The First Destination of Indian Indentureds - Réunion Island in 1828

By Dr. Kumar Mahabir; Shalima Mohammed, MBP

The virtual program examined an overlooked question in the history of Indian indentureship:

Which was the first country to receive Indian indentured labourers in the 19th century? Surprisingly, it was Réunion Island, formerly known as Bourbon Island.

Designed to replace enslaved African labourers with indentured Indian workers, a scheme was devised by the British to import cheap labourers to work on their sugar, tea and rubber plantations in Mauritius, the Caribbean, Fiji and South Africa. While this British “Great Experiment”, is widely believed to have started with Mauritius in 1834, emerging evidence suggests that the French had already begun earlier efforts on Réunion Island.

As early as April 15th 1828, a French-commanded vessel La Turquoise departed Pondicherry in India carrying 15 Indian workers who arrived on June 3rd after a 49-day voyage. This event marked the true beginning of the structured indentureship system.

The virtual program critically reassessed the established narratives and considered whether Réunion Island deserves recognition as the first site of 19th century Indian indentured migration.

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The following are excerpts from the 310^th edition of the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre’s (ICC) Thought Leaders’ Forum (3/05/2026). The Zoom program was chaired by Aashirya Anroed of the Netherlands and Suriname, and was moderated by Shalima Mohammed of Trinidad. There were (3) speakers in the program. The topic was “The First Destination of Indian Indentureds - Réunion Island in 1828.” See the unedited recording of the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK-gq316MXE

Sarmendie Cazanove is from Réunion and is a former Pedagogical Coordinator in Trinidad and Tobago. In summary, she said: "Réunion Island is situated near Madagascar and has always had an Indian connection, starting from the seventeenth century, well before the official 1828 indentureship date. In 1828, the arrival of the ship La Turquoise with 15 Indian labourers, led to subsequent phases of migration and an increase in Indian arrivals. There is a distinction between the 'Malbar' community, the Hindu population, and the 'Zarab' community, the Indo-Muslim population. Indian heritage is woven into contemporary life through architecture, the simple traditional and Dravidian-style temples, as well as festivities like Pongal and Mariamman processions. There are also Indian influences in the local language and culinary traditions, including dishes that incorporate Indian spices and techniques. 

Dr. Jean Regis Ramsamy is a television journalist, historian and writer from Réunion Island. In summary, he said: “A question had long been raised regarding the arrival of the first ship carrying Indian indentured labourers on Réunion Island. After years of meticulous research in archives, I can confirm that the ship La Turquoise docked at Saint-Denis on June 3rd 1828, thus marking the true beginning of the structured indentured labour system on the island. This voyage, which set sail from Yanam in Pondicherry, India, on March 16th 1828, predates the start of the system in Mauritius, which is generally recognised as dating from 1834. Although there had previously been smaller-scale migrations of Indian artisans and labourers in the 17th and 18th centuries, both to Mauritius and to Bourbon, the arrival of the La Turquoise marked the beginning of the ‘coolie’ trade. I have emphasised that these fifteen farmers from Telugu (now Andhra Pradesh) had been placed in the service of colonial landowners.  The ship sank the following year during a terrible cyclone.

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“My research aims to ensure that the island of Réunion is recognised for the important role it played in the history of Indian labour migration; it received more than 120,000 workers from the Indian subcontinent. This discovery is as fundamental to our identity as the establishment of the Indian Consulate on the island in 1986, and the launch of a flight route between Saint-Denis and India.”

Dr. Naren Prasad is a Fijian economist with the International Labour Organization. In summary, he said: "It’s important to view indentureship system through the lens of labour economics and historical justice, categorising it as 'slavery 2.0'. There were indicators of forced labour, such as the abuse of vulnerability, deception in recruitment, restriction of movement, and debt bondage. My ancestors were captured and trafficked, a reality faced by many who were illiterate in European languages and living in famine-hit areas of India. The narrative of voluntary migration is a myth, as recruiters exploited those in desperate circumstances. There is a lack of public memorials for these indentured labourers which contrasts with the 'Animals in War' memorial in London. It is important that there be greater recognition of the hardships our ancestors endured. The differences in colonial experiences between the French system, which pressured assimilation and citizenship, and the British system, which allowed for more religious practice, while still maintaining control should be noted. I believe it is crucial to document these experiences, not just as folklore, but as a significant part of our DNA and the global history of Indian migration."

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