Unveiling Marginalised Voices: Female Indentured Labourer’s Narratives in Island Literature

Authors

Arifah Arum Candra Hayuningsih, Universitas Gadjah Mada, IndonesiaFollow

Keywords

female indentured labourers, island literature, memories

Abstract

This study examines the lives of female indentured labourers from Java and India, as portrayed in Liliane Saintomer's La Bayou de Nouméa à Jakarta (2016) and Gaiutra Bahadur's Coolie Woman (2013). Both authors, grandchildren of the central characters, offer personal and historical insights. The research explores how these novels enhance our understanding of the complex identities and lived experiences of female indentured labourers in colonial contexts. It investigates memory as a site of resistance, reclaiming silenced narratives and addressing the shared struggles of Javanese and Indian women in plantation life.

Recommended Citation

Hayuningsih, Arifah Arum Candra (2025) "Unveiling Marginalised Voices: Female Indentured Labourer’s Narratives in Island Literature," Akda: The Asian Journal of Literature, Culture, Performance: Vol. 5: No. 1, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59588/2782-8875.1096
Available at: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/akda/vol5/iss1/7