The extraordinary Girmit story is now the centre of a new national movement for peace and reconciliation, and it comes from the Methodist Church in Fiji.
This was the sentiment shared by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka while officiating at the Girmit Day celebration at Albert Park.
Rabuka says what transpired yesterday at the Vodafone Arena, gives him new hope in his heart for Fiji.
He says it is critical for everyone to develop a collective memory of Fiji so that more knowledge is available about the Girmityas and the changes that came with them.
The Prime Minister says from 1879 to 1916, more than 60,000 people from India crossed the vast seas to our shores, and the last ship arrived in the country in 1916 before the Girmitya system or agreement system of labourers from India ended in 1920.
He says recognising the value of education, Girmitya groups organised themselves to build schools, and some still operate to this day catering to children from all of Fiji’s multi-racial population.
Rabuka says when they were campaigning last year for the December election, Girmit was on their agenda, and he felt that this aspect of Fiji’s history and the Girmityas should be given greater recognition.
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