Phagwa is with us, a festival embracing the energies of the
elements of water and fire, oppression of religion and resistance
against conversion, absolute faith, social conscience, social
leveling, oneness, the labour class, colour, dance, poetry,
social conscience and song—traditional songs and innovative
pichakarees. As a matter of fact, Phagwa is classified as
a shudra festival.
Pichakaree has, again, come in for scrutiny by the community,
as indeed, it must. In fact, all things in the community must
receive scrutiny—things that come from within the community
as well as those things that come from outside. The charge
this time is that Kendra Phagwa is celebrating a Muslim festival,
Hosay. This year, the Kendra commemorates the 120th anniversary
of the Jahajee Massacre of October 30, 1884, which occurred
during the Hosay festival.
Even while Hosay may be faced with an uncertain future within
its host community, it will continue to have a special place
in the history of T&T in general, and in the history of
Indians in the Caribbean in particular. It is—at least,
ought to be—of critical interest to Hindus, for it was
mostly Hindu blood that flowed during the Jahajee Massacre.
To suggest, however, that the Kendra Phagwa Festival is celebrating
Hosay during Phagwa is neither true nor our intention. As
a matter of fact, the celebration of Hosay is marked at a
special time in the lunar calendar long past. Hosay is given
to two Muslim martyrs but Kendra Phagwa celebrates Prahlaad
and Narshigh Avataar, to the extent of annual portrayals at
Holkia Dahan, which has been creatively shaped over the past
few years at the Kendra. Tadjas and flags are the most important
visuals which are not part of Kendra Phagwa Festival.
As a matter of fact, whether Hosay is a Muslim festival or
not, is not a settled issue even amongst Muslims. It is, however,
they who must resolve that question. But the objection raises
a wider issue in the context of mandirs and Hindu homes which
celebrate Christmas.
Neither Hindus in general, pundits nor Hindu organisations
have ever taken the same hard line towards Christmas. There
are Hindu institutions and mandirs which celebrate Christmas
for children. Hindus have lavish feasts for Christmas and
it has become a family day. While we may accept the Christmas
incursion in Hindu life, Hosay has a stronger validity for
Hindus. It is the context in which Hindus were afforded an
opportunity to perform the ultimate sacrifice while they engaged
a struggle for a cultural space in the Caribbean.
“There was no festival that offered the jahajees the
kind of use of space as Hosay because it was processional,
the only processional religio-cultural activity of the jahajees
at that time,” said Ken Parmasad, at a lecture at the
Kendra.
The Kendra became interested in the Jahajee Massacre while
it began to explore Pitri Paksha as a period (paksha) for
expression of the world view, opinions, heritage (paksha)
of our pitris – ancestors. It is this journey that led
us to Balidaan Tola – the place of sacrifice and the
historic event of Jahajee Massacre (out of 22 martyrs, 18
were Hindus) in Mon Repos, San Fernando.
We were moved to begin an annual journey there to offer tarpan
for our ancestors during Pitri Paksha. The realisation that
it was mostly Hindus who comprised the procession or who were
wounded or killed was too compelling to turn out backs on
it. We must find a way to integrate the realities and the
energies in our community life.
Jahajee Massacre plays a part in Kendra Phagwa Festival 2005.
We may have confused people because of this, hence it is necessary
to explain. One of the goals of pichakaree is to engage a
theme annually and through this device secure songs on different
subjects. In 1995 the theme was Indian Arrival, from which
we have produced a cassette on Pichakarees of Arrival. During
International Year of the Family, this pichakaree theme secured
many interesting pichakarees on family life. We hope to secure
a crop of songs on the event of the Jahajee Massacre this
year.
On March 27, at Divali Nagar, T&T will have an opportunity
to hear some pichakaree offerings on the Jahajee Massacre.
It is clear that the composers may have scanty information,
as neither the school system nor our community has managed
to make it available. Yet, pichakaree on Sunday at the Divali
Nagar will bring an interesting perspective.
Lyn Khan will ask in her chorus:
“After so many years of indentureship,
How come jahajees still feeling the whip?
They wok hard lika bhaisaa, look how dey suffer.
Now tell me who reaping the fruits of dey labour?
Wake from yuh slumber, reclaim dharma
To save jahajee culture, we must stop dis massacre.”
Vinatri Ramkissoon weeps,
“I still hear the cries of the jahajee massacred,
And now Caroni bosom run dry.”
