My par nanee (mother's grandmother) was a first-generation Trinbagonian. As we celebrate Indian Arrival Day tomorrow, and as I struggle to find ways to connect my own young children to their past, so that they can appreciate how fortunate they are, what they have and how far they have come, I was sent a speech written by my Nana's (maternal grandfather) brother, Baldeo Maharaj, at the unveiling of a bust in honour of my par nanee.
It is wonderfully written and provides brief but great insight into life in Trinidad through the eyes of a family over several decades. I take this opportunity to share with you the words of Baldeo Maharaj:
Standing here before you, and thinking about the reason we are all gathered here, brings back memories of my childhood in a thatched roof mud hut shared with the animals on this very spot. My first memory of Maa at that age is eight, and the last image that is indelibly imprinted in my brain is 26-funeral pyre, hospital bed, etc.
These images remind me of The Dash poem by Linda Ellis which reads as follows:
I read of a man who stood to speak;
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone;
From beginning to end. (1903-1967)
He noted that first came the date of her birth;
And spoke of the following date with tears.
But what he said mattered the most of all,
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent on earth alive
And now only those who loved her,
Know what that little line is worth.
Today, 44 years after her passing, Bramdeo Bhaiyah has lovingly decided to honour her memory by unveiling this sculpture in her likeness. This recognition afforded to her now is better late than never as the saying goes. This sculpture is only a small token of our love and gratitude for her guidance, for her lifelong sacrifices, for her physical and emotional strength, and most of all, her role as the matriarch of a family of nine children and their offspring.
Maa created her own version of a dynasty. She ruled with an iron fist, and as a result, every member of her clan has benefitted from her wisdom and leadership directly and indirectly. Her eldest granddaughter remembers her as "a strong, intelligent, hardworking, illiterate woman, who accomplished in her lifetime what Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi or Golda Meyer only dreamed of achieving. If they had to survive in her situation, they would have failed miserably."
Maa was born around 1903/04 to Pundit & Mrs Ramnarine Maharaj (Nakatwa Pundit) at Sanford Street East, California (Pulwarty's Printery at present). She was the eldest of four sisters–Radha, Rulwa, Roonia, and a single brother, Kayso who was the father of the late Swami Satchitanand. All are now deceased. Maa together with her sisters attended the California Government School. So too did her children and their cousins. Being the eldest child, Maa ruled the roost from a very early age.
While at school, a teacher scolded a sister and Maa became highly offended. She responded by gathering the other sisters and left the school, never to return. Mother, counsellor, adviser
Despite the absence of a formal education, Maa continued to excel as a mother, sister, parent, counsellor, adviser etc. Maa got married at a tender age to a daring suitor–Seusaran/Sookloo Maharaj from Grant's Trace, Rousillac.
After marriage, she moved to her husband's home in Rousillac, South Trinidad. The union resulted in eight sons and one daughter–Mahadeo, Sahadeo, Samdaye, Hardeo, Jagdeo and the youngest Dayanand–deceased. The flag is still being held high by the surviving brothers–Bramdeo, Capildeo, Baldeo, daughters-in-law, grand children, and great grand children. After a few years in Rousillac, the family moved to California and lived on the Main Road next to the California Government School.
Life was tough and poverty stared us as with most families at that time. A "fig shop" was established to cater to the needs of the school children. During school breaks, the brothers all became sales clerks. It is reported that Hardeo, Jagdeo and Bramdeo were born at this location. Maa's life was one of work, more work, and more work. Her workday extended over some 16 to 20 hours. She had to massage the elders nightly. In addition to taking care of the children, she had to work in the Caroni Estate Canefield (Para Grass Gang) and on a plot of land where the Steel Workers Credit Union is located.
The fig business
Maa was fair and a beauty. Whilst at work in the scorching sun, her friends would invariably feel sorry for her and despite their own circumstances, they would often do her work/ assignment by shielding her in the shade. In all of this, Baap (our father), was a very sickly person stricken with asthma. Maa on the other hand was energetic, strong and very hard working. Invariably, he could not cope with the tedious workload.
One day, Maa kept on insisting that he help her in the garden/canefield, and he became very angry and decided to abandon the routine. He angrily said: "Woman, take your kudarie (hoe), your work and your land and leave my life and soul alone." Due to Baap's health and disposition, he was viewed as lazy, and Maa was continually encouraged to leave/abandon him by her parents, family and friends. She would hear nothing of the sort and instead remained a dedicated, devoted and obedient wife and mother to all of us.
