Chand recalls the hardship and struggles of his ancestors

94 year old Rup Chand of Samabula, Suva is recalling the hardship and struggles his ancestors went through during the girmit days.

Chand says his grandparents and parents were amongst the last girmitiyas that came to Fiji from India and were then taken to different islands and places.

He says his family was taken to Tavueni to work in the plantation.

Chand adds whether it was rain or shine, they left home early in the morning without having breakfast, to work on the farms and sometimes would return home late at night after finishing their task for the day and were paid 1 shilling a day.

The 94-year-old says mothers also took their babies with them to work on the farm.

Chand says after a few years they were then moved to Samabula, from Tavueni, where they got free land and built their small wooden house which is almost 100-years-old now.

While recalling all his struggles, Chand says he used to wash clothes for the army and was only paid 10 cents a day.

He says he also worked on the farm with his other siblings to support his family.