About Me
What would you do if you discovered that the narrative in the National Archives and European history books contradicted the story of your own ancestor’s migration?
My great-great grandparents were Indian indentured labourers transported to St Lucia under British colonial rule. I was faced with this dilemma: do I cast doubt on the stories passed down through the generations, or do I accept the narrative presented in books and historical documents?
I have spent years trying to find the truth with the help of my parents and grandparents.
I created a Sanskrit mantra to help myself and other people on their journey:
Ahaṁ Satyamanvicchāmi (अहं सत्यमन्विच्छामि), which means, I Search for Truth
My work challenges patriarchal ideologies and destabilises traditional sources of knowledge and where we obtain it. I am intuitive, working with the serendipity of the archive. The archive speaks and things happen that cannot be understood with the logical mind. My practice includes using rituals to connect with the ancestors that exist within me; to trust the knowledge received intuitively from the unknown and give a voice to women in the archive.
My research decentres conventional ideologies and decolonises Eurocentric narratives and illuminates endangered unknown oral histories. I explore themes like identity, migration and intergenerational trauma.
My recent short film called Madanm Coolie – An Intro merges the Creole spelling with the Indian word Coolie; a word that is still used today. My alter-ego acts as a vehicle to explore the power dynamics in relationships and the legacies of colonialism. My work embraces the light and darkness within us and tries to give a voice: to those that have passed away, that have been overlooked and not heard.
My research decentres conventional ideologies and decolonises Eurocentric narratives and illuminates endangered unknown oral histories. I explore themes like identity, migration and intergenerational trauma.
I am a multi-disciplinary artist and cultural historian; I create using different mediums like sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, photography, oil, watercolour, textiles, collage, sound, performance and moving image. Each piece of work forms part of my journey to find my voice and speak up for my ancestors and the unrepresented.
I have created a community on canvas in the form of a mandala and 300+ surnames linked to indentured heritage have been painted on a canvas. I collaborated with organisations like the Indian Heritage of St Lucia, Ameena Gafoor Institute, The Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre, and Cutlass Magazine to reach out to audiences and engage with the public on social media. The mandala was made by printing bay leaves illuminated in gold and the names of family surnames handwritten in a circular motion, with reference to Kala Pani (‘the Black waters’) which was the forbidden sea between India and the Americas. There was a Hindu belief that crossing the sea would result in loss of caste and a disconnect from sacred rivers and cultural practices. The ancient Romans used laurel wreaths to celebrate heroes, and I have used these same leaves to honour the indentured labourers. The community contributed family photos, and they were displayed with the canvas at the Royal College of Art exhibition in June 2025. The aim of this community building project has been to raise awareness of the indentured labourers that were transported around the world after slavery was abolished, which is often omitted in the national curriculum in schools.