Unveiling the untold stories of indentured Indians through art: Zenaéca Singh's Master’s projec

Zenaéca Singh's artistic journey is set to powerfully explore the history of indentured Indians who left their homeland to work under harsh conditions on the sugar plantations in Natal. As she graduates with her Master’s in Fine Art from the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Wednesday, 10 September 2025, Singh aims to illuminate the lived experiences and untold stories of those who migrated between 1860 and 1911 in search of a better life.

During the initial waves of indentureship, more than 150,000 Indians ventured to Natal with alluring promises; however, the reality they faced was far from what they had envisioned. The working conditions on the sugar estates were rife with punitive measures, inadequate wages, dismal housing, and prolonged hours of grueling labour. Singh’s artistic expressions aim to unravel this complex history, focusing on the intertwined themes of colonialism, migration, labour exploitation, and domestic life, using materials like sugar in her painting and sculpting.

“My use of sugar expands on its cultural economy to include the lost history of indenture,” Singh explains. “I connect the nuances between slavery and indentureship, reflecting upon the sticky residues of the archive.” Through the duality of sugar's sweetness and its harsh historical context, she juxtaposes the lingering impacts of indentureship against the desires of descendant communities to process familial trauma and attain recognition.

For Singh, a fourth-generation Indian South African, this exploration is both deeply personal and politically significant. Her creations are intended to interrogate the state-produced archival materials related to the experiences of the indentured and their descendants while also honouring their resilience. “I use family photographs to conjure an intimate portrayal of South African Indians’ lived experiences, often overlooked in colonial records,” she elaborates.

Her sculptures, notably those of melting sugar ships, reflect shifting ties between India and South Africa, linked through the Indian Ocean and Britain's colonisation of both nations. Works such as “It’s Playtime” feature intimate portraits of children at play, blending personal family history into her artistry by translating these images onto handmade sugar paste and preserving them in resin. In contrast, “High Tea,” crafted from sugar, clay, and resin, critiques the implications of British colonialism on domestic spaces and traditions, showcasing the complexity of cultural inheritance.

Singh's work also confronts the narratives constructed by colonial archives through what she describes as “sugar coating,” a term highlighting attempts to obscure the realities faced by indentured Indians. “There’s a misconception that the transition from slavery to indenture was linear, but in actuality, it served as another exploitation for colonial administrators to bolster a thriving sugar economy,” she states, reiterating the need to view this history through the lived realities of the workforce.

Having received accolades for her academic achievements, including a distinguished Master’s from UCT’s Michaelis School of Fine Art and recognition as a fellow in the Accelerated Transformation of the Academic Programme (ATAP), Singh's work continues to gain traction in private collections both locally and internationally.