“For there to have been a victim 

A crime must have been committed 

 

A crime was committed 

 

What am I, wherever I go, if not somebody’s 

forever-victim 

forever-coolie?” 

 

Shani Mootoo explores ancestry, connection and belonging in her newest poetry collection Oh Witness Dey!. This book is a love letter to Trinidad, and a tribute to indentured Indian ancestors and their descendants. These poems take readers on a journey from the beginning of the cosmos to present day as Mootoo explores her history and searches for where she belongs. 

 

In Mootoo’s journey to understanding her ancestry, she offers readers an overview of the history of colonialism. She interrogates the historical figures involved in colonizing the Caribbean and holds them accountable. These poems are bold and scathing as Mootoo asks the reader to consider the systems of oppression that have shaped humanity and our own complicity in them. This book discusses the impacts of colonialism, imperialism and capitalism on the world, and the author tries to make sense of history while reckoning with the realization that she wouldn’t be who she is today without colonialism. 

 

This collection also meditates on the meaning of inheritance and authenticity. Indo-Caribbean people are often viewed as “not Indian enough” and our ancestry is often questioned. Mootoo reckons with this, too. To be proud of being Caribbean and simultaneously mourn the cultural connections you’ve lost is a complex feeling common among the Indo-Caribbean community, and Mootoo explores this with a loving vulnerability. 

 

My favourite aspect of these poems is the way Mootoo calls attention to the small ways indenture has shaped our lives. This is something I notice in all the Indo-Caribbean poetry I read and I admire how each poet has a unique approach to addressing this. Searching ship registries for our ancestor’s names, losing our mother tongues, having misspelled last names, and feeling disconnected—these things are a part of our history and they are a part of us. Mootoo explores these ripple effects with earnestness and care, and gives love to her ancestors and herself. 

 

This book deeply resonates with me as an Indo-Caribbean person. It’s a fantastic addition to the growing canon of literature by descendants of indentured Indian labourers. Highly recommend to readers who enjoy the works of Gaiutra Bahadur, Rajiv Mohabir, Shivanee Ramlochan, Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné, and Natasha Ramoutar. 

 

This book is out today! Thank you Book*hug Press for providing me with an e-ARC to review.