PUBLICIDAD EN INSTAGRAM

The three major religious groups that were present in the Grey Street complex were Muslims, Hindus and Christians. These religious groups worked in harmony to establish various organizations and institutions to preserve culture, religion and provide the community of this precinct with an opportunity to receive an education

A brief description of the origin and establishment of each religious group in the Grey Street Complex is provided in this section. The histories of each religious group are explained independently. Various distinctive factors influenced the presence of each of these groups in this precinct as well as the formation of their associated cultural and educational bodies.

i) CHRISTIANITY

The Christian community experienced very few difficulties in the formation of cultural organizations and institutions as these were established and developed by British and European missionaries, who also provided financial support for the maintenance and operations of their schools in the Grey Street Complex (Henning, 1993; Govender and Naidoo, 2010). In particular, Anglicans, Methodists, Roman Catholics and Wesleyan missions were actively involved in Christian schooling (Vahed and Waetjen, 2015). Many of the missionaries who established schools could speak the vernacular of the Indian community. Hence, they garnered support from Indians who were seeking education and cultural grounding in a foreign country. Table 4.4 provides a summary of the contributions made by early Christian leaders in this precinct.

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Table 4.4: Contributions made by Christian Religious Leaders

Religious Leaders Contributions

Bishop Jean François Allard

Founder of Saint Joseph‟s Church in 1852 (one of the first churches in South Africa), later established as Emmanuel Cathedral

Reverend Ralph Stott Established Methodist Chapel in Durban in 1876

Father John Baptist Sabon Established Emmanuel Cathedral in 1902 and Saint Anthony‟s School

Dr. Lancelot Booth

Established several mission educational facilities in 1887 which came to be known as „booth schools‟ and built Saint Aidan‟s Church in 1887

Pastor J.F Rowlands Founder of Bethesda Temple in 1931

(Adapted from St Aidan‟s Mission Centenary Brochure, 1983; Henning, 1993; Govender and

Naidoo, 2010; Vahed, 2013; Vahed and Waetjen, 2015; Emmanuel Cathedral Historical Guide, 2016)

ii) ISLAM

The origins of Islam in South Africa can be traced back to 1667 with the arrival of the Cape Malays, far earlier than the period of indenture (Sema, 1985). Although Islam was introduced to the country by Cape Malays, they prayed in Jamaat Khannas and not mosques (Sema, 1985). Islam in the Natal province dates back to the arrival of indentured Indians, and the arrival of traders who were predominantly Muslim (Sema, 1985). In particular, Muslim traders offered benefactions to those Muslims who were less fortunate and their symbiotic relationship allowed institutions such as the May Street Mosque, in Greyville, to develop (Vahed and Waetjen, 2015).

- 62 - In terms of the Grey Street Complex, the Islamic faith and traditions are associated with one of the most well-known cultural and architectural hallmarks of Islam in this precinct, the Juma Masjid (Grey Street Mosque) which was the first mosque to be constructed in South Africa in 1884, and is also the largest in the southern hemisphere (Vahed and Waetjen, 2015; Sema, 1985). There were many prominent Islamic leaders in the Grey Street Complex who made contributions to culture in this precinct presented in Table 4.5.

Table 4.5 Contributions made by Islamic Leaders

Religious Leaders Contributions

Abubakr Amod Jhaveri

Arrived in 1874 and was considered to be the first trader in Natal, one of the first trustees of Juma Masjid

Dada Abdoola

Local leader, political representative and responsible for the arrival of Mohandas K. Gandhi to South Africa

Ahmed Mohammed Tilly and Hoosen Meeran

Trustees and financial contributors to the West Street Musjid

Hajee Ahmed Mohammed Lockhat Wakuff

Established the Hajee Ahmed Mohammed Lockhat Wakuff Trust and founder of madrassahs in various areas of Durban in 1922

Abdulla Ismail Kajee

Spokesman for the Orient Islamic Institute and member of the South African Indian Congress (SAIC)

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Table 4.6: Contributions made by Hindu Missionaries in the precinct

(Adapted from Saiva Sithantha Sungum Brochure, 2003; Govender and Naidoo, 2010; Desai and Vahed, 2012; Gopalan, 2012; Vahed, 2013)

iii) HINDUISM

Hinduism in the Natal province, as with Islam, can also be traced to the period of indenture. Hindus initially established places of worship on the plantations (Gopalan, 2012; Vahed, 2013). Hindus preserved their religion and culture with very few amenities (Desai and Vahed, 2012). Many Hindu families practiced daily rituals at home as this was a tradition that was inherited from their forebears from India. Community leaders noticed that there was a lack of central leadership and sent requests for Hindu missionaries to come from India to provide guidance and organizational foundation for Hindus in South Africa (Gopalan, 2012). Some of the Hindu missionaries that made contributions to the country, and more specifically to the Grey Street Complex are presented in Table 4.6.

Religious Leaders Contributions

Professor Bhai Parmanand

First Hindu missionary who visited South Africa in 1905 to provide central leadership for Hindus, established various Vedic institutions in the country

Swami Shakaranadji

Arrived in 1908, inspired the community to establish more cultural organizations and schools in the province.

Provided guidance and understanding of the significances of Hindu rituals and philosophy.

Established the South African Hindu Maha Sabha in 1912

Sir Srinivasa Sastri Established Hindu Tamil Institute as well as Sastri College in 1929

Bramha Sri Siva Guruswamigal

Established Saiva Sithantha Sungum in 1937 and encouraged the community to form more South Indian organizations

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