63-year-old Saras Wati Goundar vividly remembers everyone celebrating together in their settlement in Kavanagasau in Nadroga on 10th October 1970.
She says she was 13-years-old at the time.
Goundar says her father was a farmer and she was brought up in a multiracial environment.
She says during those times, everyone worked together and this is why they all happy to be free from British rule.
Goundar is one of the people that received a commemorative medal for Fiji’s 50th independence anniversary.
She has long served as the administrator of the Multicultural Centre.
