As we look forward to celebrating 146th Girmit Day this weekend, 97-year-old Shiu Kumari from Wainikoro, Labasa, shared her memories of the past and her grandfather’s broken promise.
In a video posted on the Fiji Government facebook, Kumari shared that her grandfather was part of the Girmitiyas who arrived in Fiji during the indenture period.
She says she has forgotten the name of the place where her grandparents came from and where they were shipped from in India.
The 97-year-old revealed that her father used to work in the sugarcane fields and after he gave his wages to her grandparents for safekeeping, her grandfather returned to India, promising to come back — but he never did.
She says her father tried to convince him to return to Fiji several times but failed.
She says her grandmother waited for her husband’s return and died with the hope of seeing him again.
Kumari also shared stories of how indentured labourers came to Fiji and how they started their families after coming to the country.
She says people faced several difficulties during the journey, as the women had neither clothes nor money, and they came to Fiji with only the clothes on their backs.
She adds most of them didn’t have bedding for their travel so they sat throughout the journey or huddled together to keep warm.
Kumari says that upon reaching Fiji, men and women were separated and told to choose their partners from a line-up — it was during this time that most Indians started families under the 'Girmit' system.
Meanwhile, the theme for the 146th Girmit Day celebration is "Preserving the Past, Envisioning the Future."
The celebrations will take place from Saturday to Girmit Day on Monday at Subrail Park in Labasa.
The public holiday for Girmit is on Monday 12th May.
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