Exploring the Role of Testimonio Method in Shaping Collective Memory of Indenture History: From Empathy to Empowerment

Abstract

The present paper, ‘Exploring the Role of Testimonio Method in Shaping Collective Memory of Indenture History: from Empathy to Empowerment,’ attempts to study how the Testimonio method of study, which is a powerful literary genre rooted in oral history, can be used to study indenture history from the Bhojpuri speaking areas of North India and bridge the gaps and silences of this history using folksongs, folktales, oral accounts, poems, diary, autobiographies, etc. It also highlights the role of Bhojpuri as a lingua franca of the community and its impact on cultural preservation and literary expression, also focussing on the role of Khelauni (baby-sitter) and Ajie (grandmother) culture in the formation of a distinct community in the erstwhile sugar colonies like Fiji, Mauritius, etc., through folk stories and songs narrated to young children. This paper seeks to elucidate the Testimonio method’s effectiveness in unravelling the untold stories of indentured people, and by analyzing a range of testimonial narratives and literary works, it highlights the multifaceted dimensions of indenture history, gender dynamics, and the preservation of cultural identity. It also underlines that the Testimonio method’s unique approach, centred on personal narratives and collective memory, allows for a nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of the Girmitiyas’ struggles and triumphs.