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
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