my name is Shubnum Singh. In 1901 my great, great grandfather Mahabhali Gangadin came to South Africa as an immigrant. He married Bhabni Singh. His intention, i am told, was to stay for five years only. But he never returned to India. Together, my great great grandparents had eleven children, one of whom is Ramluckan Gangadin who today is 91 years old. Before the hype around this important year started, i was not very interested in learning who i was. When i look back now, i realize that my grandfather is living history and have missed an opportunity of a lifetime to find out where my ancestors came from. My grandfather is an extremely learned priest. what is great is that he still vividly remembers when his father came to South Africa. i have no record of my fathers side of the family and the only people that could have assisted have passed on. Today i work at one of the biggest and busiest courts in the country and realize that had it not been for my great great grandparents, i perhaps may never have had the opportunites that i have today. Or my children for that matter. We are a nation steeped in culture. And how proud we ought to be. I work with other indian women that have excelled in their fields. i have cousins, mostly female that i am incredibly proud off. Not only are they wonderful, caring, mothers and wives, they are also incredibly talented. i suppose that is something that was always instilled in us by all our indian parents. To this day i can never understand how our parents on such meagre earnings managed to buy their own homes, buy a car, put us all through school, insist that education was a must for both girls and boys, and still get all their children married.i would also pay tribute to my paternal grandmother and aunts who never let a Diwali pass without new shoes and clothing, all this, whilst still living in a tin shanty. Those were the days that i indeed was so rich. Everyone of us owes it to every person that made that bold decision to brace the shores of Natal in search for a better life. And how prosperous we are. Not bad from human beings that carried luggage at the train stations and cut sugar cane on the plantations. i am so proud to be an Indian.
I AM
Shubnum
