Indian Association commemorates Settlers Day |20 August 2018

To commemorate the 248th anniversary of the arrival of the first Indian settlers to Seychelles, the Indian Association of Seychelles on Saturday hosted a ceremony at the National Library.

It was on August 1770 when these first five Indian settlers, alongside fifteen European colonists and seven slaves, arrived in Seychelles to help establish the first French settlement.

According to records, those first five Indian settlers were Chary, Moutou, Menathe, Corinthe and Domaigne followed by other Indians who landed on the shores of Seychelles followed at intervals.

Among the guests present were Vice-President Vincent Meriton; Speaker of the National Assembly Nicholas Prea; high commissioner of India Dr Ausaf Sayeed; Minister for Education and Human Resource Development Jeanne Simeon; Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Charles Bastienne; principal secretary for culture Cecile Kalebi; Justice of the Court of Appeal Bernardin Renaud and Commissioner of Police Kishnan Labonte.

Members of the Indian Association and members of the diplomatic corps were also in attendance.

In his speech, the chairman of the Indian Association, K. Ramakrishnan Pillay, highlighted the fact that the Settlers Day commemoration is in its third edition this year.

“The Indian Association of Seychelles is committed to giving back to a country in which we settled and now call our home. We want people to learn and appreciate the fact that Indians were among the first settlers in 1770 and they very much form part of this melting point of race and culture which makes us proud to be Seychellois.”

In light of the need to emphasise on this above fact, Mr Pillay later revealed that the Indian Association is initiating a 12-month research project on arrivals of Indians in Seychelles and how they actually helped shape the socio-economic and cultural landscape of Seychelles.

“We have to know our history and here we are talking about real and actual history that needs to be brought to the forefront. This information is especially crucial for our youths since many of them are more aware of European and Western history than of their own,” Mr Pillay told the press.

The research team includes Guy Morel and linguist Penda Choppy supported with the help of various historians, photographers, videographers and external network of researchers. The research is expected to be funded by the Indian Association.

The ceremony also saw a speech from Minister Simeon who underscored the participation and contribution of Seychellois of Indian descent in many sectors such as medicine, education, construction and commerce.

“The government is appreciative and grateful for the assistance of these people and the government of India who has helped Seychelles in many ways in various sectors ranging from defence, health, education and professional development.”

She further described the Indian Association’s efforts into observing recurrently Settlers Day as a great initiative since “it reminds everybody that history needs to be recognised and remembered, needs to be kept alive.”

On his side, Dr Sayeed also commended the Indian Association particularly on the research project emphasising that he hopes that the research is treated as a proper academic exercise which will make everyone proud in the long run.

“There is a need for further study and the decision to do is a momentous one because the contribution of Indians in these 250 odd years cannot simply be left to conjecture, it has to be documented,” Dr Sayeed stated.

The ceremony concluded with Judge Bernardin Renaud handing over a magazine on the Seychelles Indian diaspora to Commissioner Labonte.

It was through this brief handing over that Judge Renaud revealed to Commissioner Labonte, who was unaware of this fact, that their fathers were cousins who came from the same part of India.

The guests were later treated to two poems and a violin performance followed by refreshments.