The Repatriation, Readjustment, and second-term migration of Ex-Indentured Indian Laborers from British Guiana and Trinidad to India, 1838-1955

Abstract

This article examines the readjustment and remigration of ex-indentured Indian laborers from India to the Caribbean. The author shows that there was a small but steady influx of ex-indentured Indian laborers or second-term Indian migrants to the Caribbean. The central question is why ex-indentured Indians returned to the Caribbean to again work under an abusive indenture system? The author contends that desperate conditions along with the restrictive caste structure in India as well their Caribbean experience forced ex-indentured Indian laborers to re-indenture themselves for a second and even third time.

Keywords

• Caribbean
• Guyana
• Trinidad and Tobago
• East Indian
• contract labour
• resettlement
• social adaptation
• return migrations
• migrations
• social history
• cultural values