Girmit
Girmit

109-year-old shares girmit memories ahead of Girmit Day

109-year-old shares girmit memories ahead of Girmit Day

By Mansi Chand
Friday 10/05/2024
Photo: Fiji Government

As we commemorate Girmit Day this weekend, 109-year-old Gangamma has shared the struggles she and her ancestors went through and how far they have come.

Gangamma who is from Nadi says some early girmitiyas fled from India to Fiji for freedom but when they came here, they realised how tough it was going to be. She says she had two brothers and two sisters with whom she used to work on the farms. Gangamma says she has no illness such as high blood pressure or diabetes however she feels weak most of the time due to her age. The 109-year-old clearly remembers that after a hard day of work, she would return home to do household chores, cook for the family and look after any guest that came. She says nowadays, many people lack hospitality skills towards their guests. Gangamma further says during weekends they used to do household chores and then work on farms and also used to plant peanuts and give it for free.

Meanwhile, the theme for the 145th Girmit Day celebration is "Journey of Girmit Descendants in Building a New Fiji".

The celebrations will take place from tomorrow to Monday at the Lautoka Girmit Multicultural Centre and Subrail Park in Labasa tomorrow.

Monday will be a public holiday for Girmit Day.

FEATURE NEWS
Fiji marked 5.7% increase in terms of welcoming visitors last year – Gavoka
Fiji marked a 5.7 percent increase last year from the previous year in terms of welcoming visitors into the country which is a testament to the resili...
6 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Singh uses jewellery-making skills learnt on YouTube to assist mother in running jewellery business
Watching craft videos on YouTube has helped 21-year-old Kalara Singh broaden her knowledge of making macrame jewellery and helping her mother run ...
3 hours ago

Nasau twins hope to qualify for TSLS as they look forward to pursuing teaching careers
Twin brothers Nemia and Ilaisa Nasau from Naraiyawa Village in Namosi are hoping they would qualify for the Tertiary Scholarship Loan Scheme as they ...
4 hours ago

InsideOut brings in the chill vibes with new single called 'Wele'
Fiji’s renowned band InsideOut is not slowing down any soon in terms of releasing new songs as they have just released a new single called ...
4 hours ago

Shobna Chanel to showcase Fiji’s culture on a global stage in India next week
Fiji’s renowned dance group Shobna Chanel is hoping to showcase Fiji’s culture on the global stage as they will be representing Fiji at the ...
9 hours ago

Singapore surgeons to conduct free heart surgeries for children in Fiji this month
A group of Singapore surgeons will be conducting free heart surgeries in Fiji this month, helping children that are struggling with congenital heart ...
9 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
yb
IN DEPTH
Health Minister Dr Lalabalavu on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Health Minister, Doctor Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay ...
4 days ago

PM Rabuka on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan. The in-depth interview will focus on many issues facing the ...
8 days ago

Perth 7s 2025
The Fiji Airways Men’s National 7s side finished in 5th place at the HSBC Perth 7s after defeating France 17-5 in the 5th place ...
9 days ago

TOP