OTTAWA – A VILLAGE WITH A RICH HISTORY

(This article was written with information provided by Rusty Maharaj, who did some research on the history of Ottawa.)

               

  (Some of the pioneer residents in the Munn Road area of Ottawa seen here celebrating the life of a first generation indentured labourer.)

The little village of Ottawa, between Mount Edgecombe and Verulam and about 25km north of the city of Durban in South Africa, is one of the areas where people of Indian-origin had also settled since the late 1890s after they had completed their indentures on nearby sugar estates.

Their ancestors had been recruited mainly from the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in North India, and Bengal in the East of India and in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala in the south of India to work as indentured labourers in the sugar plantations of the former Natal Colony.

The Natal Colony, along with other regions of South Africa, was under the control of the British colonialists at this time. The British first settled in the Port of Durban in 1824 and later established the Natal Colony in 1843.

This part of South Africa was first visited by the Portuguese adventurer and navigator, Vasco de Gama, in 1497.

Ottawa was established in the early 1900s by a British farmer together with Mauritian immigrants. The British farmer, whose name is not known, apparently named the village after his daughter whose name was Ottawa.

Ottawa was one of the villages and towns like Verulam, Tongaat, and Stanger that were established by British settlers on the North Coast and Isipingo, Umkomaas, Umzinto and Port Shepstone on the South Coast.

The indentured labourers who settled in the Ottawa village had at first worked on sugar villages such as Mount Edgecombe, Blackburn, Sacks Estate, Verulam Sugar Estate, Trenance Sugar Estate and Ottawa sugar estate.

But before the indentured labourers moved to the village of Ottawa, there were a number of people who were referred to as Mauritians and a few white families who had settled in the village. The Mauritians worked as skilled artisans at the Ottawa Sugar Estate and Mill and other neighbouring sugar estates.

Some of these Mauritian families included the Roosters, who lived in the area we called Uplands; Gilletts, who was a motor mechanic; the Harrison family who lived in a house that was later occupied by the Khan family in Maharaj Road; the Maclous family who lived in a property that was purchased later by Badri Maharaj; the Montiles family who lived in Munn Road; the Macs family, who occupied a property at the entrance of Kissoon Road that was later purchased by Soobramoney Moonsamy; and the Michael Souce family, who lived in a property at the corner of Kissoon Road and the Main Road. Some descendants of Michael Souce still live in this property today.

The Mauritians built a Catholic Church on land that was later purchased and owned by Mr Krishna Maharaj, who emerged as a teacher, principal, priest and local cultural leader. The property was situated right next door to the trading store in Central Ottawa. A small stone piece of the church is still noticeable on the property.

Most of the Mauritian families began moving to Mount Edgecombe in 1937 after the Mount Edgecombe Sugar Estate and Mill was established.

It was only after 1937 that most of the indentured labourers and their close families started to settle in Ottawa. They purchased the land from the Mauritians and started their new lives by building at first, their tin shanties, and worked as labourers at the Ottawa Sugar Estate and other neighbouring sugar estates and mills. The Ottawa Sugar Estate was started by an English farmer, who was known as Wilkinson.

One of the first pioneers who moved to Ottawa was known as the Irusen family. They occupied the property we had come to know as “Litchi Farm” in Kissoon Road.

The other pioneer families included Badri Maharaj, who owned land between Kissoon and Maharaj roads; the Kissoon brothers – Jhugroo, Chitoo, Mungal and Munn who owned land in Mt Vernon and Ottawa village; Ramnanans who owned land at the corner of Main Road and Kissoon Road; Gobinders who owned land on both sides of the Main Road in what used to be called the Uplands area of Ottawa; Kapaans who owned properties in Maharaj Road; Jung Bahadur, who owned land in what used to be called Central near the Main Road; Mohanlall family, who owned property at the corner of Kissoon Road and Sunker Road; K C Moonsamy, who lived at the bottom of Gazard Road; and the family of Trolly, neighbours of K C Moonsamy. It’s understood Trolly’s father, K C Moonsamy and Soobramoney, who occupied the property in Kissoon Road right next door to the Badlu family, were all brothers who worked at the Ottawa Sugar Estate.

Other pioneer families included Sookoo barber, who was also a priest; Saroop, who used to cook and sell chilli bites and who also delivered newspapers; Freddy Govender, Sharky’s father of Uplands who ran a driving school; P G Pillay, who lived in Ottawa Sugar Estate and later in Maharaj Road; Fat Harry, who lived in Munn Road and ran the tea-room in Uplands; and Rampaul barber, who ran his business from the Central trading store building. He was well known for displaying a photo of an Indian freedom fighter in his barber shop.

