Under the blazing sun and pouring rain, these indentured labourers toiled while laying down roots in a foreign land that, over time, became their home.
Now, an upcoming feature-length musical documentary, “Araro Ariraro”, will bring this chapter of the country’s history to the big screen.
The documentary tells the untold story of these indentured plantation labourers by reviving archives of Tamil folk songs they once sang – songs of love, resistance, grief and survival.
Among its key sources is a book titled “Malaysia Naatuppura Paadalgal” (Malaysian Folk Songs) by the late professor R Dhandayutham. The book contains the lyrics of over 500 folk songs. Sadly, the recordings of these songs are lost.
So, last year, the documentary’s team travelled to Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India, to work with folk musicians under the guidance of R Kamaraju of Tamil University. Together, they have reimagined the melodies for these lyrics.
The documentary is directed by Gogularaajan Rajendran, who co-wrote and co-directed the short film “Walay Balay” screened at the 2024 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. His brother, Kumanavannan is the producer.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Gogularaajan, 32, said the documentary’s total budget is RM297,801, covering filming costs in Malaysia and Tamil Nadu, post-production costs and other expenses.
So far, the team has secured RM177,801 from the University of Toronto, the Krishen Jit Fund, MyCreative Ventures (under the MyCreative Matching Fund Scheme), National Land Finance Co-Operative Society, Mahsa Group and the documentary’s production companies Om Sakthi Films and Next New Wave.
On Aug 3, the team launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the remaining RM120,000. As of Aug 15, they have received RM36,696 and are appealing for the public’s support to reach their target by Aug 31.
The duo expressed their gratitude to MySkills Foundation and Perak Tamilar Thirunaal Association for supporting the production of the crowdfunding video and the recent crowdfunding launch.
Gogularaajan shared that “Araro Ariraro” is already in production, and they aim to complete the documentary by February next year.
Describing the documentary as the “first of its kind in Malaysia”, Gogularaajan said: “Even as a Malaysian Indian, I didn’t know about the legacy of these folk songs. Plantation history is usually recorded by the colonists or elite Indians, not the working class.”
“Somehow, through these songs, they have expressed themselves,” he said of the indentured labourers.
The first song that he discovered in Dhandayutham’s book carried the poignant words: “To tap rubber trees, we boarded an old ship. For 45 cents, he breaks my back. For 35 cents, he bends my joints”.
The words hit. “It was so direct and when I read it, I felt like my ancestor was speaking directly to me,” Gogularaajan recalled.
“Somewhere in the 100 years of harsh plantation history, my ancestors learned to love this strange land, Malaysia. It was in the plantations that the unfamiliar became familiar, the foreign became home.
“Without understanding this vital part of history, I don’t think I could ever truly understand myself, or my place in this country,” said Gogulaarajan, whose great-grandfather was an indentured labourer.
The documentary team plans to bring these reimagined songs with folk musicians in India to plantations across Malaysia. There, they will invite residents – the descendants of those who first sang them – to perform the songs here.
Asked what he hopes Malaysians will take away from the documentary, he said: “I hope they don’t see it as history exclusive to Indians. It’s part of our national history, and part of the history of plantations.”
Click here to contribute to the ‘Araro Ariraro’ crowdfunding campaign and follow the documentary team’s updates on Instagram.
The creative exchanges between the documentary’s team and the folk musicians from India are currently showcased at The Plantation Plot exhibition at Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. Titled ‘Coolies’ Chorus‘, the showcase runs until Sept 21.