JUST OVER FIVE YEARS AGO ON APRIL 28 2018, MEMBERS OF THE EXTENDED MUNIAMMA SOCIAL CLUB FAMILY LAUNCHED THEIR FAMILY HISTORICAL BOOK AT THE ENCHANTED GARDENS CONFERENCE CENTRE AT THE OLD LOUIS BOTHA AIRPORT, NEAR ISIPINGO, DURBAN.
THE BOOK, FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS, RECALLS THE DEPATURE OF THEIR ANCESTORS, KANDASAMI NAIKEN AND THANJI, UNDER TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THE VILLAGE OF NAVALPORE IN THE NORTH ARCOTT DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU AND THEIR ARRIVAL IN THE FORMER NATAL COLONY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THEIR ANCESTORS WORKED AS INDENTURED LABOURERS AT THE BLACKBURN SUGAR ESTATE, NEAR MOUNT EDGECOMBE, WHERE THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS, MUNIAMMA, AND YELLAMAH WERE BORN.
THE BOOK ALSO RECALLS THE MOVE OF THEIR ANCESTORS TO NEWCASTLE AFTER THEIR INDENTURES AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT SETTLEMENT IN DAYAL ROAD, CLAIRWOOD, DURBAN.
IT WAS HERE THAT MUNIAMMA AND YELLAMAH WERE MARRIED AND MUNIAMMA GIVING BIRTH TO 14 CHILDREN, 11 OF WHOM WHO SURVIVED TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE GREATER MUNIAMMA EXTENDED FAMILY.
CURRENTLY THE FAMILY RUNS INTO SIX GENERATIONS AND MORE THAN 500 DESCENDANTS.
THIS FEATURE OF PHOTOS IS BEING PUBLISHED ONCE AGAIN TO INSTIL THE VALUES OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY IN THE CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE BOOK IN 2018, TWO OF THE SURVIVING ELDERS, SAVUNDALAY PADAYCHEE OF DUNDEE, AND SOUNDLER GOVENDER OF CHATSWORTH HAVE PASSED ON.
ONLY AMOY GOVENDER OF CHATSWORTH IS THE LAST SURVIVING DESCENDANT OF THE SECOND GENERATION OF THE GREATER MUNIAMMA FAMILY.