Then there were the Kista Police family, who occupied a property near Harry’s tea-room on the Main Road; Baboolall, Nunkoo and Mithoo family; Boya Munien, who at first lived with his parents and siblings in a house at the bottom end of School Road; the Dilinga Govender family, who occupied a property at the bottom end of Maharaj Road; and the Dunoo Maharaj family of Maharaj Road.

Then in Munn Road you had the Sayed family; the Dutt plan drawer family; the Balin style tailor family; the Nunkoo family, the family of Pat who now lives in London; the Inderjith and Dilraj Duttoo family, who owned a mango farm; right next door to the mango farm was the family of Mr Freddy Munien Subramoney (Govender) , who worked for Lever Brothers for more than 40 years. He and his fellow neighbours, like Mr Johnny, the husband of Sookiya, used to travel by train from Ottawa to work in Durban and Maydon Wharf.

The Subramoneys, who lived next door to the girls’ school ground, were also the close neighbours of the Munisami (Yagambaram) family and the M M Naicker family, whose well known children were Dhramasilan(Barry), Krish, and their sisters - Devennamah (Mumoo), Savithri, Krishnavelli (Baby) Indrani, and Kogielambal.

 

The lady of the Munisami family, Zadick’s mother, was the local Ayahamma or medicine woman who helped pregnant women in the village to deliver their babies. Mrs Ponnamma Munisami lived with her husband and eight children in a large property near the new Jhugroo Primary School.

In the Tin Town area you also had the Parthab farmer family; the Naningar family; and several other families.

In Central Ottawa you had the Latiff, Hans and Dhooma families who were all related and ran the local shops in central Ottawa; Krishna Maharaj, who was one of the local brahmins, teacher and local cultural leader; the Dooley and the Bootwa families, who owned the local taxis; the Chotoo family of Uplands who ran an upholstery business; the Gengan and Maduray family; and the Monty Naidoo family, whose father was a Tamil priest and religious philosopher.

 

Education

(Some of the pioneer residents providing their expertise during the construction of the new Jhugroo Primary School in the late 1950s.)

The early Indian residents first used the school later set aside for African children on the Main Road, opposite the Rani’s fish shop.

(Mr S S Maharaj, with his wife and family members, was one of the pioneers of the building of the new Jhugroo Govt Aided School)

After 1937, when the children attended a school built by their parents on the site now occupied by Globe’s Shopping Centre. Then in 1960 the children began attending the new Jhugroo Govt Aided School that was built by voluntary labour, headed by Mr S S Maharaj, who owned Flash Clothing factory; Mr Parthab, who was the local farmer; Mr Sivasunker Badlu, who was the main supervisor; and other stalwarts. 

(Mr Badlu Sivasanker, seen here with his wife Bhagirathi, was the main supervisor in the construction of the new school.)

(Footnote: See articles written by Dhanraj Sivasanker about the schools in Ottawa and his 75^th anniversary message about the Jhugroo Primary School).

 

 

SPORTING INVOLVEMENT

(THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE YOUNGSTERS AND SENIORS OF OTTAWA IN THE 1970s WHO WERE STAUNCH MEMBERS OF THE OTTAWA FOOTBALL CLUB)

(This was one of the top teams of Ottawa during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.)

The residents of Ottawa, who lived in the Tin Town, Central and Uplands region of the village, took part in several sporting activities, including soccer, cricket, and fishing; and in cultural and social arenas.

The people who were well known in soccer, included Dicky Maharaj, K C Moonsamy, Maggie Pillay, Rusty Maharaj, Soobry Padvattan, Parasraman Moonsamy, and scores of people who made their contributions as officials and players.

 

(Footnote: See the article written by Krish Naicker about football in Ottawa)

 

FISHING AS A SPORT

Those involved in fishing included Dicky Maharaj, Mike Govender, N. Sewsunker, Balwan Ruthan, M Naidoo, R Seechund, M Rathan, B. Brijlall, Gayapersadh Ruthan, B Polton, Boya Munsamy, S M Ibrahim, L. Mohanlall, N Mahresh, K Govender, B Ramlakan, C A Govender, G M Naidoo, S Mohanlall, H Mohanlall, A Buddah, D Jugdaw, D Bansi and R Roopsingh. They were members of the Flash Angling Club and affiliated to the then Natal Anglers Federation.

They were all involved in the Flash Angling Club, which was founded in 1967 and affiliated to the Natal Anglers Federation.

OTTAWA RED CROSS SOCIETY

 

(Two members of the Ottawa Red Cross Society - Mr Moses and Mr Dicky Maharaj - seen with officials from the Head Office of the Red Cross.)

In the cultural and social sectors, there were those people who established and were members of the South African Red Cross Society. The people involved in this group were Mr Dicky Maharaj, Mr Ramnanan, Pastor Daniel, Mr Chotoo and Mr Subry Govender.

– ends subrygovender@gmail.com Oct 25 2023