The Museum of London Docklands yesterday welcomed Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, to visit its latest display Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture.
Working together with Londoners of Indo-Caribbean descent, the display tells the underrepresented history of Indian indenture in the British Caribbean and explores Indo-Caribbean culture in London today. It is understood to be the first display by any major institution in the UK to explore the history of Indian indenture in the British Caribbean, a system initially implemented by planters following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 to source cheap labour for their plantations. Workers were recruited from India to work for three to five years in return for transport, a minimal wage and some basic provisions.
During the visit, Mr Speaker heard from curator Shereen Lafhaj about the drive for cheap labour that led to the implementation of the indenture system, the experiences of Indian labourers travelling to the Caribbean and life on the plantations. He also spoke to the museum’s Indo-Caribbean community partners Gisella Pereira, Vedia Maharaj and artist Salina Jane who spoke about their contributions to the display, their experiences as Indo-Caribbean Londoners and the family stories and heirlooms featured in the display.
Mr Speaker was invited to visit the display following his support for this year’s Windrush 75 anniversary. At an event in parliament, he thanked the Windrush generation for making us who we are today, and for changing British culture and social attitudes for the better.
Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture runs until Sunday 19th November and is free to visit.
