GIRMIT EXHIBITION LOOKS BACK AT 100 YEARS OF FIJI’S INDENTURED LABOURERS

‘IT’S BEEN 100 YEARS SINCE THIS SLAVERY SYSTEM STOPPED AND THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A TIMELINE FOR THOSE 100 YEARS.’

The “Fiji Girmit Exhibition - 100 years of Reflections” started on Saturday, October 3, at St Peter’s Church on Willis St, Wellington and ends Thursday, October 8.

Aweek-long exhibition focusing on Fiji’s Indian indentured labourers is underway in Wellington.

The “Fiji Girmit Exhibition - 100 years of Reflections” started on Saturday, October 3, at St Peter’s Church on Willis St, Wellington and ends Thursday, October 8.

And the driving force behind the exhibition is Fiji-born Kashmir Kaur, who is passionate about celebrating and remembering the rich history of the “Girmitiyas” who were brought in from India to work on the sugar cane plantations in Fiji.

“Girmit” is a modified take on the word “agreement” between the colonial rulers and the labourers.

“This project is about commemorating the evolution of the indentured labourer system in the form of a week of Girmit Exhibition in Wellington,” Kaur said.

“It has been 100 years since this slavery system stopped and this project will create a timeline for those 100 years.”

Kaur said the exhibition would feature objects and stories of the labourers, the ancestors of a large Fiji Indian diaspora population that currently lived in New Zealand and spread across the globe.

Mr Kaur said the exhibition would help New Zealand based Indo Fijians to reconnect with resilient nature which could be beneficial during this COVID-19 situation.

“The key benefit of this event is reconnecting, reclaiming and restoring Girmit history by remembering, celebrating and advocating Fijian Indian heritage, identity & diaspora.”

Kaur said the event aimed to:

■ Create an awareness of the history (empowering people through education).

■ Give momentum to Girmit history by sustaining knowledge. This exhibition will help develop further educational materials like poetry book, videos, calendars, photo books etc for the younger generation.

■ Rekindle in the younger generation to take pride in their history.

■ Re-connection with resilience. This COVID-19 pandemic has reminded the Indo Fijian community about the harder times our ancestors faced during the Girmit period. This resilience has been diluted over time with easier lifestyles. This is an opportunity to remember how resilient our community is.

This year also marks 50 years of Fiji’s independence on October 10.

Kaur said the Girmitiyas played a crucial role in shaping Fiji to what it was today in terms of economy, and also cultural vibrancy.

“Having this event the weekend before the 50th Fiji Day is a fitting platform to celebrating Fiji’s milestone independence anniversary,” Kaur said.

The Fiji Girmit Exhibition started on Saturday, October 3, in the Garden Room of St Peter’s Church, 211 Willis St, Wellington, 12 noon to 8pm, ends Thursday, October 8.

Star Fijian striker Roy Krishna (far right)was honoured at the Fiji Girmit Foundation’s 140th Girmit anniversary celebrations in Auckland last year. Pictured here with wife Naziah Ali, and Vinod Raniga.

Kashmir Kaur, dressed in her grandmother’s traditional clothes and jewellery, is the main organiser of the Fiji Girmit Exhibition starting at St Peter’s Church on Saturday.

Former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand with Vinod Raniga at the Fiji Girmit Foundation’s 140th Girmit anniversary celebrations in Auckland last year.

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama poses for selfies with the crowd at the Fiji Girmit Remembrance Day celebrations at Albert Park, Suva, on Saturday, May 11, 2019.