Personal and touching experiences from Indian people who came to make Derry their home feature in information packs to be distributed to local schools and community groups.
The unique heritage engagement programme was undertaken by leading Northern Ireland ethnic arts organisation, ArtsEkta, under the title ‘Sanskriti’ which means’ cultivating’ in the Hindi language.
Backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and supported by The Rayne Foundation, it involved communities right across Northern Ireland, capturing their thoughts, memories and occasionally family photos and memorabilia in a series of workshops and cross community exhibitions.
The stories and pictures also feature in a learning pack to be used in schools and community groups.
The stories are often funny with tales of a new life trying to work out the Derry accent or encouraging people to try Indian food which would have been a shock to the Derry palate back then.
However, there are also racism and heart-breaking tales as a result of the Troubles.
Among the memories of those for whom Derry became home was that of Rosemary Chada McCarter.
Rosemary spoke of how her family worked hard and engaged their flair for entrepreneurship by opening their very own store in the city.
“When my grandfather settled in Derry he opened the Chada Brothers Shop which involved two brothers and two cousins.
“They built up the business through very hard work, selling, going out to the islands, buying property, buying shops, by hard work and enterprise.”
She added: “The Chada Brothers’ Corner Boot Store was a three story shop which sold shoes and clothes.
“The shoe repairs were very popular: the introduction of the ‘while you wait’ service was a great success.”
For Jisha Paul, her most breath-taking memory of life in Derry was watching in amazement as she saw snow fall for the very first time.
“I was working as a nurse in Derry and I still remember that amazing day when I saw my first snow fall and the Ward Sister let us go outside,” she said.
“I got some snow in my hand and looked again and again at it.”
Pictured at the launch of the Lifetime Journeys Exhibition from Indian to Derry are: Vijay Luscmi Chada who arrived in Derry in 1946 (centre) and her son Peter with Nisha Tandon Chief Executive ArtsEkta organisers of the exhibition. Mrs Chada and her family have been involved in running a number of businesses in Derry for over 70 years.
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