN 1683-4143

Glossy pages and cover

Artifacts as sources of history [editorial] By Dr. Kumar Mahabir
Greetings from the Prime Minister By the Honourable Patrick Manning
Greetings from the Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs By the Honourable Joan Yuille-Williams
Greetings from his the High Commissioner of India By Excellency Virendra Gupta
The material culture of indentured Indians in Trinidad
Tarwaar [Pen cutlass]
Pooknee and tawa [Bellows and griddle]
O(u)khri and musar [Mortar and pestle]
Chimta [cymbals]
Janj [cymbals]
Simthaa, Belna, Kalchool, Dabla, Daahl ghotnee
Sarangi [Indian violin]
Water Dipper
Hasswa [sickle]
Jharoo [broom]
Sup [scoop]
Goglet [goblet]
Pot and lid
Sapat [sandals]
Esraj [stringed instrument]
Veena [stringed instrument]
Boli [gourd vessel]
Pot and cup
Wooden shovel
Ektar(a)s [stringed instruments]
Goglet [goblet]
East Indians in the Caribbean: an Illustrated History By Florence Pariag [New book release]
A Silent Life by Ryhaan Shah [New novel release]
V.S. Naipaul: A World in Tension by Judith Misrahi-Barak [New book release]
A Dictionary of Common Trinidad Hindi by Kumar Mahabir [New edition book release]
Incredible India: Its Arts and Crafts

Kumar Mahabir

is a full-time anthropologist at the University of Guyana (UG) and Fellow of The Eccles Centre for American Studies, British Library (2022-23). He is a former Assistant Professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). He obtained his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Florida (UF). As a doctoral student, he won a Florida Caribbean Institute Award, an A. Curtis Wilgus Grant, and an Organization of American States (OAS) Fellowship.
Mahabir received a National Award (Hummingbird Silver Medal) for his contribution to education in his country in 2011. He was among 50 recipients who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the UWI Alumni Association.
Mahabir is the author of 12 books to date.