A time to remember. A time to celebrate. A time to tell our stories!

This November marks 150 years since the arrival in SA of the SS Truro, the first ship carrying indentured labourers from the Indian sub-continent, and the beginning of a programme of importation of contracted labour that would last more than half a century.

When shipments finally ceased in 1911, more than 150 000 men, women and children in nearly 400 shiploads had been freighted to SA. Still many other Indians arrived in SA as 'free' passengers, unindentured, and having paid their own way.

Since they first arrived - pre-dating 1860 - South Africans of Indian origin have consistently played prominent roles in the country's unfolding history, not least in its political life. Their involvement dates back to the struggles against colonial and apartheid rule.

To be sure, they have assisted in creating value across the South African socio-political and economic landscape. Leaders in business are too many to count. Entertainers, writers, scholars and artists have been lauded for the uniqueness for their contribution to how South Africa expresses itself. The country's health care system owes much to Indian South African nurses and doctors. The fields are many and the contributions manifold.

The commemoration of the anniversary of the first arrivals presents an important backdrop in which to remember and recollect on these stories. It is also the impetus to gather new stories and create a living archive that provides the foundations for future generations to remember and tell their own stories.

It is an opportunity for Saffron TV to serve its mandate to act as a platform for the South African Indian community.

We're offering our channel as a platform to create a digital archive of the last 150 years; a multi-media cataloguing of stories, events and people who helped shape the rich, multi-layered expressions of Indian South African culture we know today. In an attempt to be as all-inclusive as possible the selection of stories will aim to ensure that not only those stories with which we are already familiar with are acknowledged, but those that have, hitherto, remained untold.

This is where we are calling on YOU. We want to hear your stories. Who are the people who shaped your sense of Indian South African Pride? Perhaps you are in possession of heirlooms, old photographs, documents and artifacts with back stories that you have shared in your family. Now come and share it us! In everybody's family there are stories that stand as tender, loving memories that make being an Indian South African a unique experience to you?

Whatever your story, we want to hear it! Let's blow the dust off all those nearly-forgotten tales. Let's honor them with a place in Indian South African history they deserve!

How can YOU help bring this vision alive? Simple! Write, or email us with your story. (see contact details below). Just a brief paragraph with your contact details will be sufficient..

From what you are able to share with us we will create 3-5 minute inserts that capture the essence of the story and its value to the overall narration of Indian South African history. We will use a variety of means to platform the stories we ultimately end up telling. The most immediate of these is the channel itself. From April we'll be flighting at least one insert a day with and omnibus to follow at the week's end. Being digital means that we'll also be platforming these stories via the internet and cell phones.

Remember that this is a community effort and we are committed to covering events that speak directly or indirectly to this project, so feel free to alert us to any of these happening in your community.

Contact:
E-mail your stories to us at info@saffrontv.co.za, fax us at 086 567 0658 or write to us at PO Box 0847, Saxonwold, 2132.

We look forward to hearing from you.

They came on ships as mere numbers, but they never left their dignity behind. They were sold dreams of gold only to find hardship and struggle, but they never gave in. They saw inhumanity in its cruellest of forms, but they never wavered in their fight for a better life.

According to historical documents, the first indentured labourers to arrive in South Africa were a far cry from the wan-looking, weather-beaten people expected. Instead, a happy-go-lucky-bunch - excited at the prospect of a new life - was said to disembark the Truro, the very first ship to dock with labourers.

Unfortunately a hard and difficult journey was in store for these 339 optimistic arrivals, and they were soon introduced to the trials and tribulations that their work on the farms would entail.

Indentured Labourers arrived from India with high expectations. Agreements made in India entitled workers to 10 shillings a month for male workers. This would have been a veritable fortune relative to the little they were leaving behind, and after the initial five-year contract expired there were incentives for a second contract with the option to return to India and be granted some land. Sadly, the conditions of these agreements were never met and the consequences were heartbreaking. The cane fields of Natal became places where both the dreams of a better life and the spirits of many indentured labourers were cruelly crushed.

The difficulties faced by indentured labourers from the moment they arrived prove to be a constant. They worked from sunrise to sunset under unrelenting weather conditions and suffered horrific abuse from employers. From Monday to Saturday they toiled, leaving little - if any time - for family or social life of any sort.

Labourers were determined however on Sundays they had time to preserve a sense of social togetherness, and they were moments where friends working on different parts of a given plantation would gather to socialize, exchange experiences, take stock of their lives and most importantly, to express gratitude for what they had. Despite the little they did have, workers would pool all their resources to ensure that the day went as festively as possible.

Muharram was the first known communal event held by indentured labourers in the Natal colony. Labourers from different plantations throughout the colony would gather to celebrate. Although a Muslim-inspired celebration it was a time that Christians, Muslims and Hindus would gather in unison far from the constant toil of the plantations and150 embrace a sense of community and freedom, that had eluded them for most of the year that had passed.

Life as an indentured labourer was hard enough. And the trials and tribulations faced by these pioneers, was exacerbated by their separation from family. Many would spend years even their entire lifetimes vexed by the fact that they would never see their parents or children again. However the imbalance in numbers of men and women diminished and slowly families began to develop and grow. With the terrible conditions on plantations, it was vital for families to stick together. As families grew, so did a new sense of hope and expectation. They wanted lives for their children without indenture and this desire for a better life for their offspring and their own years of inhumane with years inhuman suffering would lead to a growing resistance to the conditions they faced.

