‘We live, die here’

are known for and this is how the indentured laborers were protected,” Reverend Vunisuwai said. “This is still practiced in any village and that is to protect and cherish any visitors that come.

“I hope that this practice will continue despite the change in time. The arrival of the Girmitiyas was not an accident, I believe in my heart that it was a divine call for us to come together and be part of this country.”

Reverend Vunisuwai highlighted that the villagers of Naivilaca Village committed themselves to the deceased and maintain the graveyard.

He added that iTaukei people have to be thankful to the Girmitiyas because they were the ones that helped raise our country to where it is right now.

“We are fortunate to have the Girmitiyas family among us and it is our duty to learn from them and develop our country for a better future.

“You have shared a lot in this nation and we cannot forget that, you have taken a serious step to develop this country economically, politically and probably socially too. “Rest assured that we will live here together in the future and all we can do together is to learn to rally in friendship and love in order to build a better future.”

A descendant of the girmitiyas, Govind Singh thanked the people of Rewa for accepting them.

“The feeling of belonging somewhere is something we were searching for and this is how we started searching where our ancestors were buried or were helped when they were shipwrecked at Nasilai reef,” Mr Singh said.

“To witness today is a blessing and I was to thank everyone that helped make it possible. In 2017, the vanua of Noco bestowed us with an identity Luvedra na Ratu (Children of the chief) and it has taken us years to reach this far.”