Grandma writes book on migrants’ struggles

HER LEGACY: Muthammal showing a copy of her book at the launch in Kuala Lumpur on Friday night.

KUALA LUMPUR: Her family’s experience as indentured labourers from India and their struggle to make new lives for themselves in Malaya is encapsulated in a book by Muthammal Palanisamy as a gift to her grandchildren. 

The former headmistress’ stories are not new to her children and her grandchildren who had been held enthralled by the tales of trials and tribulations faced by their elders. 

To ensure the stories would not be lost to future generations, Muthammal, 74, wrote the book - From Shore to Shore - in Tamil and English, taking just three months to do it. 

The grandmother of 14, who was prompted to write by her brother, had little difficulty in writing the book that covered four generations – from her grandfather to her children. 

“My grandfather and my parents told me stories when I was a child. 

“When I grew up, I gathered my children and then my grandchildren and narrated those wonderful stories to them,” she said at the launch of the book by Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk G. Palanivel at the Sutra Gallery here on Friday night.  

Muthammal, who was born in Kampung Raja Semalon in Ayer Tawar, Perak, hoped readers would get a clearer picture of the obstacles the earlier generation faced when they first arrived in Malaya. 

“I hope to show how an Indian indentured labour migrant family had to struggle and work hard for the betterment of its children and how the descendants became successful today,” she said. 

Muthammal has printed 1,000 copies of the book in each language and has sold 500 copies of the Tamil version in India. 

Muthammal, who retired as headmistress of SRK Convent in Sitiawan in 1988, is now compiling lyrics of Indian folk songs brought to Malaya by immigrant workers.