Vish Kumar : “Indo-Fijian Youth Explore Girmit History”

Exploring the Legacy of Girmit Day

Three young individuals of Fijian-Indian descent residing in New Zealand have expressed a keen interest in delving deeper into their heritage as the community marked Girmit Day on Tuesday.

On 14th May in 1879, The Leonidas ship arrived in Fiji, carrying 463 Indian indentured labourers who were brought to the Pacific to work in sugarcane plantations.

Over the following 37 years, more than 60,500 individuals were transported from various regions of British India to work in Fiji. These labourers, known as Girmitiyas, were bound by a ‘girmit’ – a Hindi term for an agreement.

The challenges faced by these individuals in the harsh plantation environment, the poor living conditions, displacement, restrictions on religious practices, lack of social connections, and the significant impact of the system on Fiji’s economy represent a lesser-known aspect of modern Indian and Pacific history.

Rachael Nath, a 29-year-old journalist in RNZ’s Pacific team who moved to New Zealand from Fiji in 2019, highlights the collective reluctance to discuss the history of girmit in society, possibly due to the difficult nature of that period and the previous generation’s hesitancy to revisit those memories.

Vish Kumar, a 22-year-old advertising student, shares similar sentiments, noting the reticence of his grandparents to share the history of girmit, indicating a desire to shield younger generations from the harsh realities of the past.

As Kumar delves into his ancestors’ history, he finds parallels with a system akin to slavery, challenging the prevailing narrative and calling for a more accurate depiction of the girmit era.

Nabeelah Khan, a 20-year-old journalism student, recalls a similar lack of discussion about the girmit era in Fiji-Indian households in New Zealand, underscoring a broader silence surrounding this historical chapter.

Vish Kumar grew up in New Zealand.
Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom

Despite the prevailing silence, Nath, Kumar, and Khan express a shared eagerness to uncover the legacy of the girmit era, acknowledging the importance of understanding and acknowledging their history.

Nath shares a personal connection to the girmit era, tracing her lineage back to the ship that transported her ancestors to Fiji, highlighting the personal and intergenerational significance of this historical period.

To honour the contributions of the Girmitiyas, Nath has named her son Kushān Leonidas Bandara-Nath, paying tribute to the first ship that brought the labourers to Fiji.

Fiji is embarking on a journey of reconciliation, with leaders signing a Forward Fiji Declaration last year to promote understanding and unity between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka declared Girmit Day a public holiday in 2023, underscoring the significance of commemorating this historical event in Fiji and New Zealand each year.

Rachael Nath moved to New Zealand from Fiji in 2019.
Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom

Embracing Dual Identity

An ongoing debate within the Indo-Fijian community revolves around whether individuals should identify more strongly with their Indian ancestry or their Pacific heritage.

The community has resisted attempts by the New Zealand government to classify Indo-Fijians as South Asians instead of Pacific islanders, a move that has sparked discontent among community members.

Nath reflects on her upbringing in Fiji where she identified as a Pacific islander, only to encounter a different classification upon moving to New Zealand, leading to a sense of disconnection and denial of her Pacific identity.

Khan shares similar experiences of being instructed to identify as South Asian rather than Pacific islander during her schooling in Auckland, highlighting the complexities of identity classification.

Kumar echoes these sentiments, expressing a reluctance to categorise himself solely based on his Indian heritage, emphasising the importance of acknowledging his Fijian roots.

Khan proposes the idea of introducing a separate Fiji-Indian category to simplify identity classification and recognition within the community.