Indo-St. Lucian Surnames: How Many Indian Families are Really in St. Lucia?

Many St. Lucians are under the misconception that all Indo-St. Lucians are related and are inconsequential in number. I have generated a list of Indo-St. Lucian family names. There are undoubtedly additional families that I have failed to record. Feel free to add unlisted names.

Indo-St. Lucian Families with Indian Surnames:

Adjodha, Agdomar, Amorsingh, Antal, Bacchus, Bachoo, Badal, Bakie, Bicar, Biroo, Boodhoo, Boriel, Canaii, Caroo, Cepal, Changoo, Cheddie, Chitolie, Coolie, Cooman, Daher, Dalkhan, Dalsan, Dalsoo, Dariah, Dilsuk, Dolcar, Dookie, Dupal, Dwarkasingh, Elibox, Faisal, Fatal, Feede, Gajadhar, Ganess, Gangardine, Garib, Gaudin, Ghirawoo, Gidharry, Giman, Goolaman, Goonjellie, Gopal, Gulab, Housannie, Jackal, Jagannath, Jagroop, Jalim, Jaria, Jaunai, Jawahir, Kadoo, Kaladin, Kamakie, Kangal, Khodabacchus, Khodra, Kisna, Lachan, Malaykhan, Mangal, Maraj, Merahi, Moona, Moonie, Mungroo, Naitram, Nankie, Paul, Raguananan, Rambally, Ramjeawan, Ramparsad, Rattie, Recai, Sadoo, Saiwak, Samaroo, Sammie, Sanganoo, Sapoodee, Sargusingh, Sicobin, Singh, Soban, Sookwa, Sudeen, Sumrah, Surage, Taliam, Tarapasade, and Vaval.


Indo-St. Lucian Families with European Surnames:

Albert, Alexander, Barley, Daniel, Edwards, Francis, James, John, Joseph, Lay, MacDoom, Peter, Plummer, Preudhomme, Ragbill, Samuel, and Williams.

Indo-Caribbean History: They Came from Afar

Between 1838 and 1917 more than half a million East Indians were indentured or re-indentured in the British, French, Danish, and Dutch Colonies in the West Indies, South America, and Central America. Many of the Indians were transported on sailing ships while others were transported on "newer" steamships. The main route for theses ships after they left the East Coast of India was due south past Madagasgar areound the Cape of Good Hope then northwest toward the Caribbean, via St. Helena. Others were later brought through the Suez Canal through the Mediterranean Sea then southwest through the Caribbean.The East Indians were mainly brought to work on the sugar cane plantations after the emancipation of the African slaves. In some colonies, poor whites, Chinese, Javanese, Nepalese, and Afghani's were also indentured. The Indians soon found themselves farming other types of crops, working in homes, or even in the gold mines of South America. The number of deaths during indentureshp was very high; especially among those that were indentured by the French. Hundreds died during the voyages from disease and shipwrecks.After Indentureship or re-indentureship contacts have opted to stay in the Caribbean Basin, often those from the smaller islands moved to the British Colonies with larger populations. Free East Indians later migrated to these same colonies.

Are There East Indians in St. Lucia?

I once overheard a conversation which served as the catalytic impetus to start this blog:

Co-Worker1: “So, Where are you from, man?"
Co-Worker2: “Umm...St. Lucia.”
Co-Worker1: “But you're an Indian!”
Co-Worker2: “Yes, I am a St. Lucian Indian.”
Co-Worker1: “But your parents certainly must be from Trinidad or Guyana?!”
Co-Worker2: “No. My ancestors are from India. Let me explain..."

Such is the reaction that people have when you tell them that you are an Indian from St. Lucia; and of course I am referring to St. Lucians whose ancestors originally came from India during the Indentureship period in the Caribbean which lasted from 1838 to 1917. Even Indians in the Caribbean whose ancestors came during the same Indian diaspora period are oblivious to our presence in St. Lucia. Many Guyanese, Trinidadians, Surinamese, Jamaicans, and even recently arrived East Indians are astonished to find that St. Lucia has had longstanding Indian communities for over 140 years.. They become even more flabbergasted when they learn that the Indian and Dougla citizens constitute nearly 10% of the St. Lucian population. (A Dougla is a reference to one being of mixed Indian and African ancestry. It is considered pejorative/ and offensive in some parts.) The first 318 Indians arrived in Castries Harbor on May 6th, 1859 on the Palmyra. There were 240 adult males, 58 adult females, 2 minor males, 11 minor females, and 5 children. They were indentured for three years. Twelve more ships would follow and successively discharge Jahajis. (Jahaji means “ship traveler” and refers to the brotherhood formed during the journey among the Indians. It was a self-appointed name that Indentured servants used to describe themselves). The last groups of Jahajis were indentured for five years. The last ship to arrive was the Volga which sank on Dec 10, 1893 off Vigie Point near Castries. In all 4,354 Indians immigrated to St. Lucia and slightly more than 2,560 returned to India."Not enough credit is given to the Jahaji settlers,” wrote Independent Researcher and Indo-St. Lucian genealogist Richard Cheddie, "they saved St. Lucia's sugar industry from economic downturn by toiling the fields that ex-slaves after Emancipation/ Apprenticeship were unwilling to work, or demanded high wages to work. They gave life to a failing industry and a troubled colony. They also introduced rice cultivation and methods of agriculture that were unknown to St. Lucia at the time. And a much need population of eligible females was also made available.” The descendants of the 2,000 plus Jahajis that remained in St. Lucia, who were also augmented by some that were indentured in St. Kitts and St. Vincent, have integrated into every sector of St. Lucian society. They have become politicians, entrepreneurs, mechanics, preachers, agriculturists, authors, teachers, athletes, doctors, lawyers, engineers, drivers, butchers, and fishermen. They have also mixed with the other groups of St. Lucians to produce Douglas who continue to add richness to the racial and social fabric of St. Lucia.