The transatlantic slave trade ended in 1833 but was replaced by a new system of unpaid labour known as indentured servitude. Around 0.5 million people were transported from what was then British India to work on sugar plantations in the Caribbean, replacing the recently freed African workers. The practice continued until it was finally banned in 1917.
During her Adobe creative residency at the V&A, Jacqui explored how representation can foster a sense of belonging, both in society and in institutions.
In a series of workshops, she invited women from the Indo-Caribbean community to share an object of personal significance, an object which spoke to them of ‘home’.
Artefacts are charged with stories and associations, and through conversation and working in clay, they explored how these are used to house memories.
Discussions explored the meaning of home and belonging in diasporic communities and how stories and memories can be represented by artefacts. The conversations took place around a pile of clay and the participants were encouraged to freely make as they spoke.
A selection of the objects made were displayed at the V&A, accompanied by a soundscape including conversations that took place during the workshops at V&A (London, UK), MoMA ( New York, United States), and The Gardiner Museum (Toronto, Canada).
The conversations highlighted a few key points about the role of objects and material culture in preserving and transmitting Indo-Caribbean history and traditions:
· Objects can hold deep personal and cultural significance, serving as touchpoints for memories, identity, and connection to one's heritage. For example, the participants discussed how objects like bangles, teacups, and hibiscus flowers represented important aspects of their upbringing and family traditions.
· Making and engaging with objects, like the clay pieces created during the workshop, can be a way to explore, express, and pass down cultural knowledge and practices across generations. The process of creating allows people to connect with their ancestry in a tactile, embodied way.
· Older generations may be more reluctant to share certain histories or traditions verbally, but objects can serve as a way to communicate and transmit that knowledge non-verbally. The participants discussed how their parents and grandparents did not always openly discuss the past, but objects held unspoken stories.
· Preserving and displaying objects, like the pieces that were going to be exhibited, can help make Indo-Caribbean culture and experiences visible within institutional spaces like museums that have historically overlooked these communities.
Overall, the discussions highlighted how material culture and the act of making can be powerful tools for sustaining and transmitting Indo-Caribbean identity, history, and traditions across time and space.
The conversations suggested a few ways museums and cultural institutions can better represent and engage with the Indo-Caribbean diaspora:
· Actively collect and display objects, artworks, and artifacts that reflect Indo-Caribbean histories and lived experiences. The participants noted the lack of Indo-Caribbean representation in museum collections.
· Partner with and amplify the voices of Indo-Caribbean artists, curators, and community members in developing exhibitions and programming. This can help ensure authenticity and relevance.
· Make museums and cultural spaces more accessible and welcoming to Indo-Caribbean visitors, rather than feeling like they are only for certain groups. Addressing barriers like cost, location, and perceptions of exclusivity.
· Incorporate Indo-Caribbean histories, traditions, and narratives into educational curricula and interpretive materials, rather than overlooking or misrepresenting these communities.
· Actively work to counter the tendency to only represent Indo-Caribbean culture through the lens of "Afro-Caribbean" or "West Indian" identities, which can erase the distinct experiences of the Indo-Caribbean diaspora.
· Provide opportunities for intergenerational dialogue and the sharing of oral histories, recognizing that much of this cultural knowledge may not be documented in institutional archives.
Overall, the key is for museums and institutions to centre the voices, stories, and material culture of the Indo-Caribbean diaspora, rather than relegating them to the margins. This can help foster a greater sense of belonging and representation.
QUOTES
“It’s been an absolute joy to be part of these unique spaces, seeing our clay creations and conversations evolve as we connect through shared heritage and ancestry. Such a simple but powerful way to learn, heal and build community around our Indo-Caribbean roots”.
“Thank you @jacquiramraykaceramics for creating such a warm and welcoming place to ignite these important conversations that I’m sure will continue thanks to the connections made.”
“A beautiful and intimate workshop, which gave voice to usually invisible Indo-Caribbean women, while connecting to our ancestors via clay.”
“An empowering and cathartic experience. I am grateful to have been a participant and to have connected with so many from our Indo-Caribbean diaspora. Its just so wonderful to have our culture present in a world-renowned institution like the V&A and for once not have that feeling of being othered.”
“The workshop was life affirming and a beautiful encounter with other Indian-Caribbean women, gently exploring and uncovering stories that connect us.”
“A wonderful workshop that connected me with loads of Indo-Caribbean artists. It was great to explore a new medium and discuss shared, liminal experiences.”
“Thank you @jacquiramraykaceramics for the important work you are doing and for letting me share these spaces with you. It's soothing and powerful to use our hands as a medium to connect with our own stories, our ancestry and each other.”
Soundscape ‘For Them, For Us’
“My thoughts on this piece, on the process of making it and the process of the workshops and discussions is a celebratory piece and dedication to those who came before, the courage and resilience of the ancestors, the roots of our migration, our families, communities, activists etc who paved the way for us, the diaspora. It’s also a dedication to everyone involved in the project and how we are linked to each other around the world through our shared history, as well as how we have found friendship and communities through this project. We are their legacy, and we will continue to create legacies. It’s an honouring of the creativity, the laughter, the process of recognition and healing through group conversations and collective creation, the objects, our clay work.”
Music by Shakira Stellar
Recorded by Jacqui Ramrayka, 2024
Sound editor Shakira Stellar