Aaditya and Kadambari from Namaste New Zealand speak with Fijian Indian author Rajendra Prasad on what is a painful past for many Fijian Indians - the indentured labour system 'Girmit'.
I am a fourth generation Indo Trinidadian from the Caribbean island of Trinidad where 140,000 Indians were taken by the British in the 1800’s from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & Madras to work on the sugar cane plantations. Our history is exactly the same as our brothers & sisters from Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Jamaica & Suriname. In Trinidad we the Indo Trinidadians are the majority & number at 550,000. We have maintained our religion, cultural practices & names but only a very small number of people speak Bhojpuri which in Trinidad, Guyana & Suriname we call Caribbean Hindustani or in Suriname Sarnami Hindustani. The English forced us to speak English in Trinidad & Guyana but in Suriname the Dutch allowed our brothers & sisters to speak Bhojpuri/Caribbean/Sarnami Hindustani which is the only country in the Western Hemisphere to speak the language of our ancestors as a second language after Dutch.
Very true. From what I understand, Indians disembarked in West Indies well before Fiji. Not sure why but can only relate it to geography. How do you feel as West Indian or how do you identify with yourself? I've met many being on the East coast. Lovely people. Amazing food and culture! Would love to hear any stories your grandparents might have had. My ancestors came on a ship called The Leonidas. As seen in the Movie called Elizabeth.
अच्छा लगा...गिरमिटियों का इतिहास जानकर उनके संघर्ष की गाथा सुनकर ह्रदय करूणा से भर जाता है....मैं एक दो वषोॅ से जहाजी भाई और गिरमिटियों की कहानी और संदर्भ को facebook , youtube के माध्यम से पढ़ रहा हूॅ त्रिनिदाद जैमेका गुआना सुरीनाम फिजी मारीशस यहाॅ के लोगों से facebook पर जुड़ रहा हूॅ....मैं भारत मे जबलपुर मध्यप्रदेश से हूॅ मेरे पूर्वज हमीरपुर (उत्तर प्रदेश ) जबलपुर आये ...हमारे कोई भी पूर्वज गिरमिटिया नहीं थे फिर भी मेरी उत्सुकता इस ओर बढ़ती जा रही है......पता नहीं शायद पिछले जन्म में मैं कोई जहाजी या गिरमिटिया रहा था....जानकारीपरक वीडीयों बनाने के लिए...धन्यवाद्.......
Fiji, Surinaam, Guyana, Maourisus, Trinidad, me School me Bachho ko jarur GIRMIT or Indian origin, Culture, Ved, Ramayan ke bare me book honi chahiye, taki youth apne root ko samjhe, jaane..thank...Love from Bihar, INDIA
Among Bhojpuri speaking people in Bihar, they(those who do not know English language) still say like 'Agreement' as 'Agreementiya' which subsequently corrupted to 'Girmitiya' and now become a widely used word as well as official language for those people from Bihar and UP(Bhojpuri spekaing area) taken to different countries including Fiji by colonial forces. Still Bhojpuri people call a 'Government' school as 'Gormintee' schoool.
This is such meaningful work thank you for doing it. It is important to give justice to such issues that the Fijian Indian indentured population endured n
You are our own. Please try visiting ancestors land. None of my ancestors were girmiteer..but some far relatives are. That's why this story touches my heart.
I just hope The Native Fijians And The Indo Fijians could improve relations in the future because I fear The Chinese may be a even larger threat to both of them
Dear Siblings im South African n so intrigued by the Indian diaspora. Our forefathers came to SA with promises of a good life only to be abused. In the new democracy im not sure if our history is told in detail becos we seem to still b outsiders. Indentured labourers were shipped to many parts of the world as modern day slaves but our history is seldom acknowledge because it is simply not thought of as important enough. Humans rights violations against our people remain hidden. African American n Jews did get to tell their histories. Im hoping that in the years to come the world will come to know how our ancestors ate the herbs that grew between the cane for survival. Children of the cane...
Someone made a very unintelligent comment On here Saying that every person that was taken from India was of a low caste!!!! Really bhai when these people were kidnapped Do you really think kidnappers were checking their caste system
Hi my elder generation came from India to fiji . I was born their as well. Because I don't know my grand parents names properly , they died before my birth. So I am struggling to find my roots. I thing my grand parents didn't know how to read and write so they haven't left us any signs of papers for us to go by if we wanted to look for our family in India. My parents were taking to us but not much. We r so confused how to go about it
Ap Es Par Khitab Farmaei Kay Jab Hindustan May 1857, Key Jangh e Azadee May Ju Hindustani Mujaheid Chahei Wo Hindo, Ho Ya Musalman, Pakray Jatay Thay Uor Un Mujaheido Ko Saza e Muot Soonaei Deinay Kay Baad Un Qeidio Ko Kahan Uor Kis Mulk Kay Jaziro Par Lay Jaya Jata Tha, Jahan Say Wo Baghna Sakein,?????.Uor Fiji May Musalman Uor Hindo Kahan Say Aei Thay,1857, May. Bus.Yei Bataei.?????.
Sry brother kabhi Nahi khoya we always respect u jitna Hindustan hamra us se kahi jyda apka hai I know Fiji Mauritius suriname Trinidad Guyana Seychelles.
The Girmityas Of Fiji even though they share a common language; not all of the Girmits were from Bihar. Indian Fijians are a mix of different cultures and traditions (Punjab,Nepal,Gujarati etc.) and the only reason they move to places such as Australia, New Zealand and the U.S is for the same reasons as any other immigrant would.
@@CellularShenenigans you are correct although the Panjabis & Gujratis came much later & so did some South Indians. Because many Fiji Indians did not trace their heredity due to various reasons, some of our ancestors are from places like Rajasthan. My in-laws ancestory are from Meerut near Delhi. And we have migrated yet again. It's important to know where we came from. 🙏
Biggiesmallz1988 oiko kai india. Kaiviti sa seqa ni rawa bosa totovata. Should you understand this you will know what this means. No Itaukei will write what you have written....
#OutNaboutJalan sorry who are you to say those things? Are you from Fiji .If you can't say anything good than better keep your mouth shut. I'm Fijian and I'm even shocked and angry reading your comment...
