LOTTERY LEGACY

AS WE CELEBRATE the anniversary of the arrival of Indentured labourers over the Kala Pani’s (black water),  I bow my head in gratitude and grace to our forefathers, who came to South Africa as contract workers, to work on the sugar plantations.

I am a fourth generation South African Indian and while I have not yet been able to fully trace what part of India my forefathers originated from, what I can speak of, very proudly, is that it is the sacrifice of  these indentured labourers, who built new identities in a foreign land, adapted to the harsh working and living conditions, and contributed so greatly to the economy of this country.

And still do to this very day in every sector of the South Africa society.

Labourers earned very meagre wages which they used to buy food and essentials.

Often times they would not receive actual money from their masters, yet they survived and once their five year contracts were up, they either chose to extend their contract, work on other plantations or leave.

Some did go back to India.

Others decided to stay and use what little they had saved, to move off the sugar cane plantations, building little tin shacks to live in. Some started small scale farming and once a week, it was a common sight to see an Indian with two baskets on a pole walking in the white suburbs, selling their fruit and vegetables. 

Women became domestic workers, factory workers or started home businesses like sewing. Many men became waiters,(all who were called Bobby or Sammy by the white patrons), working in hotels and bars where they could only serve the white customers but could not eat or drink in the same place.

How did these labourers manage to scrape together enough money to survive? When the wage master paid out the measly wages, women would “hide" a little from their husbands. They would entrust it to one senior woman to keep it for them and when Diwali came around, it was this savings which was used to buy new clothes and celebrate Diwali. 

This was the roots of the lottery system. 

Remember in those days there were no banks, ATM’s or credit cards. Money could be saved in the Post Office but the labourers had so little anyway, and also did not trust their colonial masters. So they devised this unique system of saving, as a means to uplift themselves from poverty.

As women began to acquire skills and earn, they organised themselves into more formal groups, either on the factory floors, or at temples or churches or just in their street. They appointed a “lottery keeper” and faithfully gave her a fixed sum of money to keep every month, and at the end of a year, they would collect this lump sum and use it to buy furniture or clothes. The method of saving was simple and easy. It worked on a rotation basis. Contributions and pay-outs was recorded in a book similar to a wages book and it worked on the principle of good faith and trust.

My grandmother and mother also “put lottery” every month and used this money to pay for weddings of their children.

Actually, looking back now, I realise that my own wedding was largely paid for using lottery money.

My grandmother was illiterate, yet she was so sharp with money. Squirrelling every available cent for lottery.

When she got sick, my aunt took over this responsibility and collected lottery money from the ladies. Mosi (mother’s aunt), grew her network as the "lottery keeper" to hundreds of women.

She was seen as reliable and trustworthy. This aunt was very savvy with money. If someone needed money in an emergency, like for a funeral, she would loan it to them. She could also source gold sovereign coins at a very good price.

The coins with Queen Victoria with a veil was very much desired by Indian women at the time. Her trademark piece of jewellery was a thick gold chain with a largely embellished sovereign pendant.

I have fond memories  in my childhood, going once a month to Unit Nine Mosi’s house to give the lottery money. It was an occasion to see my cousins and play,  while the elders gathered to pay their lottery money and celebrate the person who was getting her share on that day.

One aunt who was a dressmaker, used her lottery money to travel to India on the SS Karanja! 

My mom and her sisters used the lottery money which they received in an annual lumpsum, to make jewellery for all of their daughter’s dowries.

My mom had a jeweller by the name of Nagin Daya.

He was a Gujerathi man, from India, who had set up his shop in Prince Edward Street. Every month, my mom would pay him a small amount of money as a lay-by towards a piece of jewellery, and when she got her lottery pay-out, she would pay it off in full and bring this beautiful piece of jewellery home and put it at the prayer lamp on Diwali Day. Nagin Daya and Son’s Jewellers was a household name back in the day.

When my sister’s and I started working we also became part of the generational lottery system, but it faded gradually, as women were able to open bank accounts and of course savings could earn interest in the bank. My mother and others of her generation, did not have bank accounts in their time. I think my mother was well into her fifties before she had her own bank account and while she was very proud of her bank card, she preferred to always deal in cash. I recently spoke to some senior citizens who up to this day, still use their grant money to “put lottery”.

It was quite so endearing to hear their plans for what they will do when it is their turn to collect the lottery money. 

In my mind, in a very simple way, using the lottery system, Indians grew generational wealth, acquiring property and starting businesses, improving their status and leaving us a legacy we can be so proud of. 

Dr  Kalyan is a psychologist, life coach and reiki practitioner

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