We, the descendants of the Indians who arrived in Guadeloupe on December 24, 1854, following a request for labor  formulated by the planters of the time and a deliberation of the General Council, take note of the fact  that the General Council of Guadeloupe organized the official celebration of the 150th anniversary  of the arrival of the First Indians in Guadeloupe.

 

To do this, the Departmental Assembly contributed to the emergence of the Bharat a Gua Association, resulting from the federation of the main Associations of Indian cultures, concerned with preserving the cultural memory of the Guadeloupean population of Indian origin, to which was entrusted with developing  and leading the program of events.

 

This prestigious initiative has promoted the recognition and affirmation  of the culture inherited from India as one of the essential features of the plural culture of Guadeloupe.

 

Aware of the symbolic significance and the stakes of this celebration, we proclaim our refusal of any community approach to favor the spirit of reciprocal tolerance, mutual understanding and respect for all  the components of a Guadeloupe rich in sa  diversity and proud of its Creole mix.

 

In the name of these values, we are inaugurating the Monument du 1er jour which reminds everyone, not only of the painful crossing of the Aurélie, but also of the sufferings of our ancestors who endured and fought for their integration and gave their sweat and their blood. to build Guadeloupe too.

 

May this First Day Monument, fulfilling a duty  of memory, open the way to a fraternally shared present and future for the benefit of the unity of our people and the prosperity of our archipelago.

 

With this wish, we thank the State, the General Council, the Regional Council, the City of Pointe à Pitre, all the municipalities, all the companies, all the Associations, all the goodwill who, on the occasion of this 150th anniversary, have pooled their energies and resources to honor with dignity the memory of Guadeloupeans of Indian origin.

We associate with our heartfelt thanks the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the State of Pondicherry.