Knowing where you came from helps you to understand and value the struggles of your forefathers and also helps you to build on what they have worked so hard to achieve. On May 30, Indian Arrival Day, the descendants of Heera and Kullia, including me, will host their 12th annual family reunion at 66 Carry Road, Tabaquite, where the couple settled when they came from India. On August 25, 1890, my great-grandfather, Heera, and great-grandmother, Kullia, left the village of Sahjuthpur in the district of Ghazipur in India. Both 16-years-old at the time, they boarded the Ganges in Calcutta and came to Trinidad in search of a better life. My great-great grandfather, Fullu, bade farewell to his son and daughter-in-law and wished them well. The couple arrived here in Trinidad on November 25, 1890. Their first child, Samoondari, was born on board the Ganges on September 29, 1890.
Heera and Kullia went to work on the Phoenix Park/Esperanza plantations, where they toiled for five long years. They had no children during the five years of indentureship. The couple then moved to Tabaquite and settled in a place called "Coolie Block." Heera and Kullia had six more children-Sooknanan, Chattergoon, Sahadeo (my grandfather), Ramnarine, Dassiah and Bublee.
My grandfather, also called Captain, was the only one of their children to be alive when the family held its first reunion 12 years ago. He died at the age of 99. Indeed the struggles of our forefathers have not gone in vain. All of Heera's and Kullia's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are making contributions to this land-the land which has absorbed their perspiration and has made their fingers bleed.
Coming out of their struggles are professors, doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, politicians and the list goes on.
They left this world with the satisfaction of knowing that their hard work did not go in vain.
• For further information on the family reunion please call 389-9174.
