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FORMER SENATOR: COOLIE TO THE BONE

GARY CARDINEZ Saturday, October 14 2006

 

"We have customs, we recite prayers, we do things Indian, as our

ancestors have done for thousands of years before, you say, Christ

set foot on this earth. So when you look at Indian, in Trinidad, or

wherever, you just remember that an Indian is no ordinary being."

 

INDIAN HONOURS: NCIC President Deokinanan Sharma honours former UNC

senator Surendranath Capildeo at Thursday's launch of the 2006

Divali Nagar at End...FORMER UNC Senator Surendranath Capildeo

admitted to being a "coolie to the bone" (Coolie is a coarse,

derogatory term for a person of East Indian descent) during his

address at the formal opening of Divali Nagar 2006 in Chaguanas on

Thursday night.

 

Capildeo was the chief guest and delivered the feature address on a

night when the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) kicked off

its 20th year of Divali celebrations. Capildeo spoke on the theme

Hindu/Indian contribution to the world.

 

After speaking about the East Indian's contribution in world

affairs, the former senator said, "Let us turn to ourselves and take

a good hard look."

 

"Now ladies and gentlemen, let us consider you and I, let us

consider the Indian.

 

"An extraordinary specimen of species Homo Sapiens, a remarkable

survivor. You are looking at one, a real true, true Indian – a

coolie to the bone.

 

"Indians have been on this planet for a very long time, whatever the

period, my past, the Indian's past is as they say shrouded in the

mists of antiquity.

 

"We are like no other race, we are different, Indians are a world

unto themselves. We regard ourselves as the eternal people."

 

"Our religion is the eternal religion, we have been and are witness

to a continuous unbroken thread of Indian civilisation which began

before the memory of man.

 

"We have customs, we recite prayers, we do things Indian, as our

ancestors have done for thousands of years before, you say, Christ

set foot on this earth. So when you look at Indian, in Trinidad, or

wherever, you just remember that an Indian is no ordinary being.

 

"He belongs to a special race and our unique history as a subjugated

people sets us apart. If ever a race was meant to be subjugated and

enslaved it was or as some would say is, the Indian race.

 

"The Indian mind does not submit to slavery, you cannot enslave an

Indian mind. Not even the Vedic Gods of yore could do that. This is

our legacy, this is our heritage. Now tonight, knowing all that, let

you and I consider the Indian. Indians do not seek refuge behind the

skirts of indentureship, that is history. History has its lessons,

we learn and move on."

 

The audience included Chaguanas Mayor Suruj Rambachan and his deputy

Orlando Nagessar, Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran, MP Sadiq Baksh and

UWI Principal Bhoe Tewari.

 

After quoting from the Bhagavad Gita Capildeo continued, "Now I know

we have been painted and tainted as a corrupt people who cannot hold

high office. In fact, I am a regular victim of drive-by cussing with

people telling me, `all ah all you, grey-haired Indian is thief.' Do

not be disturbed, this accusation is nothing new."

 

Capildeo then went on to quote history as far back as 1847, where

Lord Harris complained that Indians had a propensity to vagabond

life and continued on to the recent revelation about the PNM's bias

against Indians. He chalked it up as "the more things change the

more they remain the same."

 

Capildeo reminded his audience to recall the efforts of their past

leaders nearly all of whom he had the fortune to know from Roodal,

Saran Teelucksingh, Clarence Carmichael Abidh, Ranjit Kumar, Chanka

Maharaj, Ashford Sinanan, Basdeo Panday and Bhadase Sagan Maraj whom

he described as the greatest of them all.

 

Capildeo also reminded the audience that "in the near future you

will have the privilege of demonstrating your mettle as an Indian. I

say to you, all of you, seize the moment with both hands and this

time do not let go. Hold on, forever."

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,45979.html

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