Book Report - Uncle Brother

Title of Book: “Uncle Brother” written by Barbara Lalla

The book entitled, “Uncle Brother” was written by Professor Barbara Lalla. It is based on the story of Nathan Deoraj and his family during the cocoa plantation era, which would be around the early twentieth century in Trinidad. The book gave an insight into the characters culture, and way of life and showed the major differences with today’s society. Some of the main issues that were discussed in the book were exploitation, discrimination and survival.

“Uncle Brother” was based on an Indian family, whose ancestors originally came from India and now resided in Trinidad during the cocoa plantation era. The book focused on the norms and values and the traditions, that were practiced and even some of the challenges that Nathan Deoraj and his family experienced everyday. It gave a vast amount of exposure to the Indian culture. I must commend the author, that is, Barbara Lalla for really sharing an insight into the East Indian culture since there are not much books that fully expand on some of the key points that she wrote about. One major point that was discussed was the food that the family would eat. Food played a very important role in their life, as it was discussed in great vivid detail. On page six, Nathan recalled when his Ma would make ‘steaming roti and baigan’ as well as curry mango, pumpkin and other vegetables, that were readily available for consumption, for her family to eat. These are local East Indian dishes that are still prepared in families across the Caribbean and even internationally. It is prevalent in today’s society.

Page ten, explained the rituals that the family would have to do for a marriage ceremony, such as preparing Indian delicacies like ‘kurma’, and ‘the smell of rice parching for the lawa. The book also described in great detail the rituals which the bride would have to engage in such as wearing a yellow sari, applying saffron on her skin, and mendi on her hands and feet as...