An Embryonic Ethnic Community

This chapter deals with the emergence of an embryonic ethnic community on the plantations. While the workers’ freedom of movement on the plantations was limited, there was a degree of social life where the workers lived together for at least five years. To that end, Sect. 4.2 details the relatively small numbers of workers on the mostly isolated plantations. Section 4.3 discusses the breakdown of the caste system and the position of women, i.e. the breakdown of traditional hierarchies. Section 4.4 discusses some aspects of social life reflecting this increased equality—in particular, the adaptation of familiar institutions such as religion. Section 4.5 addresses the specifics of community formation, particularly the dipuá and jaháji relations and expressions of nostalgia and violence. Section 4.6 addresses interracial relations as they might have played a role in community formation. The plantations represented a community where numerous customs that had been taken along were revived or took firm shape in institutions such as religious rituals and festivals.