Re-Indenture, Repatriation and Remittances

Abstract

This chapter documents the re-indenture, the remittance and the repatriation of Indians. A minority of indentured Indians chose to re-indenture on Danish St. Croix when their contracts expired, while a majority of them returned to India in 1868. Those that re-indentured hoped for better achievements while those that returned were disappointed with indenture. Returning Indians also realized that indenture was designed to meet the needs of the planter class rather than their own. Indians took back with them an estimated $12,000. The average savings of the 250 returning ex-indentured Indians was $50.00 or $10.00 for five years. It is argued that this was a major disappointment and for this reason, coupled with bad managerial practices, the British Consul advised the British government not to send any further shipments of Indians to St. Croix until proper measures were taken to safeguard the laborers. This suggestion did not materialize and indenture was abolished on the island of St. Croix in 1873.