Girmitiya lives: experiences of Dalit labourers under indenture

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the experience of Dalit labourers from India to the sugar colonies under the indenture system. Historiography on the girmitiya diaspora has homogenized the experience of Indian labourers, neglecting variations among different caste groups. Focusing on Dalit labourers, this paper argues that plantation life improved their sociocultural and economic standing by emphasizing on the accomplishment of the task than on the caste system prevalent in India. The plantation system facilitated mobility for Dalit labourers by removing caste barriers, enabling mingling, marriage, and a reduction in caste identities through employment. While economic mobility was not universal, the absence of rigid caste hierarchies in the plantation context fostered a more fluid and open social environment for communal and religious activities.