The sacrifices and resilience of indentured labourers must continue to be remembered and shared with future generations.
Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Charan Jeath Singh highlighted this ahead of this year’s Girmit Day commemoration, which marks more than 140 years since the arrival of the first Girmitiyas in Fiji.
Singh says the stories of the Girmitiyas remain an important part of Fiji’s history and identity.
He says around 66,000 men, women and children were brought to Fiji from India under the Girmit system after being promised a better future, only to face years of hardship, sacrifice and indentured labour.
The Minister says despite the struggles they endured, the Girmitiyas played a major role in building farming communities, tramline networks and Fiji’s sugar industry, which later became the backbone of the country’s economy.
The Minister says Government is now working to preserve that history through the digitisation of fragile Girmit records currently stored in the national archives.
Singh says once completed, descendants of Girmitiyas will be able to trace the villages their ancestors came from in India and identify the ships they travelled on to Fiji.
He further says the initiative will allow people to connect more deeply with their family history and heritage.
Meanwhile, the Girmit celebration will be held at Fiji Museum this Friday.
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Girmit-Day
Girmitiyas’ sacrifices should be remembered and shared with future generations - Charan Jeath Singh