After the long and difficult journey to this new and foreign land; and the abuse of tyrannical employers, the stirrings of resistance were imminent. The first organized resistance to conditions on the plantations was documented as early as 1862 a mere two years after arrival, when labourers, fed-up with unfairly docked wages and brutal punishments staged a walk-off on the estate where they worked. More of them found ways of speaking out. By the mid 1880s resistance had started to grow, and by the 1890s one thing was clear. It may take some time before they would become truly effective as a unit, but they were growing into a voice, which needed someone to take ownership of the battle, articulating the problems in a clear, effective way. It would take some years, but this man would go on to be known across the world as the Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1893, Gandhi arrived in South Africa as a newly graduated attorney. What he saw was injustice - men and women from his native India suffering in indenture and an abusive system that was as inhumane as slavery. Soon when traveling by train to Pretoria, he had his first bitter experience of racism in South Africa an event which ultimately transformed his life. His historic South African sojourn would span twenty one years and when he left South Africa in 1914, Gandhi had left an indelible imprint on the countrys socio-political landscape. His efforts relieved much of the pain,suffering and oppression faced by Indians in Natal. Furthermore, on his return to India, he would put into practice many of the resistance strategies formulated in South Africa, which would firmly establish him as a world leader of enormous magnitude.

Gandhi original intended departure from South Africa in 1894 (a year after his arrival) was ultimately delayed by twenty years when at his farewell function his legal assistance was requested to fight the legislative disenfranchisement of Indian traders in Natal. He saw the need to organize local Indians politically and the Natal Indian Congress was formed on 22 August 1894. This step would change forever the next 20 years of South African Indian history, and Gandhi remained to work tirelessly in passive resistance to counter the oppression of his people.

The concept of Satyagraha or non-violence, first emerged in 1906. Translated as 'soul force, pure and simple'. it would become the new weapon in the campaign for justice of a voiceless people, in the first phase of the resistance struggle. Transvaal Indian immigrants made their presence felt as early as 1880, creating resentment about the economic competition they presented to white traders. This resulted in legislative measures introducing mechanisms for separation and racial discrimination These discriminatory practices together with more anti- Indian legislation set the scene for the famous passive resistance struggle.

By the end of the 1800s indenture was nearly over and many former labourers were trying to create new lives for themselves in South Africa away from the plantations. In 1906, in conjunction with the Indian traders fighting disenfranchisement, they gathered to fight back and formed a plan of action entailing passive resistance.

When the first thrust of Gandhis resistance simmered down in 1908, he moved to the Transvaal and in 1910, with donated land created Tolstoy farm, where he introduced his theories on communal living. Around 70 - 80 people lived in this "co-operative commonwealth", representative of a variety of religions, origins and languages in simple communal living with a structured routine of work, school (by Gandhi), and respectful of each others beliefs and ideologies.

In 1913 Gandhi took up the causes of 3 pound tax and recognition of Indian Marriages and the Satyagrahis from Tolstoy Farm in Johannesburg crossed the border to Natal in contravention of immigration laws. Within days of hearing that several women protesters had been arrested, there were 4000 strikers from the Newcastle coalmines heading for the Transvaal border to join Gandhi in protest. And the government of the day had little doubt about the seriousness of the resisters by the end of this epic protest.

The success of the passive resistance movement headed up by Gandhi was not without its casualties. Many brave resisters, both men and women, were imprisoned and suffered severe hardships, some were shot, others died in prison. The resistance had taken a serious toll. But the movement drew attention from both local and international press, resulting in a Commission that ultimately abolished the 3 pound tax, the legalised Indian marriages, relaxed the immigration laws and the pardoned of all resisters. This was a vital victory for Indian politics in South Africa. But Gandhi, having achieved his goals - left South Africa to return to India and make his mark in liberating the country from British rule, and to become one of the most revered and respected leaders in the world.

Despite the victories of Gandhi and the 1913 passive resistance campaign, racial antagonism against Indians continued. However the community was resilient establishing small settlements across Natal, setting up shops and shacks in Durban, and building mosques and temples for worship. Curries Fountain became a hub of all sorts of activity for the community. Sports, mainly cricket and soccer were an obvious attraction. Notwithstanding Governments attempts to separate races ethnically, the African, Indian and Coloured people ignored the rules and played together. Curries soon had a greater purpose, serving as a political rally point to rebuke the countrys racist laws. And men and women from all races gathered there in the call for a free and democratic South Africa.

Renowned author and long time resident of the Casbah, Aziz Hassim remembers the golden age of cinema and entertainment in Durbans Grey Street heydays.

Durbans Grey Street has been a special place for many decades, the vibrant heartbeat of the Indian community and the area where people congregated - for cultural, religious and social events. Two longtime residents Haish Mehtas and Aziz Hassim remember both the best and worst of it from fabulous shops to seedy gangs.

We take a brief look at two of the foremost heroes of South Africas liberation struggle Dr;s Yusuf Dadoo and Monty Niacker and their efforts and contribution to the integration of Indian people in the rainbow nation. (more)

The Story of the Bunnychow U.D., Yanna and Harish tell us their story of how the legendary Durban Bunny Chow came to be.

U.D. and B Maharaj sent Saffron TV a fascinating story of their father Pandit Maharaj who came to South Africa as an indentured labourer in the early 20th century. In this interview they recall their father's story from indentured labourer to an independent businessman and the story of their family now including great grandchilden of Pandit Maharaj. U.D. Maharaj tells us how they were taught the scriptures in sanskrit, and how they to this day work to spread indigenous Indian languages and culture to the community.

Valliama Munuswami Muliar Yanna Pillay tells us the story of Valliama, the daughter of renowned activist Moonsamy Mudliar who give her life at the age of sixteen for the resistance against apartheid.

Yanna Pillay is a founder of the Natal Tamil Federation and a well respected community leader.

In the first of the series, Harish Mehta a business leader from Durban, recounts the story of his family's arrival in India with Mahatma Gandhi, their years living in the "Casbah", his experiences as a businessman during apartheid and his hope that his children take time to understand their heritage.