MORE THAN 170 MUNIAMMA DESCENDANTS GATHER IN DURBAN TO PROMOTE EXTENDED FAMILY UNITY

                                             

Classical dances, cultural songs, tributes to elders, karate performances by children and modern dances characterised a gathering descendants of indentured labourers in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday, August 13 (2023). 

The function, held at the Kampara Conference Centre in the suburb of Claire Estate, was attended by more than 170 family members whose ancestors, Kandasamy Naiken, and his wife, Thanji, arrived in 1882 in the former Natal Colony as indentured labourers. 

The event was organised under the banner of the Muniamma Family Social Club, which was established in the early 1980s to honour Muniamma Coopoosamy, the elder daughter of the Naikens. She was born at the Blackburn Sugar Estate, north of Durban, along with her sister, Yellammah. 

Muniamma and her husband, Coopoosamy Govender, who was born at the Mount Edgecombe Sugar Estate, north of Durban, conceived 14 children, 11 of whom who had survived to give birth to more than 500 family members spanning six generations. 

The family members arrived from all parts of the KwaZulu-Natal province and the Johannesburg-Pretoria region of the country. The function was organised by committee members made up of third and fourth generation descendants. 

They worked tirelessly over the past three months to put the re-union together. 

The committee members who put in all the hard work included Aster Reddy, Monica Moodley, Angie Naidoo, Nomzamo Zondi, Childie Narainsamy, Meryl Nagaroo, Margie Nair, Nad Nair, Thyna Subramoney, Sadha Subramoney, and representatives of the 11 extended family members. 

The venue and the meals were sponsored by Margie Nair and her husband, Nad Nair. They represented Mrs Savundalay Padaychee, one of the five daughters of Muniamma and Coopoosamy, who settled in the town of Dundee after her marriage to Mr Sunny Padaychee. 

The event was managed by two fourth generation descendants – Anjie Naidoo, who represented the Peri Nadasen family and Nomzamo Zondi, who represented the Satachie Subramoney family. The event started off with a universal prayer by Alan Nadasen, who represented the family of Chinna Nadasen Govender and the lighting of candles by senior members representing the 11 different families of the Muniamma clan. 

The programme included a Bharatyanatam dance item by Devasha Nair, who is related to Nad Nair; karate item by Tanishka and Tejendran Naidu, grand children of Margie and Nad Nair; and Mahin Reddy, who is the grandson of Aster. 

The organisers paid a special tribute to Mrs Amoy Moodley, the only surviving member of the Muniamma extended family, who celebrated her 88th birthday on Thursday, August 10. She was given special tokens and a cake was cut to celebrate her 88th birthday. 

Mrs Moodley, who was born in Dayal Road, Clairwood, on August 10 1935, was the youngest member of the family. She settled in Chatsworth after marriage to Mr Moodley. Her elder siblings – Baigium, Peri Nadasen, Chinna Nadasen, Sooboo Govender, Dick Govender, Munsamy Isaac Govender, Salatchie Subramoney, Savundalay Padaychee, and Percy Govender – who were also born in Dayal Road – settled in Port Shepstone, Isipingo, Merebank, Chatsworth, Ottawa, Pietermaritzburg and Dundee. 

A special speech was delivered in her honour by her grand-daughter, Yogashni Christiansen.

The organising committee also celebrated the 79th birthday of Mrs Savithree Govender, who was married to Paddy Govender, the eldest son of Peri Nadasen Govender. Peri Nadasen was the eldest son of Muniamma and Coopoosamy Govender. There were also cultural items by Tivania and Kialan Nair; three grand-children of Maliga Govender – Kimaya, Deeyana, Keethana - who represented the Patcha family; a speech by Marlon Nair as a fourth generation descendent of the Muniamma family; speech by Yogashini Christensen, who gave an insight into the life of her grand-mother, Amoy Moodley; a dance item by Cadynn Yulissaa Christensen - great-grand-child of Amoy Moodley; dance item by Tashmika, who is the grand-daughter of Childie Narainsamy; a thabla performance by Kayden, grand-child of Mogie Govender of the extended Sooboo Govender family and a fusion dance by Mafu and Sanati Zondi, who are daughters of Nomzamo Zondi. 

Then there were spontaneous modern dance items by a number of senior descendants of the Muniamma extended family. 

The main speech was delivered by Sadha Subramoney (Subry Govender), who once again gave a brief history of their ancestors and re-iterated the need for family members to remember their ancestors and not to forget their roots. 

He said: I WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A RICH HISTORY AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION MEMBERS ARE KEPT INFORMED OF THEIR ROOTS BECAUSE ONCE YOU FORGET WHERE AND WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND, YOU ARE LOST. 

“We have promoted the unity of the Muniamma extended family since the early 1980s when we celebrated our grand-mother, Muniamma’s 95th birthday. “Now in 2023 we are holding yet another family gathering and I would want to appeal to all the younger generation members to continue with this tradition. 

“Life is not going to be easy and by maintaining our traditions and cultures - we will be able to overcome whatever problems that may arise.” After taking part in the delicious food items, cool drinks and deserts, the grand occasion ended with the vote of thanks delivered by Michelle Munsamy, a grand-daughter of the Patcha family. 

Ends – August 13 2023