On a very person level, I have an early childhood memory of the word "Coolie" being used in St Kitts/Nevis, which continued in conversations in the African-Caribbean community as I grew up in Leeds. It was talked about in the context of hair texture and length. I had often wondered what Coolie meant and, until the event today, had not known that it is a Tamil word. I am about to be the grandmother of a child whose parentage will include Punjabi and my interest in Indian Indentureship is further progressing and taking on added urgency.

Vidya's family history has many resonances, not least the interest in intergenerational trauma and epigenetics. I welcome especially, the focus on women - herstory and filling in some gaps of knowledge about these experiences, the details of which I find so important to give a fuller picture of what happened during Indian indentureship.

The National Archive presentation by Iqbal Singh and Mike Mahoney I found essential in filling in the gaps with facts, links and references. Especially as they relate to British imperialism, colonialism and racism's effects on the real lives of real people. So many parallels, similarities and variations with slavery. So much to uncover and relate to and explore.

Thank you BAATN for putting on this event and I hope this conversation continues to help open up the centuries of abuses and resistance and reveal the humanities of the Indentured and the Enslaved.