EAST INDIAN

DONE BY:Allen MirandaJesse GarciaSaira MartinezStefphoney GrinageTrisha SilvaTania Hulse

OBJECTIVES:

(EAST INDIAN CULTURE)

Traditional way of life.

Socio-cultural influence of the group.

Education past and present.

The impact of education on the way of life.

The influence of school in the area on the way of life.

The impact of religion.

The impact of the family on the way of life.

INTRODUCTIONCultural heritage

Beliefs IdeasReligionMusicDanceArtDressNormsValuesTechnologies

Transmission of CultureCreative art forms

DrawingsPhotographsPaintingsSculptureArchitectureStory-tellingMusic SongDrama and dance

Ideas and Values

BELIZE

A BIT OF HISTORY…

Came in 1858 to British Honduras when the British Parliament decided to bring over a thousand Indian mutineers with their wives and families after the suppression of the Indian mutiny in India

However Some were already in the west Indies since 1838 as indentured workers to fill in for the freed slaves.

They were given contracts for up to 5 years after which they were free to go back or remain.

Most of the East Indian workers brought to British Honduras were from Jamaica.

They settled in Toledo where they worked at the sugar estates owned by rich Americans.

By the 20th century, many had also settled in Corozal working on their own farms.

A BIT OF HISTORY…

Extended Family

Arranged Marriages (Inter-racial- no courtship)

Patrilocal residence

Monogamy is widely practiced

Patriarchal authority

Matriarchal household

Patrilineal

Male were primary breadwinners

Gender divide

TRADITIONAL FAMILY STRUCTURE

Language

The early East Indians used to speak mainly Gujariti and Marathi but parents were ashamed of speaking it to their children and it was lost.

English is now most widely spoken.

SOCIALIZING The namaste is the traditional greeting

used. It is performed by pressing the palms

together (fingers up) below the chin, and saying “Namaste”

To greet superiors or to show respect, a slight bow is added.

“Hello” and “Hi” are also acceptable greetings.

Out of respect for a woman’s privacy, East Indian men do not usually shake hands with or touch women in formal or informal gatherings.

East Indian men will, however, shake hands with Westerners, and educated women may do so as a courtesy.

It is polite to use titles such as Shri for a man, Shreemati for a married woman, Kumari for an unmarried woman, or the suffix -ji with a last name to show respect.

EAST INDIAN

MARRIAGE

WHY PEOPLE MARRY? Legal

Social

Libidinal

Emotional

Economic

Spiritual

Religious

Tying the knot

Arranged marriages were widely practiced and accepted.

After marriage the woman would wear a red dot on her forehead called a Mati but today it is called a bindi (vermillion – sindoor).

Interracial marriages were originally not allowed.

EAST INDIAN MARRIAGES

They believe the spirits can harm relatives so the younger children and family are passed across the coffin three times.

On the ninth day a puja, ceremony for the dead, is held where seven men take food to the grave and upon their return they would eat drink and sing until daybreak.

DEATH

After working on the sugar plantations they began growing rice as well.

There were several mills in the Toledo district but after sugar prices fell, most Americans abandoned the estates.

Some continued to produce sugar but on a small scale.

Rice became the much better crop because of the soil and rainfall in Toledo.

OCCUPATION (AGRICULTURE)

East Indian food is aromatic and traditional, employing flavorings such as Tacari made from yellow ginger or curry powder.

Cohune Cabbage and Dahl Roti are used as festival foods.

Many of the early East Indians were vegetarians and ate leaves such as Maka, meranga, serosee and greens like siembi and yard beans.

They also make Parsad, made out of flour and suger, considered holy food that is shared during worship services

EAST INDIAN FOOD

EAST INDIAN DRESSING (PAST AND PRESENT)

DressThe Early East Indians

would wear more traditional clothing but have now become more westernized.

The female would wear a long skirt, a long sleeve blouse with a large headscarf coming across her shoulders.

EAST INDIAN WOMEN Dress

Chemise – long slop and a pair of long breeches.

