Caste in Mauritius (and in other places where Indian indentured workers settled) changed in different ways after the workers left India. Historians describe how a ranking of castes survived, along with some preferences for marrying people of a particular case (Gale Academic OneFile, “The disintegration of caste and changing concepts of Indian ethnic identity in Mauritius”). This guide describes who the indentured workers were, what scholars say about them during the journey and stay on plantations, what they say about them in Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Guyana, and where they say very little or nothing. This guide does not describe any practice of the communities today, beyond what the authors say. Our guide on the caste system of India describes the system of India.
Who were the indentured workers?
After the abolition of slavery in 1834, plantation owners in the British colonies began contracting Indian labor (Wikipedia, “Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians”). The first ship, the Atlas, arrived in Mauritius on 2 November 1834 with 36 Dhangar labors (Wikipedia, “Indian Arrival Day”). Between 1838 and 1917, 500-plus ships transported 238,909 Indian immigrants to Guyana (Wikipedia, “Indo-Guyanese”). Between 1874 and 1917, 94,135 Indian immigrants were transported to Trinidad (Wikipedia, “Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians”), and the first ship arrived in Fiji in 1879 (Wikipedia, “Indian Arrival Day”).
Historians like Lal and Carter and Bates state that the case recruits followed the case structure in rural North India (Reading University, “Between unfreedoms: the role of caste in decision to return among indentured labourers”). A research report on recruits to the Caribbean showed that 13.6% were from the higher castes in their samples (Reading University). Immigrants to Guyana were 85% Hindu and 15% Muslim based on emigrant passes (Wikipedia, “Indo-Guyanese”).
Was kala pani a breaker of castes on the ship?
In parts of North India, kala pani meant loss of caste (Fiji’s indentured labourers: An introduction to the Fiji Girmitiyas, ResearchGate, Reading University). Thus, for upper castes, crossing the seas meant the trade was between an unfree caste system and an unfree labour market (Reading University). The ideas of jahaji-bhai and the kala pani shaped the rest of the journey (Diasporic Kinship, ScienceDirect, 2025).
Some scholars believe that the indenture system “struck a deathblow to caste” because of the shared hardships endured, and because of the unequal numbers of men and women on the ships (Jain, as cited in Reading University). Other scholars, in a 2025 study of Mauritius, found the ideas of purity, and social distinction and belonging, persisted in the migrants during the voyage and in the plantation period. While an all encompassing system of caste was not formed in Mauritius or in any other destination (Diasporic Kinship, ScienceDirect). Our guide to the varna system elaborates on the categories migrants took.
Caste in Mauritius
Many Hindu communities in Mauritius come together in socio-cultural associations, and in some cases, in associations organised by caste, like the Vaish association (The Land of the Vaish? Caste, Structure and Ideology in Mauritius, ResearchGate). Intercaste marriages were common among the middle castes who classified themselves as Vaish, a term which may approximate to a varna (Gale). The 1935 low caste (Chamar) community of Ravived, broke away from the Arya Sabha to create their own association (Gale). The same paper states that institutions which represent the interests of Mauritian Hinduism have often frowned upon caste (ResearchGate). Our guide to the Ravidassia provides information on the Ravidassia Tradition which has been followed by many Chamar communities.
Caste in Fiji and Mauritius
Caste endogamy is still found in both Fiji and Mauritius, particularly in marriage preferences (Gale). Two 1971 studies show that 48.5 percent and 48.7 percent of marriages in two areas of Fiji were caste endogamous (Jayawardena, 1971, as cited in Gale). In the diaspora Indian communities, including those of Fiji and Mauritius, there are no hereditary occupations or specialists to remove impurity (Gale). Other diaspora communities have marriage preferences based on caste. Our guide provides information on these preferences.
Caste in Trinidad and Guyana
Preferences for similar caste status for both the bride and groom were found in Indo-Trinidadians (Clarke, 1986, as cited in Gale). Clarke found that only half of the marriages in his sample of multicaste Trinidad Hindus were intercaste (1986, as cited in Gale). In contrast, a 1967 study showed that 75 percent of marriages in Guyana were endogamous (Smith and Jayawardena, 1967, as cited in Gale). Brown found that in Fiji, the greater the numbers of a particular caste, the greater the endogamy (1981, as cited in Gale).
What historians conclude about Indian indenture caste
Taken as a whole, these sources indicate that the system of social rank and hierarchical occupation persisted, but was weaker and more flexible, particularly as it pertained to marriage. These systems were also evident in social associations and ideologies. The writers cited here do not uniformly suggest the same trends across different countries. Our descent-based discrimination description explains how the UN generally treats this type of caste worldwide.
What the evidence doesn’t show
Many of the marriage studies cited in this guide are from the 1960’s-1980’s. The Mauritius review is from the 1990’s, so the evidence does not reflect more recent social trends. I wasn’t able to find more recent surveys on caste discrimination for Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, and Guyana. So I can’t make any claims on more recent/contemporary trends. The sources also did not talk about how caste impacts people of African/Creole/mixed descent, or how Dalit identity is articulated in these countries. (For communities interested in documenting their own history, skills in blogging, AI tools and email marketing are essential. The Ambedkarite Educational Program was built to teach these skills.)
Takeaway
Caste in Mauritius and the Caribbean and Fiji came with the Indentured Workers from rural North India. Scholars have different opinions on how far it survived: some say Indenture ‘struck a deathblow’ to caste. Other scholars say a system of purity and rank persisted, but no all-encompassing system formed. The older studies showed a preference for marriage within one’s own caste with inter-caste marriages being more prevalent in Guyana and Trinidad. Caste associations were also documented for Mauritius. The evidence is from before the 1990’s, and more recent/contemporary evidence was not available to me.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the caste system exist in Mauritius?
Historians describe a changed system. Caste associations and marriage preferences survived, while caste-based occupations did not.
Did caste exist among Indian indentured workers in Fiji?
Yes, the workers came from North Indian society, and studies show caste preferences in marriage in Fiji, though caste and occupation largely separated.
What is kala pani?
The “black waters,” the belief that crossing the sea meant loss of caste unless a ceremony removed it. Scholars discuss it as a shock to caste norms on the voyage.
Is there caste discrimination in Guyana and Trinidad?
The studies I found cover marriage preferences, mostly from the 1960s to 1980s. I did not find recent data on discrimination.
Why did indentured workers go abroad?
Poverty and demand for labour after slavery was abolished in 1834, according to histories of Indo-Trinidadians.
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SOURCES
- Wikipedia, “Indian Arrival Day”
- Wikipedia, “Indo-Guyanese”
- Wikipedia, “Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians”
- University of Reading (CentAUR), “Between unfreedoms: the role of caste in decision to return among indentured labourers”
- Gale Academic OneFile, “The disintegration of caste and changing concepts of Indian ethnic identity in Mauritius”
- ResearchGate, “The ‘Land of the Vaish’? Caste, Structure and Ideology in Mauritius”
- ScienceDirect, “Diasporic Kinship: Indentured laborers and the archaeology of relations in Mauritius,” 2025
- ResearchGate, “Fiji’s indentured labourers: An introduction to the Fiji Girmitiyas”
