Book honouring local sugar estate communities

ACADEMIC, activist and community champion, Selvan “Patchie” Naicker, is launching his debut book that pays tribute to the lives, language, and legacies of Mount Edgecombe’s sugar estate communities.

The book, "The Mount Edgecombe Chronicles – Echoes of the Canefields”, blends poetic storytelling with historical research and celebrates resilience, unity and cultural transformation.

He will launch the book on November 16, the date that commemorates the historic day on which the first Indians landed in Durban aboard the SS Truro in 1860.

Naicker, who lives in Mount Edgecombe, said the book is a community-rooted anthology that documents the lived experiences of families shaped by the sugarcane estates.

"It is not merely a history book. It is a cultural archive, a poetic memoir and a linguistic celebration. The book is the culmination of years of storytelling, dialect documentation and tribute writing.

"It’s not just my story, but the story of a community, a dialect, and a legacy that refused to be forgotten," said Naicker.

He said the book was written over several years, adding that focus was over three months.

Naicker said it was a process of gathering oral histories, decoding estate dialects, refining tributes, and weaving together memory.

Naicker said he chose to write the book "because our stories matter. Too often, the everyday heroes of estates like Mount Edgecombe are overlooked. I wanted to honour the language, laughter, struggle, and spirit of our people. This book is a tribute to those who built, prayed, played, and persevered here".

He said the book spans generations, from indentured labourers and football pioneers to temple builders and dialect poets.

"Chapters often begin with idioms or estate slang, for example Undumbo and Mavundo, and unfold into richly layered narratives of hardship, humour and healing.

"The book reveres spiritual architecture like the Shree Emperumal Temple and Shri Mariamman Temple, tracing its rise from cane fields to sacred towers. Rituals, prayers, and festivals are shown as acts of reclamation and joy. Each chapter often centres on a person or family whose story embodies transformation," said Naicker.

He added that the book corrects the belief that indentured labourers arrived in Mount Edgecombe in 1860.

"Through archival research and oral testimony, it establishes that the Abraham Family arrived on 4 March 1862 as domestic servants on the Smerdon Estate."

Naicker said next year he plans to release the second volume that will expand on tributes, and include new chapters on commerce, sport, and spiritual patronage.

Naicker, who serves as chairman of several community organizations, including the Mount Edgecombe & Estates Community Association, Hindu Temples Trust and Springboks FC, said the book will be distributed through local temples, schools, civic associations, and select bookstores in KwaZulu-Natal.

He added that proceeds from the sale of the books, which is yet to be priced, will support community initiatives in education, sport, and heritage preservation.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE