Essence of the Indo-Fijian spirit
June 9 2009
Indian Weekender interviewed two Indo-Fijians about what it means to be an Indo-Fijian in not just modern Fiji but all over the world where they now find themselves in. They were Shailendra Singh, an academic at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, as representative of the educated, professional, middle aged generation and Naziah Ali, his one-time student who is well travelled and works with a global organisation based in Fiji as representing the younger generation.
Is the heritage of Girmit losing relevance among modern day Indo Fijians especially of the younger generation?
Shailendra: This is possible, even evident, in today’s younger generation.
Naziah: To some extent yes – I feel that while most young Indo-Fijians know about Girmit and its significance, there is a general shift towards focusing on improving the day to day life and building a better future such as education, better employment opportunities, which are not hindered by the past.
If it is indeed the case, why do you think it is so: because of ignorance of history or a will to forget the shame of suffering, as some people rationalise?
Shailendra: It is absolutely not because of a will to forget the shame of suffering. Fiji Indians are not ashamed of the Girmit era. Quite to the contrary, they are proud of this historical background. Indians see surviving the inhuman and hellish plantation conditions, and later on thriving in their adopted country, as a triumph of the indomitable Indian spirit and work ethic. In much of, if not all of the accounts written of the Girmit era, the trials and tribulations they suffered and the humiliations they underwent is related in graphic detail. So this talk about ‘being ashamed’ of the past is baseless. Most of our people came with only their clothes on their backs. Look at where their future generations are today. It is an astounding achievement when you think about it.
The forgetfulness has more to do with the ignorance of history. It is also due to the neglect by our leaders, who are perhaps preoccupied with more immediate demands and challenges, what with all the political upheavals of the past 20 years. I was fortunate to be in Trinidad recently. There, Indian Arrival Day has been revived and is celebrated with much fanfare for an entire week. In Fiji, we had a commemorative celebration a long time ago, then nothing.
Deepawali in Trinidad is also a weeklong affair, with cultural items, trade shows and the lot. The Sanatan Dharm Mahasabha in Trinidad is very active. It is academically driven and produces books and magazines. It owns and runs a radio station, and is very vocal of Indian cultural and political issues. The Fiji Sanatan Dharm and other religious/cultural organisations in Fiji are very quiet in comparison. Perhaps it’s about time that the current crop of leaders started grooming young and energetic successors to replace them. It doesn’t look like this is being done.
Naziah: I think it has more to do with relevance. I believe all Indo-Fijians in Fiji whose ancestors came through during Girmit accept their history and what transpired with their forefathers but they are moving on. Indo-Fijians are trying to build an image that is different from what was seen as a form of slavery. Today Indo-Fijians are known to be Fiji’s biggest entrepreneurs and part of its skilled population.
What are your views on the suffering and treatment of your forbears? How do you think this has shaped the Indo-Fijians of today?
Shailendra: Our forefathers did back breaking labour for hours on end, day-in-day-out, year in-year-out for five years, in all manner of weather. Their backs were against the wall. They had no choice; it was matter of survival for them, of putting food in their children’s mouths. Their vulnerability was ruthlessly, ceaselessly and callously exploited. Maltreated and underfed as they were, the Girmityas were not weak. They were a determined breed driven by the desire to forge a better future for their family and children. They were poor, but they had lofty ambitions and goals. Their path was littered with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but they trudged on. Illiterate themselves, they placed a premium on education. Similarly, their descendents are a hardy lot. Look into the background of many a successful Fiji Indian in business, academia or the professions, and you will find that they came from very poor backgrounds and struggled against great odds to get where they are today.
Naziah: I feel my forefathers who came to Fiji as indentured labourers suffered a lot, endured countless human rights violations and were not treated fairly. I have read books and heard stories of the violence and the abuse including extreme cases where labourers would commit suicide to get away from the torture they endured in the fields. It saddens me to know that there was no justice then – that the very people that helped shape the country lost their lives while contributing to what we enjoy today. This in a way has made Indo-Fijians more determined to move away from the idea of being second grade citizens or slaves to being more independent and in control of their lives.
How would you explain Girmit to the younger generation who would wish to know about their roots?
Shailendra: The Girmit era is not only about suffering, servitude or enslavement. It is also about the triumph of the will, and the realisation of seemingly impossible dreams. The Girmityas are an example to our future generation of the importance of family, of hard work, foresight, thrift, sacrifice and overcoming adversity within sheer will and determination. They achievements are testimony that we can not only dream dreams, but achieve them.
Naziah: Girmit is a reality and we have to accept that our forefathers came to Fiji to work in sugarcane plantations under harsh conditions. That is the way Indians came to Fiji. I believe despite the negativity associated with being an Indo-Fijian due to our history and racism, Indo-fijians are proud of their identity.
How important is the knowledge of Girmit to Indo-Fijians and the world at large?
Shailendra: It is very important to Fiji-Indians to understand their heritage, to cherish and remember those who sacrificed so much to make things easier for them. In terms of the world, it is tragic that there are still people, including in India who still work under Girmit-like conditions or worse. This includes children. Despite all the strides and progress India has made, it is an abomination that in this day and age, such practices are still continuing. India’s government, India’s filthy rich tycoons all have to do more to get rid of this abomination if India is to gain respect as a civilised, progressive country. India cannot claim to be a world power when the most vulnerable in Indian society continue to be exploited with impunity.
Naziah: I think it is very important to Indo-Fijians because that’s what defines us. We are not Indians or British Indians – we are Indo-Fijians who have adopted Fiji’s lifestyle and the land as out home but maintain our Indian culture and religions which today incorporates the Fijian environment. If you take kava drinking as an example, it has become an everyday thing for Indo-Fijians just like the Fijians to kava sessions some of which go on until the wee-hours of the morning.
The world needs to know about Girmit because it is an important part of the world’s history just like apartheid and the world wars. Indentured labourers were not only taken from India to work in Fiji under the same method, many Indians were taken to Trinidad, Guyana and South Africa. This has also created the Indian diaspora around the world.
What are your thoughts on the present state of affairs of Indo-Fijians living in Fiji in the country’s present circumstances?
Shailendra: Indo-Fijians have done a lot for Fiji and Fiji has done a lot for Indo-Fijians. In the process of building Fiji, Indo-Fijians also progressed in their adopted country. Indians are also the poorest of the poor in Fiji. Fiji Indians settled overseas, including New Zealand, care for their brethren and always help out generously in times of need. The charity is much appreciated and still needed. Things are not ideal, and many Indians have left. But they continue to pine for Fiji. Despite the troubles, many have vowed never to leave Fiji. Indigenous Fijians, by and large, have been excellent hosts. Politicians from both major races are largely responsible for stirring trouble. They were driven by political ambition and monetary gain, not the welfare of their people or nation. This is Fiji’s curse — ambitious, greedy, corrupt politicians. Indo-Fijians will remain in this country. No one can wish them away. For Indo-Fijians it is critical they work and cooperate with indigenous Fijians to secure a better future for all, regardless of race, in a country they all call home.
Naziah: While some Indians are contemplating migration to overseas countries like Australia and New Zealand, they are not going by the droves like the case of the first coup in 1987. The current situation has not pushed Indo-Fijians who usually feel marginalised during ethnic tensions and political upheaval to extremes. Indo-Fijians have learnt to lay low and wait for the country to recover. Some have experienced some form of torture or abuse but many have learnt to keep quiet. It’s usually the poor who suffer the most during these times, majority of whom are Indo-Fijians.
Is the heritage of Girmit losing relevance among modern day Indo Fijians especially of the younger generation?
Shailendra: This is possible, even evident, in today’s younger generation.
Naziah: To some extent yes – I feel that while most young Indo-Fijians know about Girmit and its significance, there is a general shift towards focusing on improving the day to day life and building a better future such as education, better employment opportunities, which are not hindered by the past.
If it is indeed the case, why do you think it is so: because of ignorance of history or a will to forget the shame of suffering, as some people rationalise?
Shailendra: It is absolutely not because of a will to forget the shame of suffering. Fiji Indians are not ashamed of the Girmit era. Quite to the contrary, they are proud of this historical background. Indians see surviving the inhuman and hellish plantation conditions, and later on thriving in their adopted country, as a triumph of the indomitable Indian spirit and work ethic. In much of, if not all of the accounts written of the Girmit era, the trials and tribulations they suffered and the humiliations they underwent is related in graphic detail. So this talk about ‘being ashamed’ of the past is baseless. Most of our people came with only their clothes on their backs. Look at where their future generations are today. It is an astounding achievement when you think about it.
The forgetfulness has more to do with the ignorance of history. It is also due to the neglect by our leaders, who are perhaps preoccupied with more immediate demands and challenges, what with all the political upheavals of the past 20 years. I was fortunate to be in Trinidad recently. There, Indian Arrival Day has been revived and is celebrated with much fanfare for an entire week. In Fiji, we had a commemorative celebration a long time ago, then nothing.
Deepawali in Trinidad is also a weeklong affair, with cultural items, trade shows and the lot. The Sanatan Dharm Mahasabha in Trinidad is very active. It is academically driven and produces books and magazines. It owns and runs a radio station, and is very vocal of Indian cultural and political issues. The Fiji Sanatan Dharm and other religious/cultural organisations in Fiji are very quiet in comparison. Perhaps it’s about time that the current crop of leaders started grooming young and energetic successors to replace them. It doesn’t look like this is being done.
Naziah: I think it has more to do with relevance. I believe all Indo-Fijians in Fiji whose ancestors came through during Girmit accept their history and what transpired with their forefathers but they are moving on. Indo-Fijians are trying to build an image that is different from what was seen as a form of slavery. Today Indo-Fijians are known to be Fiji’s biggest entrepreneurs and part of its skilled population.
What are your views on the suffering and treatment of your forbears? How do you think this has shaped the Indo-Fijians of today?
Shailendra: Our forefathers did back breaking labour for hours on end, day-in-day-out, year in-year-out for five years, in all manner of weather. Their backs were against the wall. They had no choice; it was matter of survival for them, of putting food in their children’s mouths. Their vulnerability was ruthlessly, ceaselessly and callously exploited. Maltreated and underfed as they were, the Girmityas were not weak. They were a determined breed driven by the desire to forge a better future for their family and children. They were poor, but they had lofty ambitions and goals. Their path was littered with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but they trudged on. Illiterate themselves, they placed a premium on education. Similarly, their descendents are a hardy lot. Look into the background of many a successful Fiji Indian in business, academia or the professions, and you will find that they came from very poor backgrounds and struggled against great odds to get where they are today.
Naziah: I feel my forefathers who came to Fiji as indentured labourers suffered a lot, endured countless human rights violations and were not treated fairly. I have read books and heard stories of the violence and the abuse including extreme cases where labourers would commit suicide to get away from the torture they endured in the fields. It saddens me to know that there was no justice then – that the very people that helped shape the country lost their lives while contributing to what we enjoy today. This in a way has made Indo-Fijians more determined to move away from the idea of being second grade citizens or slaves to being more independent and in control of their lives.
How would you explain Girmit to the younger generation who would wish to know about their roots?
Shailendra: The Girmit era is not only about suffering, servitude or enslavement. It is also about the triumph of the will, and the realisation of seemingly impossible dreams. The Girmityas are an example to our future generation of the importance of family, of hard work, foresight, thrift, sacrifice and overcoming adversity within sheer will and determination. They achievements are testimony that we can not only dream dreams, but achieve them.
Naziah: Girmit is a reality and we have to accept that our forefathers came to Fiji to work in sugarcane plantations under harsh conditions. That is the way Indians came to Fiji. I believe despite the negativity associated with being an Indo-Fijian due to our history and racism, Indo-fijians are proud of their identity.
How important is the knowledge of Girmit to Indo-Fijians and the world at large?
Shailendra: It is very important to Fiji-Indians to understand their heritage, to cherish and remember those who sacrificed so much to make things easier for them. In terms of the world, it is tragic that there are still people, including in India who still work under Girmit-like conditions or worse. This includes children. Despite all the strides and progress India has made, it is an abomination that in this day and age, such practices are still continuing. India’s government, India’s filthy rich tycoons all have to do more to get rid of this abomination if India is to gain respect as a civilised, progressive country. India cannot claim to be a world power when the most vulnerable in Indian society continue to be exploited with impunity.
Naziah: I think it is very important to Indo-Fijians because that’s what defines us. We are not Indians or British Indians – we are Indo-Fijians who have adopted Fiji’s lifestyle and the land as out home but maintain our Indian culture and religions which today incorporates the Fijian environment. If you take kava drinking as an example, it has become an everyday thing for Indo-Fijians just like the Fijians to kava sessions some of which go on until the wee-hours of the morning.
The world needs to know about Girmit because it is an important part of the world’s history just like apartheid and the world wars. Indentured labourers were not only taken from India to work in Fiji under the same method, many Indians were taken to Trinidad, Guyana and South Africa. This has also created the Indian diaspora around the world.
What are your thoughts on the present state of affairs of Indo-Fijians living in Fiji in the country’s present circumstances?
Shailendra: Indo-Fijians have done a lot for Fiji and Fiji has done a lot for Indo-Fijians. In the process of building Fiji, Indo-Fijians also progressed in their adopted country. Indians are also the poorest of the poor in Fiji. Fiji Indians settled overseas, including New Zealand, care for their brethren and always help out generously in times of need. The charity is much appreciated and still needed. Things are not ideal, and many Indians have left. But they continue to pine for Fiji. Despite the troubles, many have vowed never to leave Fiji. Indigenous Fijians, by and large, have been excellent hosts. Politicians from both major races are largely responsible for stirring trouble. They were driven by political ambition and monetary gain, not the welfare of their people or nation. This is Fiji’s curse — ambitious, greedy, corrupt politicians. Indo-Fijians will remain in this country. No one can wish them away. For Indo-Fijians it is critical they work and cooperate with indigenous Fijians to secure a better future for all, regardless of race, in a country they all call home.
Naziah: While some Indians are contemplating migration to overseas countries like Australia and New Zealand, they are not going by the droves like the case of the first coup in 1987. The current situation has not pushed Indo-Fijians who usually feel marginalised during ethnic tensions and political upheaval to extremes. Indo-Fijians have learnt to lay low and wait for the country to recover. Some have experienced some form of torture or abuse but many have learnt to keep quiet. It’s usually the poor who suffer the most during these times, majority of whom are Indo-Fijians.
Indian Weekender interviewed two Indo-Fijians about what it means to be an Indo-Fijian in not just modern Fiji but all over the world where they now find themselves in. They were Shailendra Singh, an academic at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, as representative of the educated,...
Indian Weekender interviewed two Indo-Fijians about what it means to be an Indo-Fijian in not just modern Fiji but all over the world where they now find themselves in. They were Shailendra Singh, an academic at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, as representative of the educated, professional, middle aged generation and Naziah Ali, his one-time student who is well travelled and works with a global organisation based in Fiji as representing the younger generation.
Is the heritage of Girmit losing relevance among modern day Indo Fijians especially of the younger generation?
Shailendra: This is possible, even evident, in today’s younger generation.
Naziah: To some extent yes – I feel that while most young Indo-Fijians know about Girmit and its significance, there is a general shift towards focusing on improving the day to day life and building a better future such as education, better employment opportunities, which are not hindered by the past.
If it is indeed the case, why do you think it is so: because of ignorance of history or a will to forget the shame of suffering, as some people rationalise?
Shailendra: It is absolutely not because of a will to forget the shame of suffering. Fiji Indians are not ashamed of the Girmit era. Quite to the contrary, they are proud of this historical background. Indians see surviving the inhuman and hellish plantation conditions, and later on thriving in their adopted country, as a triumph of the indomitable Indian spirit and work ethic. In much of, if not all of the accounts written of the Girmit era, the trials and tribulations they suffered and the humiliations they underwent is related in graphic detail. So this talk about ‘being ashamed’ of the past is baseless. Most of our people came with only their clothes on their backs. Look at where their future generations are today. It is an astounding achievement when you think about it.
The forgetfulness has more to do with the ignorance of history. It is also due to the neglect by our leaders, who are perhaps preoccupied with more immediate demands and challenges, what with all the political upheavals of the past 20 years. I was fortunate to be in Trinidad recently. There, Indian Arrival Day has been revived and is celebrated with much fanfare for an entire week. In Fiji, we had a commemorative celebration a long time ago, then nothing.
Deepawali in Trinidad is also a weeklong affair, with cultural items, trade shows and the lot. The Sanatan Dharm Mahasabha in Trinidad is very active. It is academically driven and produces books and magazines. It owns and runs a radio station, and is very vocal of Indian cultural and political issues. The Fiji Sanatan Dharm and other religious/cultural organisations in Fiji are very quiet in comparison. Perhaps it’s about time that the current crop of leaders started grooming young and energetic successors to replace them. It doesn’t look like this is being done.
Naziah: I think it has more to do with relevance. I believe all Indo-Fijians in Fiji whose ancestors came through during Girmit accept their history and what transpired with their forefathers but they are moving on. Indo-Fijians are trying to build an image that is different from what was seen as a form of slavery. Today Indo-Fijians are known to be Fiji’s biggest entrepreneurs and part of its skilled population.
What are your views on the suffering and treatment of your forbears? How do you think this has shaped the Indo-Fijians of today?
Shailendra: Our forefathers did back breaking labour for hours on end, day-in-day-out, year in-year-out for five years, in all manner of weather. Their backs were against the wall. They had no choice; it was matter of survival for them, of putting food in their children’s mouths. Their vulnerability was ruthlessly, ceaselessly and callously exploited. Maltreated and underfed as they were, the Girmityas were not weak. They were a determined breed driven by the desire to forge a better future for their family and children. They were poor, but they had lofty ambitions and goals. Their path was littered with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but they trudged on. Illiterate themselves, they placed a premium on education. Similarly, their descendents are a hardy lot. Look into the background of many a successful Fiji Indian in business, academia or the professions, and you will find that they came from very poor backgrounds and struggled against great odds to get where they are today.
Naziah: I feel my forefathers who came to Fiji as indentured labourers suffered a lot, endured countless human rights violations and were not treated fairly. I have read books and heard stories of the violence and the abuse including extreme cases where labourers would commit suicide to get away from the torture they endured in the fields. It saddens me to know that there was no justice then – that the very people that helped shape the country lost their lives while contributing to what we enjoy today. This in a way has made Indo-Fijians more determined to move away from the idea of being second grade citizens or slaves to being more independent and in control of their lives.
How would you explain Girmit to the younger generation who would wish to know about their roots?
Shailendra: The Girmit era is not only about suffering, servitude or enslavement. It is also about the triumph of the will, and the realisation of seemingly impossible dreams. The Girmityas are an example to our future generation of the importance of family, of hard work, foresight, thrift, sacrifice and overcoming adversity within sheer will and determination. They achievements are testimony that we can not only dream dreams, but achieve them.
Naziah: Girmit is a reality and we have to accept that our forefathers came to Fiji to work in sugarcane plantations under harsh conditions. That is the way Indians came to Fiji. I believe despite the negativity associated with being an Indo-Fijian due to our history and racism, Indo-fijians are proud of their identity.
How important is the knowledge of Girmit to Indo-Fijians and the world at large?
Shailendra: It is very important to Fiji-Indians to understand their heritage, to cherish and remember those who sacrificed so much to make things easier for them. In terms of the world, it is tragic that there are still people, including in India who still work under Girmit-like conditions or worse. This includes children. Despite all the strides and progress India has made, it is an abomination that in this day and age, such practices are still continuing. India’s government, India’s filthy rich tycoons all have to do more to get rid of this abomination if India is to gain respect as a civilised, progressive country. India cannot claim to be a world power when the most vulnerable in Indian society continue to be exploited with impunity.
Naziah: I think it is very important to Indo-Fijians because that’s what defines us. We are not Indians or British Indians – we are Indo-Fijians who have adopted Fiji’s lifestyle and the land as out home but maintain our Indian culture and religions which today incorporates the Fijian environment. If you take kava drinking as an example, it has become an everyday thing for Indo-Fijians just like the Fijians to kava sessions some of which go on until the wee-hours of the morning.
The world needs to know about Girmit because it is an important part of the world’s history just like apartheid and the world wars. Indentured labourers were not only taken from India to work in Fiji under the same method, many Indians were taken to Trinidad, Guyana and South Africa. This has also created the Indian diaspora around the world.
What are your thoughts on the present state of affairs of Indo-Fijians living in Fiji in the country’s present circumstances?
Shailendra: Indo-Fijians have done a lot for Fiji and Fiji has done a lot for Indo-Fijians. In the process of building Fiji, Indo-Fijians also progressed in their adopted country. Indians are also the poorest of the poor in Fiji. Fiji Indians settled overseas, including New Zealand, care for their brethren and always help out generously in times of need. The charity is much appreciated and still needed. Things are not ideal, and many Indians have left. But they continue to pine for Fiji. Despite the troubles, many have vowed never to leave Fiji. Indigenous Fijians, by and large, have been excellent hosts. Politicians from both major races are largely responsible for stirring trouble. They were driven by political ambition and monetary gain, not the welfare of their people or nation. This is Fiji’s curse — ambitious, greedy, corrupt politicians. Indo-Fijians will remain in this country. No one can wish them away. For Indo-Fijians it is critical they work and cooperate with indigenous Fijians to secure a better future for all, regardless of race, in a country they all call home.
Naziah: While some Indians are contemplating migration to overseas countries like Australia and New Zealand, they are not going by the droves like the case of the first coup in 1987. The current situation has not pushed Indo-Fijians who usually feel marginalised during ethnic tensions and political upheaval to extremes. Indo-Fijians have learnt to lay low and wait for the country to recover. Some have experienced some form of torture or abuse but many have learnt to keep quiet. It’s usually the poor who suffer the most during these times, majority of whom are Indo-Fijians.
Is the heritage of Girmit losing relevance among modern day Indo Fijians especially of the younger generation?
Shailendra: This is possible, even evident, in today’s younger generation.
Naziah: To some extent yes – I feel that while most young Indo-Fijians know about Girmit and its significance, there is a general shift towards focusing on improving the day to day life and building a better future such as education, better employment opportunities, which are not hindered by the past.
If it is indeed the case, why do you think it is so: because of ignorance of history or a will to forget the shame of suffering, as some people rationalise?
Shailendra: It is absolutely not because of a will to forget the shame of suffering. Fiji Indians are not ashamed of the Girmit era. Quite to the contrary, they are proud of this historical background. Indians see surviving the inhuman and hellish plantation conditions, and later on thriving in their adopted country, as a triumph of the indomitable Indian spirit and work ethic. In much of, if not all of the accounts written of the Girmit era, the trials and tribulations they suffered and the humiliations they underwent is related in graphic detail. So this talk about ‘being ashamed’ of the past is baseless. Most of our people came with only their clothes on their backs. Look at where their future generations are today. It is an astounding achievement when you think about it.
The forgetfulness has more to do with the ignorance of history. It is also due to the neglect by our leaders, who are perhaps preoccupied with more immediate demands and challenges, what with all the political upheavals of the past 20 years. I was fortunate to be in Trinidad recently. There, Indian Arrival Day has been revived and is celebrated with much fanfare for an entire week. In Fiji, we had a commemorative celebration a long time ago, then nothing.
Deepawali in Trinidad is also a weeklong affair, with cultural items, trade shows and the lot. The Sanatan Dharm Mahasabha in Trinidad is very active. It is academically driven and produces books and magazines. It owns and runs a radio station, and is very vocal of Indian cultural and political issues. The Fiji Sanatan Dharm and other religious/cultural organisations in Fiji are very quiet in comparison. Perhaps it’s about time that the current crop of leaders started grooming young and energetic successors to replace them. It doesn’t look like this is being done.
Naziah: I think it has more to do with relevance. I believe all Indo-Fijians in Fiji whose ancestors came through during Girmit accept their history and what transpired with their forefathers but they are moving on. Indo-Fijians are trying to build an image that is different from what was seen as a form of slavery. Today Indo-Fijians are known to be Fiji’s biggest entrepreneurs and part of its skilled population.
What are your views on the suffering and treatment of your forbears? How do you think this has shaped the Indo-Fijians of today?
Shailendra: Our forefathers did back breaking labour for hours on end, day-in-day-out, year in-year-out for five years, in all manner of weather. Their backs were against the wall. They had no choice; it was matter of survival for them, of putting food in their children’s mouths. Their vulnerability was ruthlessly, ceaselessly and callously exploited. Maltreated and underfed as they were, the Girmityas were not weak. They were a determined breed driven by the desire to forge a better future for their family and children. They were poor, but they had lofty ambitions and goals. Their path was littered with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but they trudged on. Illiterate themselves, they placed a premium on education. Similarly, their descendents are a hardy lot. Look into the background of many a successful Fiji Indian in business, academia or the professions, and you will find that they came from very poor backgrounds and struggled against great odds to get where they are today.
Naziah: I feel my forefathers who came to Fiji as indentured labourers suffered a lot, endured countless human rights violations and were not treated fairly. I have read books and heard stories of the violence and the abuse including extreme cases where labourers would commit suicide to get away from the torture they endured in the fields. It saddens me to know that there was no justice then – that the very people that helped shape the country lost their lives while contributing to what we enjoy today. This in a way has made Indo-Fijians more determined to move away from the idea of being second grade citizens or slaves to being more independent and in control of their lives.
How would you explain Girmit to the younger generation who would wish to know about their roots?
Shailendra: The Girmit era is not only about suffering, servitude or enslavement. It is also about the triumph of the will, and the realisation of seemingly impossible dreams. The Girmityas are an example to our future generation of the importance of family, of hard work, foresight, thrift, sacrifice and overcoming adversity within sheer will and determination. They achievements are testimony that we can not only dream dreams, but achieve them.
Naziah: Girmit is a reality and we have to accept that our forefathers came to Fiji to work in sugarcane plantations under harsh conditions. That is the way Indians came to Fiji. I believe despite the negativity associated with being an Indo-Fijian due to our history and racism, Indo-fijians are proud of their identity.
How important is the knowledge of Girmit to Indo-Fijians and the world at large?
Shailendra: It is very important to Fiji-Indians to understand their heritage, to cherish and remember those who sacrificed so much to make things easier for them. In terms of the world, it is tragic that there are still people, including in India who still work under Girmit-like conditions or worse. This includes children. Despite all the strides and progress India has made, it is an abomination that in this day and age, such practices are still continuing. India’s government, India’s filthy rich tycoons all have to do more to get rid of this abomination if India is to gain respect as a civilised, progressive country. India cannot claim to be a world power when the most vulnerable in Indian society continue to be exploited with impunity.
Naziah: I think it is very important to Indo-Fijians because that’s what defines us. We are not Indians or British Indians – we are Indo-Fijians who have adopted Fiji’s lifestyle and the land as out home but maintain our Indian culture and religions which today incorporates the Fijian environment. If you take kava drinking as an example, it has become an everyday thing for Indo-Fijians just like the Fijians to kava sessions some of which go on until the wee-hours of the morning.
The world needs to know about Girmit because it is an important part of the world’s history just like apartheid and the world wars. Indentured labourers were not only taken from India to work in Fiji under the same method, many Indians were taken to Trinidad, Guyana and South Africa. This has also created the Indian diaspora around the world.
What are your thoughts on the present state of affairs of Indo-Fijians living in Fiji in the country’s present circumstances?
Shailendra: Indo-Fijians have done a lot for Fiji and Fiji has done a lot for Indo-Fijians. In the process of building Fiji, Indo-Fijians also progressed in their adopted country. Indians are also the poorest of the poor in Fiji. Fiji Indians settled overseas, including New Zealand, care for their brethren and always help out generously in times of need. The charity is much appreciated and still needed. Things are not ideal, and many Indians have left. But they continue to pine for Fiji. Despite the troubles, many have vowed never to leave Fiji. Indigenous Fijians, by and large, have been excellent hosts. Politicians from both major races are largely responsible for stirring trouble. They were driven by political ambition and monetary gain, not the welfare of their people or nation. This is Fiji’s curse — ambitious, greedy, corrupt politicians. Indo-Fijians will remain in this country. No one can wish them away. For Indo-Fijians it is critical they work and cooperate with indigenous Fijians to secure a better future for all, regardless of race, in a country they all call home.
Naziah: While some Indians are contemplating migration to overseas countries like Australia and New Zealand, they are not going by the droves like the case of the first coup in 1987. The current situation has not pushed Indo-Fijians who usually feel marginalised during ethnic tensions and political upheaval to extremes. Indo-Fijians have learnt to lay low and wait for the country to recover. Some have experienced some form of torture or abuse but many have learnt to keep quiet. It’s usually the poor who suffer the most during these times, majority of whom are Indo-Fijians.
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