KOZHIKODE: The observance of the 170th anniversary of the declaration of abolition of slave trade in Kerala on October 16 will be an occasion to look back on the horrendous memories of the slavery that existed in the state, a topic has been swept under the carpet for long.
The Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS) founded by Poykayil Appachan will organise programmes at seven places in Kerala on the day to remember the most significant landmark in Kerala history.
Until a few years ago, the slave trade was seldom discussed by historians in Kerala. However, shocking details unearthed by researchers in recent times have forced scholars to take a fresh look at the dark patches that were obscured for long.
“It was the research conducted by the Dutch scholars in Kochi eight years ago that brought to light the unknown aspects of slavery in Kerala. They unearthed appalling details of the slave trade that thrived in Kerala at the time,” said Vinil Paul, a researcher who authored a book on slavery in Kerala.
“There were registers that recorded the names, age, caste and owners of the slaves who were exported to other countries. Slaves from Kerala were given some new names and were mainly taken to Cape Town,” he said.
Vinil said slavery was abolished in Malabar in 1843, which was under the direct rule of the British.
“The rulers of Travancore were constrained to abolish slavery in 1855. The anniversary of the declaration should have been an important occasion as it was the beginning of a renaissance in Kerala. However, only a few organisations remember the historic event now,” he said.
Vinil, who studied slavery in Thalassery and Anjarakandy areas in Kannur district, has busted the popular myth that slavery was confined to a few downtrodden castes like Pulayas and Parayas.
“I have come across documents that showed that members of the Ezhava and Nair communities too were taken as slaves,” he said, adding that the Kerala government has shown interest in the project to study slavery after the revelations.
It was Poykayil Appachan alias Sree Kumara Gurudevan who captured the plights of the slaves in the most poignant way in his songs.
“There were slave markets in Kerala in places like Thirunakkara in Kottayam, Alappuzha, Kayamkulam, Kollam, Attingal, Chirayinkeezhu, Kaniyapuram and Kovalam. There were similar markets in Malabar too,” said V V Swamy, who has written a book on Appachan.
There were very few instances of the colonial masters bringing their slaves to Kerala. “The myth of Kappiri Muthappan in Fort Kochi is that of an African slave murdered by the Portuguese,” Swamy said.
“Appachan’s parents were slaves and the agony of the hapless is expressed in the songs he wrote. He lamented that the traces of his race are not seen in any of the written records,” he said. Swamy believes it was the false pride that prevented the people of Kerala from admitting that slavery existed here too in the cruellest form.
“We study the slavery in Africa and know about Abraham Lincoln, but we know little about the similar practice that was prevalent in Kerala. I think the declaration of abolition of slave trade is more important than the Temple Entry Proclamation, but we are not keen on remembering it,” he said.
PWD Minister P A Mohamed Riyas will attend the programme organised by the PRDS at Ooruttambalam in Thiruvananthapuram on October 16. Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar will attend the programme in Adoor, Minister V N Vasavan in Kottayam, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan in Changanassery, MP K Radhakrishnan in Mundakayam, Minister Roshy Augustine in Ernakulam and MP Rajmohan Unnithan at Vellarikundu in Kasaragod.