Book Review: They Came in Ships

By Petamber Persaud

They Came in Ships

Peepal Tree Press in conjunction with the Indian Commemoration Trust of Guyana, 1998

IBSN 0 948833 94 7

304 pages

The book, ‘They Came in Ships’, gives a discerning picture of the sojourn of Indians from India to Guyana, a journey through colonial and post-colonial dispensations. The book also looks into the future of Indians in Guyana, and how they may improve themselves.

‘They Came in Ships’ is an anthology of Indo-Guyanese prose and poetry first published 1998 by Peepal Tree Press (UK) in conjunction with the Indian Commemoration Trust of Guyana. The Indian Commemoration Trust of Guyana is headed by Yesu Persaud.

Both entities, Peepal Tree Press and the Indian Commemoration Trust of Guyana, (ICT) have greatly influenced the development of the literature and culture of this country. Peepal Tree Press commenced operation as a small press by giving voice to Guyanese writers of Indian ancestry.

The ICT has its origin in the elaborate activities to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana from India, and is ‘committed to a programme of publication’. Indeed, the ICT did a reprint in 1988 of the “Centenary History of East Indians in British Guiana” by Peter Ruhomon, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

“They Came in Ships” is an anthology of Indo-Guyanese writings that was given birth to fill a lacuna, which was the absence of documentation of the Indians’ contribution to the arts. At the time of publication of the book, it was felt that the contribution of Indians to the development of Guyana is well documented, save and except their contribution to society in the Arts.

The book maps ‘the development of an Indo-Guyanese expression in literature beginning with the Indian theme in the writings of Europeans and others through to the remarkable literary flowering of current times’. This mapping was no easy task for the editors/compilers, Lloyd Searwar, Laxhmie Kallicharan, Joel Benjamin and Ian McDonald.

In the introduction, it is stated that ‘Putting together an anthology is a difficult task since the anthologist must largely rely on his own judgement, while always aware that his selections will be contested by others. But the anthologist’s task is made even more difficult when the anthology must reflect writings over a very long period’…to combine ‘quality with representativeness so as to show the evolution of expression from immigration and indenture to the present day’.

Despite the daunting task, the compilers of this volume declared ‘we feel confident that this collection reflects, in its many aspects, the Indo-Guyanese contribution to national expression’. And indeed that document remains an invaluable reference source especially in the glaring absence of any other such material.

Considering the above, it is clear to see why the book is divided into sections. The sections, numbering six, actually show the development in an engaging manner, and those sections are ‘Part 1: In the Eyes of Others; Part 2: the Growth of Self-Awareness; Part 3: Prose fiction; Part 4: Poetry; Part 5: Afterword and Part 6: Bibliography of Indo-Guyanese Imaginative Writing.

Sections 1 to 4 are treated with erudite introductions.

In ‘Part 1: In the Eyes of Others’, there are samples from the writings of Europeans like Edward Jenkins and J. G. Pearson, who were studying the subject from as far back as the late 19th century.

‘Part 2: The Growth of Self-Awareness’ is given over mainly to the early Indian intellectuals discussing the issue of identity and loyalty, including the thoughts of Joseph Ruhomon, J. A. Luckhoo, Robert I. Janki, Peter Ruhomon and Ayube Edun. Contributions to this section also came from Cheddi Jagan, S. S. Ramphal, Rajkumari Singh, Karna Singh and Jeremy Poynting.

‘Part 3: Prose Fiction’, include the work of pioneer Guyanese writers of Indian ancestry, like Sheik Sadeek and Peter Kempadoo, along with contemporary practitioners like Sasenarine Persaud and Cyril Dabydeen.  The work of two female writers made this section – Jan Shinebourne and Narmala Shewcharan.

‘Part 4: Poetry’, features work going all the way back to first major publication, ‘The Anthology of Local Indian Verse’, published in 1934. This large section, which includes the poetry of some 25 writers, effectively maps the development of poetry by Indians from then to time of publication.

‘Part 6: Bibliography of Indo-Guyanese Imaginative Writing’, is a crown to this impressive volume of literature. For the first time, such a comprehensive listing of writings by Guyanese of Indian ancestry was published.

Overall, ‘They Came in Ships’ is an invaluable source document. This book is out of print; a reprint (preferable with updated information) is warranted.