Muniamma family documented
A STORY that dates back more than 100 years, about two lovers who escaped the punishment of their families for falling in love and leaving their village of Tamil Nadu to eventually make their way to South Africa, was launched at the Enchanted Gardens Conference Centre in Isipingo, south of Durban, yesterday.
Flight of Young Lovers is told in the Muniamma family history book, which was researched and edited by journalist Subry Govender, with the help of his family.
It’s a life story of Govender’s ancestors Kandasami Naiken and his “wife” Thanji, from Navalpore in the former North Arcott District of Tamil Nadu, India.
“In late 1881, after the village elders wanted to punish them for falling in love, Kandasami and Thanji fled to Madras (Chennai),” said Govender. “Here they heard that some white people were recruiting labourers to work on sugar plantations in the Natal Colony. They decided that wherever this place was it would be far safer than Madras – because their tribal elders would kill them if they remained there.
“They registered as indentured labourers and boarded the SS Mars in late 1881, arriving in the Port of Durban in March 1882.”
They were then recruited to work at the Blackburn Sugar Estate, near Mount Edgecombe. After working there for 10 years, during which time their two daughters, Muniamma and Yellammah, were born, they were hired by a white family to travel to Ladysmith, said Govender.
There they got caught up in the Anglo-boer War.
The Naikens later returned to Durban and tried to eke out a living. They moved to Dayal Road in Clairwood in the early 1900s where they toiled as market gardeners.
“It was in Clairwood that the young Muniamma and Yellammah were married,” said Govender. “Their parents arranged for Muniamma, only 15, to marry Coopoosamy of Mount Edgecombe. Yellammah was also married at 15, to Coopoosamy Pillay of Ottawa Sugar Estate.
“Both couples set up life in Dayal Road. Muniamma and Coopoosamy conceived 14 children, 11 survived to give birth to the greater Muniamma family – running into six generations and more than 500 descendants.
“Yellammah did not have any children but Muniamma was kind enough to let her sister bring up one of her daughters.”
After Thanji died in early 1920, her husband returned to Tamil Nadu. “He could not take the loss of his wife”.
When the sons and daughters of Muniamma became adults, they also married and moved to different areas, said Govender.
Their descendants are settled mainly in Kwazulunatal, Gauteng,cape Town, Australia, New Zealand, England and Germany. From humble beginnings they have become successful professionals.
Yesterday, more than 200 family members gathered to witness the launch of the book. Govender said he started working on it when his grandmother, Muniamma, visited their home in Lotusville, Verulam, in the 1980s.
In addition to speaking to Muniamma, he gathered information from her children.
Govender was banned and put under house arrest in 1980 for being an activist journalist. In 1990, he was given his passport back and he made his first trip to Navalpore in March 1990.
“In Navalpore, we interacted with chiefs and villagers but, unfortunately, could not link anyone who was related to our great-grandparents,” he said.
“We were told that if our greatgrandparents ran away because of falling in love, all ties with them would have been broken.
“The reason for writing this book was to leave a legacy for generations. The family believe if they know our roots, our descendants can promote our language, tradition and culture – and not be mesmerised by Western values.” ESSOP Khan broke down social barriers and bravely challenged authorities during apartheid, but was still one of the quirkiest comedians you’d ever meet.
This is how key entertainment figures who worked with him described him, saying his death was a sad day for the country.
Khan, 72, died in his sleep on Monday at his home in Asherville after a period of ill-health.
He was a popular playwright who founded EKMA productions in 1985, with his business partner Mohammed Ali, under which many young artists flourished.
In a 2010 interview with Independent Media, Khan said bungee jumping, performing at the Royal Albert Hotel in London, and meeting Nelson Mandela were three things he wanted to do before he passed on.
His funny side surfaced in the interview when he was asked about the funniest thing that ever happened to him. “My pants tore while on set in a play called We Three Kings. Needless to say, I was the, er, butt of many a joke thereafter,” he quipped.
Durban actress, playright and radio personality, Jayshree Parasuramen, said Khan was a man full of laughter.
“He came to your level, and would speak your lingo. He was always available to speak at any time, even if you were not in his production he would still help.”
“At the height of apartheid, certain types of art were banned. Khan would memorise lines, throw scripts away and tell authorities he never had any scripts at all.”
Khan and Ali produced their hit play Jamaal Syndrome, and over 30 years of productions performed on national and international stages, with their business partner, Savy Ramsamy.
Khan had been one of the youngest artists to join now veteran actor Ronnie Govender and Muthal Naidoo to form the Shah Theatre Academy in the early 1960s.
“Theatre is still alive but is more expensive, and just like Khan, we need to ensure we produce content worth the ticket,” said Ali.
But there will never be another Essop Khan.