The Aapravasi’s Legacy - From the Atlas Ship to Mauritian Schools: The Story of Indentured Workers
The Aapravasi’s Legacy - From the Atlas Ship to Mauritian Schools: The Story of Indentured Workers
Defi Quotidien
Mon 03/11/2025 - 12:00
In celebration of the 191st anniversary of the arrival of the first contract workers in Mauritius, Angkush Poonye, a teacher at the College of Saint-Esprit, presents his book The Aapravasi’s Legacy to the public, particularly focusing on the younger generation.
Angkush Poonye teaches accounting to students in grades 10 to 13. He combines his passion for teaching with a keen interest in immigration history and engaged labor on the island. In addition, he also works as a lecturer, sharing his knowledge with a broader audience.
A Book Launched Before the Pandemic
The Aapravasi’s Legacy was published in English in 2020, just one month before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I launched this book right before the lockdown, so I didn’t have the time to promote it or make it known to the public,” the author confides. The global health crisis limited opportunities for reader engagement and awareness campaigns. With the gradual return of cultural and educational activities, Angkush Poonye chose to reintroduce visibility to his work, especially among youths who are unfamiliar with the history of indentured workers.
An Initiative Born Out of Classroom Experience
The author published this book primarily because he noticed a significant knowledge gap among his students. “I realized that young people do not know the history of indentured workers. They learned a few elements in primary school, and that’s it. That’s why I wrote this book,” he explains. According to him, it is crucial for the new generations to understand the sacrifices and challenges their ancestors faced in building the country they inhabit today.
Girmityas
In The Aapravasi’s Legacy, Angkush Poonye recounts the poignant story of workers from India to Mauritius through the eyes of a young Bihari. He faces the loss of his father during a devastating drought. This family tragedy drives him to accept an offer from a landowner to travel to a distant land “where gold is hidden beneath the stones.” The journey aboard the Atlas ship quickly turns into an ordeal. The young man and his companions face hunger, illness, abuse, and death at sea. Upon their arrival in Mauritius, they are dehumanized, identified by numbers, and subjected to extremely difficult living and working conditions.
Through a series of poignant poems, the author depicts the physical and moral suffering of the Girmityas, as well as their inner strength. Despite the humiliations and deprivations, they adapt and work in sugarcane fields, gradually establishing themselves in Mauritian society. The book chronicles their difficult transition, struggles, and essential contributions to the island's development.
Pedagogy
According to the author, the book is available for free in digital format. “I received a grant from the National Arts Fund when I created this book, so I am happy to share it for free,” he specifies. Passionate about literature and poetry, Angkush Poonye, a former student of John Kennedy College, also published a book last year titled As One People, As One Nation, which was distributed for free in public colleges. “My goal is not to make money, but to raise awareness of history, especially among the youth,” he explains.
This desire for transmission also explains his career choice. “That’s why I chose to work as a teacher when I could have worked as an accountant. I love educating young people and, if possible, making a difference,” he adds.