She sacrificed her personal happiness to ensure that our family unit remained intact. Our happiness was more important than hers. From this home next to the school we moved to the present location at 10 East Boundary Street, California. The fig business continued with some ground provisions etc being added. The rearing of cows became an integral part of the family with milk vending as a valuable source of income. At that time, Bhaiyah, our eldest brother, was the main architect of the family–his vision for the family prevailed.
When Bhaiyah becomes father
Everyone of us had to be involved in the household chores, cutting grass, caring for the animals etc, and all had to be done before and after school and work. Our extreme poverty resulted in the birth of Capildeo Bhaiyah being born under a cocoa tree in August, 1935. I arrived five years later in August, 1940. My younger brother, Dayanand came two years thereafter. Baap passed on in June 1943 at the age of 48, and Dayanand passed on soon after.
It is believed that Baap took our youngest brother with him to ease the burden on Maa after he was gone. As is traditional, Bhaiyah assumed the role of father, and together with Maa, they kept the limb and family together. Maa sold in the market in Couva amongst other things. During the late forties, these lands at Macaulay were bought. We commuted with a donkey cart from California to do work and maintain this estate. Eventually some of us moved over here.
Poverty brings unity
We lived in a house built from the coconut tree trunk and branches. We shared this home with the animals. We continued to unite and work, go to school etc. Maa with Bhaiyah held the fort like Sampson and Delilah. Poverty brings unity. Too many are the stories to relate of the life then with the ups and downs experienced. In the late fifties or early sixties we bought lands at Arena Road, Freeport. The belt tightening had to continue more intensely to meet commitments. In diversifying the crops, Maa together with some of the brothers sold at markets in San Fernando, Penal, Marabella, and Chaguanas.
Maa, in driving herself, also made you put out that extra. In her simple way she was highly intelligent with regards to life and its viscissitudes. Along with these chores, education was central to our development. We all received an education–some more than others based on ability and affordability. Maa worked long hours to support our family and pay for travel and tuition. Bhaiyah sacrificed his own education to make sure we all got an education.
Education a non-negotiable priority
Based on the level of poverty we experienced at the time, the more logical thing to do was to have us all join the workforce as soon as possible to help eke out an existence. In the process, Maa and Bhaiyah made it known that our education was a non-negotiable priority. Maa was ever devoted to her children and siblings. Daily, she would pray which invariably touched on the children "Hay Bhagwan bal bachpan raakshah karay"–"Lord, please take care of the children." Maa's commitment to maintaining a tight-knit family unit resulted in an extended family as each son got married and had their own families.
Castro stole her ideas
Even though we lived in different houses at Arena, California and here in Macaulay, we continued to pool resources together and each family received their share based on need. That's how material and physical things were acquired and distributed amongst the family. Fidel Castro stole her ideas to create communist Cuba! I grew up sickly and would torment Maa–being Maa's spoilt child. I could not do without her. She was my constant companion. We shared the same bed until I left for the UK in April '66.
Whenever I had to be separated from her, I would cry down the place to be with her.
My first year in England would see me writing her weekly on Tuesdays. I did not get the expected response from the "girls" pronto. Before leaving, I knew Maa was not too well. Her diabetic condition continued to affect her and spread to other body organs. When I was told to come home urgently in December 1966 I knew, and my fears had been confirmed–Maa had been ailing and same was withheld.
She was a regular patient of the San Fernando General Hospital. During this time, she also lived at Fyzabad, Arena and California. Life for her was not easy nor comfortable. She continued to bear her pain as she did throughout her life. Maa eventually passed away on February 7, 1967 at the San Fernando General Hospital. She left us a lot to be grateful for. Maa is irreplaceable and cannot be replicated.
She was a visionary, and an extraordinary woman not only in her time, but by today's standard as well.
She was compassionate to those in need as she housed many distant relatives who ended up with no homes or families. She demonstrated integrity and simplicity. During her first meeting with my brother Capildeo Bhaiyah's future in-laws and after the initial chit-chat she said: "My son is a good boy, but he has two bad habits–he smokes and he has a bad temper". The wedding still took place and they have been married 47 years now.
As a result of her resilience, sacrifices, devotion to family and her faith in God, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have had the access to opportunities, higher education and better standards of living, that would have not been possible otherwise. She was an inspiration to all those who knew her as her life reminds us that it is not enough to merely exist–we need to live our lives to the fullest, despite the obstacles we may face. This was Maa's Dash...