Fiji Girmit Foundation to host 147th Girmit commemoration in Auckland

The Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand will host its annual Girmit commemoration on Saturday, 16 May, at the Malaeola Community Centre in Māngere, Auckland.

The event will run from 5.00pm to 8.30pm, with networking, tea and snacks scheduled from 4.30pm to 5.00pm. Dinner will be provided, and organisers expect a rolling attendance of around 1,000 to 1,500 people.

The gathering is organised by the Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand, which was established in 2012 to reconnect and preserve the history of Fijian Indian and Fiji Indian heritage, particularly the legacy of the Girmitiyas.

“Our mission is to raise awareness among the descendants of the Girmitiyas about their poignant yet captivating early history,” one of the organisers said.

“Each year, we organise commemorative events to mark the arrival of the first ship, Leonidas, to Fiji on 14 May 1879.”

“This year’s commemoration marks the 147th Anniversary of Girmit in Fiji,” they said.

Organisers say last year’s event drew about 1,500 people, including the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, MPs and ministers, who took part in ceremonial activities.

They expect this year’s event to again attract members of the Fijian community as well as the wider public, community leaders, business figures, diplomats and politicians. They have also welcomed interest from representatives of other cultural groups, including potential leaders from the Fijian government.

The commemoration centres on 14 May 1879, when the ship Leonidas brought 481 indentured labourers from India to Fiji. Over time, 60,495 Indians were transported across 86 ships to work mainly in sugarcane plantations.

The system followed the abolition of slavery in 1833, which created a labour shortage in British colonies. More than 1.2 million Indians were recruited under the indenture system between 1879 and 1920. The labourers referred to the agreement as “Girmit”, and became known as Girmitiyas.

Organisers say this chapter of history has often been overlooked in mainstream narratives, leaving later generations disconnected from their heritage.

“The deliberate manipulation of our tragic past has resulted in a legacy of obscured truths,” one of the organisers said.

“However, scholars and writers from our community are gradually unveiling this hidden history,” they added.

They also noted the hardships faced by Girmitiyas, including harsh working and living conditions, and high rates of suicide and infanticide. Justice, they said, was often out of reach, with courts frequently favouring plantation owners.

This year’s commemoration will include candlelight vigils, interfaith prayers, speeches, role plays, cultural performances, children’s oratories and the presentation of more than 80 senior medals.

Organisers say the event serves both as a remembrance of sacrifice and an opportunity to reconnect descendants with their identity, while recognising contributions made to Fiji, the Pacific and New Zealand across cultural, social and economic spheres.