ST. LUCIA, CARIBBEAN, July 16, 2007: East Indians have been in St. Lucia since 1838 and according to the author of this article James Rambally, it is not a well-known fact. Rambally explains, “Many Guyanese, Trinidadians, Surinamese, Jamaicans, and even recently arrived East Indians are astonished to find that St. Lucia has had long-standing Indian communities for over 140 years. Indian and Dougla citizens constitute nearly 10% of the St. Lucian population. A Dougla is a reference to one being of mixed Indian and African ancestry. The first 318 Indians arrived in Castries Harbor on May 6th, 1859 on the Palmyra. There were 240 adult males, 58 adult females, 2 minor males, 11 minor females, and 5 children. They were indentured for three years. Twelve more ships would follow and successively discharge Jahajis. Jahaji means ship traveler, one who came on a ship, and refers to the brotherhood formed during the long sea-journey among the Indians. It was a self-appointed name that Indentured servants used to describe themselves. The last groups of Jahajis were indentured for five years.”
Today Rambally says that Jahajis have integrated into St. Lucian society and have become politicians, entrepreneurs, mechanics, preachers, agriculturists, authors, teachers, athletes, doctors, lawyers, engineers, drivers, butchers, fishermen. They have also mixed with the other groups of St. Lucians to produce Dougla who continue to add richness to the racial and social fabric of St. Lucia.