THE MUNISAMI FAMILY HISTORY OF “MEDICINE AYAH” OR “NURSE PARTEE” BETWEEN SCHOOL ROAD AND MUNN ROAD IN OTTAWA

("Medicine Ayah" or "Nurse Partee" - Mrs Ponnamma Muinsami - seen here with her four sons - from L to R - Ganase - George, Yagambaram - Zadick, Govindsamy - Firni, and Thirumudi - Doc)

MRS PONNAMMA MUNISAMI DELIVERED BABIES AND PROVIDED TRADITIONAL MEDICAL CARE AT A TIME WHEN THE LOCAL WOMEN OF OTTAWA FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO VISIT HOSPITALS

(Mr Munisami Munisami)

(Mrs Ponnamma Munisami)

By Subry Govender

In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s an adult lady, who lived with her large family in a property near the new Jhugroo Primary School, earned herself the name, “Medicine Ayah” and “Nurse Partee”, for helping pregnant women in the Ottawa village to deliver their babies.

At that time not many families could afford to travel to hospitals and it was in this environment that Mrs Ponnamma Munisami came to their rescue.

Ponnamma Munisami helped to deliver scores of babies in Tin Town and other parts of Ottawa and in the process became famous as “Medicine Ayah” and “Nurse Partee”.

She not only helped with the delivery of babies but would also provide traditional Indian medicine for the new mothers.

Ponnamma Munisami was a first-generation descendant of indentured labourers who had settled in Ottawa in the early 1920s. She and her husband, Mr Munisami, lived in a wood and iron house in a large property between Munn Road and School Road.

(Doc Munisami and wife, Savithree.)

Here she gave birth to seven children – four sons and three daughters. The sons, who became well-known personalities in the village for their involvement in social and community activities, were: Thirumudi, known as Doc and Gordon; Ganase, known as George; Govindsamy, known as Firni; and Yagambaram, known as Zadick and Derick.

(Ganese - George - and wife, Pushpa)

The daughters were: Lilly; Magalutchmee, known as Mamma; Hoorvasi, known as Laalla; and Vasantha.

Of all the children, only Vasantha, who is married to Sydney Subramoney, formerly of Munn Road, is the only surviving member of the Munisami family today.

All the brothers played an active role in the social, cultural and sporting fields of Ottawa and surrounding villages.

The eldest son, Thirumudi, became famous as “Doc” because he worked at the famous King Edward V111 Hospital in Umbilo in Durban for several decades as a male nurse.

George, the second eldest, earned a reputation in the village for his involvement in most of the social activities of his generation of people in the village. He worked for Rickett and Coleman. He was also a builder of note.

The third son, Firni, became well-known for his participation in organisations promoting the social and community welfare of the people. He was an official of the Ottawa Ratepayers' Association and the Education Committee of the new Jhugroo Govt-Aided School in the 1960s. He first worked as a waiter at the famous Blue Waters Hotel in Durban and thereafter at Ottermill Switchgear in Briardene in Durban.

(Third son, Firni, with wife, Essalachamah)

(Ottawa Ratepayers' Association: Firni Munisami -seated far left - with other officials - A Moses, M Parthab, R R Singh and M Ramnanan. Standing - S Mohunlall, G Munn, K C Moonsami, D Duttoo, C C Jhugroo and Baijnath Singh)

(Jhugroo Education Committee - 1968 - 1970: Firni Munisami - standing far left, A Moses and M Ramnanan. Seated from L: R R Singh, D Duttoo, M Parthab, Mrs G Parthab and S S Maharaj - school principal)

The youngest son, Zadick, was mainly involved in football as a player and official.

(Yagambaram - aka Zadick)

All of the brothers also made their contributions as voluntary labourers in the construction of the new Jhurgoo Primary School.

(Zadick and wife)

I interacted with one of the grand-children, Mrs Coopamah Muthumanikam, known as Plompy, about the Munisami familiy’s settlement in Ottawa and their roots.

(Mrs Coopoomah - Plompy - Muthumanikam - youngest daughter of Firni)

Mrs Muthumanikam, who is the daughter of Firni, is a Tamil school educationist and cultural exponent. Her sister-in-law and nephew still live in the family house in School Road that her father, mother and siblings used to occupy in the early days.

According to Mrs Muthumanikam, her ancestors had arrived from the village of Chennai in the district of Chitoor, which is now part of Andhra Pradesh.

She and her family members visited the district of their ancestors and interacted with the people there about a year ago. But, unfortunately, they could not identify any of their relatives as their ancestors had arrived in the former Natal Colony more than 150 years ago.

“It was a wonderful journey that brought us closer to our cultures, music and traditions,” she said.

(Youngest daughter, Vasantha, and husband, Sydney Subramoney, who was a neighbour in Munn Road.)

Mrs Muthumanikam says back home only her aunty, Vasantha, is the last surviving member of the original Munisami family. Vasantha married one of her neighbours, Sydney Subramoney, and they have two adult children and four grand-children. Vasantha and Sydney now live in Johannesburg.

Mrs Muthumanikam’s father, Firni, had four children; and the three other uncles - Doc had six children; George had four; and Zadick had three children.

Her father and other uncles were fully involved in the Ottawa Ratepayers’ Association, Verulam Child Welfare Society and other community organisations.

(George with his wife, Pushpa and mother-in-law.)

Recalling the social side of the lives of the people in the early days, Mrs Muthumanikam says her grand-mother, grand-father, parents and grand-children found Ottawa to be “a place where everyone respected and helped one another”.

“We and our neighbours were very close and would be in and out of one’s houses without any restrictions.”

She added: “This is where my grand-mother stood out as a unique human being. My father, uncles and aunties told me that she would go out at odd hours and at all times to help women who were pregnant.

“She was a real Medicine Ayah to the pregnant woman at that time.”

“Ottawa is in our hearts and blood. We will never find today another place like Ottawa.”

She says the third and fourth generation children have made advances in their lives and are now involved in professions such as education, nursing, finance, hotel hospitality, catering, electronics and engineering. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com March 3 2023 August 7 2024

More photos of the Munisami Family of Munn and School Roads: