Becoming Ethelene

Becoming Ethelene is a powerful and deeply personal autobiography that traces one woman’s courageous journey across cultures, continents, and identities. Born in rural Trinidad and Tobago and raised within the strict traditions of Indian-Trinidadian society, Ethelene Bhagandai Moore grew up navigating expectations placed on women to remain silent, obedient, and bound to predetermined paths. From being born between two names one given by tradition and another by faith to defying cultural norms, family resistance, and societal limitations, this memoir chronicles a life shaped by resilience and self-determination. Ethelene shares her journey from sugarcane fields in Chase Village to nursing school in England, and ultimately to building a new life defined by choice rather than obligation. With honesty and emotional depth, the author explores themes of identity, migration, womanhood, love across cultures, and the cost of independence. This book is not only a record of personal history but a testament to the strength required to choose one’s own destiny. Becoming Ethelene is an inspiring story for women who have been told to follow, for daughters caught between tradition and ambition, and for anyone who has ever stood at a crossroads and dared to choose themselves.