Sari – which is a single piece of cloth about six or seven yards long, which is wrapped around the waist and thrown around the shoulder.

Bindi - Traditionally it is a dot of red color applied in the center of the forehead close to the eyebrows, but it can also consist of a sign or piece of jewelry worn at this location

EAST INDIAN MEN Dress The men dress in western

clothing, but a hat is usually worn to protect them from the sun.

For men the bindi is known as the tilak

Men wear it on auspicious occasions such as Puja (ritual worship), or marriage.

The early East Indians had a popular dance called the “Who se me se” which was performed on special occasions.

Another dance is the Hussein-Hassan, which referred to the deadly combat between two brothers of the same name.

Here in Belize, they decorate a temple made from bamboo, coconut palm and brightly colored paper. Two men impersonating Hussein and Hassan would dance and fight with sticks, then they would use machetes and it would end when Hussein pretended to kill Hassan.

The music is normally played on drums cymbals and tambourines.

MUSIC AND DANCE

Early east Indians found it difficult to maintain their original culture.

The more recent immigrants have been able to retain some of their culture and worship in Hindu temples.

The believe in many gods including the protector and preserver, the destroyer, goddess of love, beauty and wealth.

RELIGION

MAIN HINDU GODSTHE TRIMURTI (HINDU TRINITY):

Brahma

The Creator

Vehicle: swan

has 4 heads, 4 arms, and a reddish complexion

not commonly worshipped

not to be confused with Brahman (the ground of

all being) or the Brahmin (priestly caste)

Vishnu

The Preserver

Vehicle: garuda (bird)

has 4 arms, a blueish complexion, and rests on

a snake

was incarnated (born as an animal or human) nine times with one more still

to come

is the main god of Vaishnavism

ShivaThe Destroyer /

TransformerVehicle: bull

has matted hair, a third eye, a blue

throat and a trident in his hand

often worshipped in the featureless

lingam formis the main god of

Saivism

MAIN HINDU GODDESSESSHAKTIS (FEMALE ASPECTS):

Saraswati

Goddess of knowledge, music,

and the arts

Vehicle: swan

wife of Brahma

sits on a white lotus playing a

veena

Lakshmi

Goddess of wealth and prosperity

Vehicle: owl

wife of Vishnu

usually shown bestowing coins and flanked by

elephants

ParvatiThe Divine Mother

Vehicle: lionthe reincarnation of

Shiva's first wifehas many forms,

such as the popular Durga and Kali (see

below); often shown together

with Saraswati and Lakshmi as the tridevi ('triple

goddess')

GaneshGod of the intellect and the remover of

obstaclesVehicle: mouseson of Shiva &

Parvatihas an elephant's

head

DURGAA fiercer form of Parvati

Vehicle: tigerhas ten arms holding

many weapons

KRISHNAThe 8th avatar

(incarnation) of Vishnuusually portrayed as a child and a prankster;

often shown playing the flute

RAMAThe 7th avatar

(incarnation) of Vishnuthe central figure in the epic

story Ramayana

SURYAGod of the Sun

pulled on a chariot by horses

KALIGoddess of time

and deathVehicle: donkey

usually portrayed as dark and

violent

MURUGANGod of war

Vehicle: peacockson of Shiva & Parvatipopular in Tamil areasalso known as Skanda

Swam Sarasvati Puja

MORNING CALL TO PRAYER

EDUCATION

In the 1800s very few children were attending school so it was made compulsory for children up to the age of 14.

The East Indians opposed these movements because most schools were Christian and they feared their children would be converted.

Another reason for opposing was that it removed children from working on the estates which helped to increase family earnings.

EDUCATION

POSITIVESOpened up the doors of the knowledge

Highlighted evil practices

Attracted attention of social reformers

Realization of the worth of liberty and freedom

Opened doors of education for all

Given birth to National movement

IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON TRADITIONAL EAST INDIANS

IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON TRADITIONAL EAST INDIANS

NEGATIVESDisintegration

Rise to unhealthy competition

Marginalization of males

Masses remained illiterate

Discredited traditional occupations

More stress on rights

Breakdown of family values