PRESBYTERIANS
INDIAN DIASPORA
SUPPLEMENT
Trinidad Guardian
May 30, 2000
Pages 8 and 9
Certain
aspects of the history of Presbyterianism in Trinidad have
undergone some distortion in the works of several historical researchers. This is the view of Jerome Teelucksingh who
is currently pursuing his Master in Philosophy degree in the area of Labour
History.
"Some
researchers tend to see the Presbyterian missionaries as denigrating, as
insulting and making a mockery out of Hinduism and Islam to win converts. Sow, some of these missionaries did in fact
criticize their religious teachings but what I have realised in the course of
my research, is that these were isolated attacks and desperate attempts to win
converts. But there was a genuine
interest among the Presbyterian missionaries to help the Indians,"
Teelucksingh explained.
"One
of the things which scholars fail to highlight," he continued, "is
that Reverend John Morton had a Hindi press in Tunapuna. He also imported a lot of literature from India.
His wife, Sarah Morton also produced a Hindi hymnary, "A Garland
of Flowers" and their son, Harvey Morton continued using this printed
material. Their daughter Agnes Morton was fluent in Hindi
and she promoted it in many of the institutions of the Presbyterian Church
in Trinidad."
"In
fact, even before the Canadian missionaries came to Trinidad in the 1860s, they
had sent a missionary to India in 1854 to learn about Hindu philosophy, culture
and way of life. So they were already a
bit knowledgeable about Hinduism."
Teelucksingh
also noted that the Canadian missionaries were preceded by the Scottish
missionaries. When Rev John Morton and
his wife Sarah landed in Trinidad on January 6, 1868, the United Presbyterian
Church of Scotland was already established at Iere Village, Princes Town since
the 1830s and were looking after the interests of the enslaved Africans. Both groups, Teelucksingh explained, had a
humanitarian approach to oppressed peoples.
"The
Presbyterian missionaries were also one of the first groups to liberate
women. From 1826 to 1901 they
continuously brought down Canadian women missionaries and teachers and in 1928
they started the Women's Missionary Society.
The Trinidad Girls in Trinidad (TGIT) had also been established in
1922. the Women's Missionary Society
was responsible for training the East Indian women as leaders - 'bible women'
they were called. One of he first bible
women was Fanny Subaran. Others were
Catherine Copeland-Grant and Amelia Bissessar."
This
occurred within a context where East Indian women who were widows were
ostracized; they also had to leave school at a very early age and take up
marital duties. And there was also the
problem of domestic violence.
"What the Presbyterian women missionaries did was to create a
native leadership among the East Indian women and they taught them various
skills at the Iere Home. They taught
Hindi, domestic skills, singing, bible reading. So these East Indian women were getting an education that they
had been previously denied. These bible
women became very outspoken in the rural areas and they were very active in the
Church.
"Many
scholars have also criticized Presbyterians for using education as a tool for
conversion. An evangelising arm of the
church was the school - the CMI and later CM (Canadian Missionary)
schools. But what I realise is that
this was important for social and occupational mobility. The parents wanted the children to get out
of this life on the plantation and the school was an avenue for this.
"Some
scholars also believe that the young people converted just to get a job since
being Presbyterian was a requirement for becoming a teacher at these
schools. So sometimes they became
Presbyterian yet stuck to their old religion.
This created an interesting phenomenon of a double identity."
Teelucksingh
feels that even though the schools are being criticized as being "agents
of deculturisation and westernization," he sees their importance in
"bridging a cultural gap": "The schools were allowing the
Indians to come up to par with the Africans.
They were learning English at these schools. This was reducing the ethnic and racial polarization that was
happening during slavery and during indentureship. They were trying to reduce the 'divide and rule' system.
"There
was also an interesting two-sided game played by the missionaries, in that they
were receiving money from the planters but were using it to educate the
labourers. I think the education
introduced by the missionaries helped lessen the trauma of indentureship. Perhaps this was even a factor in why so
many Indian immigrants decided to remain in Trinidad. They were seeing the possibility of their child moving up in this
society. I think scholars need to
re-examine this aspect of the schools.
It wasn't purely for conversion purposes. Despite the thousands of children who passed through these
schools, the conversion rate was very low.
Yet the missionaries continued to build schools. So, there was a genuine interest in
educating these Indians."
Teelucksingh
also pointed out that a similar situation existed in then British Guiana. He believes that by suing the same tactics
of socialization and christianisation, it helped to bridge the divide between
Indians and Africans.
Presbyterianism
developed in the rural areas of Trinidad such as Sangre Grande, Cumuto, Biche,
Barrackpore, San Juan, Monkeytown and other places. Simple services and cottage meetings were conducted in Hindi and
other Indian dialects. The house also
served as a church and the primary schools were transformed to churches on
Sundays. There was a simplicity to
these gatherings that is lost today.
At
the prayer meetings, the Indians would bring their flowers and sing bhajans,
some of which are still sung nowadays.
Three popular bhajans still used by the Presbyterian Church at prayer
meetings and church services are "Karo Meri Sahai" (Help me, Lord
Jesus), "Yisu ne kaha" (Jesus said, 'I am the Bread.') and "Yisu
Mase Mero Pran Bachaya" (Lord, save my life). Some of the Presbyterian Churches originally had Hindi names:
Morning Star Presbyterian Church in Fyzabad was Bhor Ka Tara, Light of the
World Church in Siparia was Jagat ka Prakash and the Rousillac Presbyterian
Church was also referred to as Sun of Righteousness or Dharm Ka Surj.
"In
early village life, the missionaries were also interested in improving family
life. They were promoting a 'jahaaji
bhai' in Trinidad in the village. So, I
think the missionaries were breaking down the ethnic and caste barriers among
the Indians. They didn't allow such
considerations to limit Indians from becoming catechists and preachers of the
Word. But early on it was important to
appoint Brahmins, such as Rev Andrew Gayadeen, who were already important in
the Indian community because of their caste.
"The
Canadian missionaries also targeted social and moral improvement. In the newsletter, The Trinidad
Presbyterian, they attacked alcoholism, wife abuse and proper
behaviour. The missionaries were also
concerned about the health of the Indians.
Some of them gave out tablets for worms and other medication for
conditions brought about by plantation life.
So, Presbyterian missionaries did not only focus on the religious. It was also an attempt to improve and
upgrade the Indian life in all areas.
One
of the criticisms the Church faces today is that of bureaucracy and infighting
within the Church and its schools. Some
of the flock have also opted to join the wave of evangelicals and Pentecostal
churches in search, Teelucksingh says, of a "religious
quick-fix." Hope lies, however, in
reviving the youth groups.
According
to Teelucksingh the size of the Presbyterian Church is estimated at 30,000
followers today. He believes that the
schools are the backbone behind today's Church, just as they were largely
responsible for the initial conversion of Indians to Presbyterianism. He pointed out that, at present, the students
of the many Presbyterian schools continue to make their schools proud -
testimony to the legacy of education that has made such a tremendous impact on the
lives of the East Indians in Trinidad.