GREATEST GIRMIT HISTORIAN, BANNED FROM FIJI, AWARDED WITH FIJI GIRMIT LEGACY AWARD IN AUCKLAND

GREATEST GIRMIT HISTORIAN, BANNED FROM FIJI, AWARDED WITH

FIJI GIRMIT LEGACY AWARD IN AUCKLAND

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Fiji’s Prime Minister has made outstanding speeches during 140th Girmit Anniversary. Very commendable. However, there remains a huge black spot, and an act of betrayal that appear to border on vindictiveness. And that is ban on Professor Brij Lal to Fiji.

Those Girmit speeches would continue sounding hollow and pointless, bordering on hypocrisy unless Fiji Government adopts attitude of humility, humbleness and forgiveness by allowing Fiji’s most celebrated historian son, Professor Brij Vilash Lal (and his good wife) back into the country of his birth which he placed on international spheres through his excellent research and commentary on Fiji’s Girmit history.

Professor Brij Vilash Lal, addressing audience at Indian Calvary Church in Otahuhu during his attendance at Fiji Girmit Remembrance Day in Auckland in May, 2014. He has been awarded Sahitya Ratan, Literature Award at Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ function in Auckland.

And that greatest Fiji Historian was awarded Girmit Legacy Award in Literature, Sahitya Ratan  by Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand at 140th Girmit Thanksgiving Day in Auckland on 10 May, 2019. This was a day before Bainimarama gave his illustrious speech on Girmit in Fiji. Extremely commendable, but all will come to naught unless this great Girmit son is allowed back into his country of birth.

And also, as the Foundation request is pending with Fiji Government, TO ALLOW 14 MAY AS GIRMIT THANKSGIVING DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY in Fiji. While we await humane gesture on Girmit by Bainimarama, nevertheless, Girmit Foundation in New Zealand commenced recognizing Girmit’ s outstanding children.

Fiji Girmit Foundation New Zealand decided to introduce Girmit Legacy Awards because there has been no such recognition for Fiji Indians overseas who tended to get statistically diluted and lost in “Indian” and “Asian “categories.

Therefore, only a Girmit (indenture) organisation, vested with taking care of Fiji Indians could really appreciate, value and recognise their gems. Therefore Girmit Legacy Awards are there to recognize the achievements of the descendants of Girmitiyas for bringing pride, joy, sense of belonging and social cohesion to what Girmitiyas have bequeathed us: A distinct Fiji Indian race, with a distinct language, culture and attachment to Fiji - and while rooted in India, being a distinct Pacifica people.

From one author to another. Professor Brij Lal (right) presenting his outstanding book, "Chalo Jahaji" to author of "Tears in Paradise" and Enslaved in Paradise", Rajendra Prasad.

The Chief Guest for Girmit Thanksgiving in Auckland, a Girmitiya son, New Zealand’s former Governor General, Sir Anand Satyanand, observed the enigma of Indian heritage: 

Guyanian, Sir Sridath (Sonny) Ramphal, erstwhile Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, described Indian cultural heritage, in his own instance as being like a seed from a tree growing in India being taken across the seas and growing with encouragement from a seed again to flower in the Caribbean – that is, being different but maintaining the essence of Indian origin.

Same applies to Fiji Indians who were honoured. A seed from India, flowering in Fiji, and taken to other countries, maintaining the essence of Indian origin, but still being a Fijian.

What Girmitiyas have done is to give us a rich and inspiring legacy. And through that Fiji has produced outstanding people that have become role models to inspire others and ensure the hard work, spirit, values, and legacy of Girmitiyas continue to live in action every day.

And when we speak of such legacy left by Girmitiyas in keeping their history alive, one name comes to our mind. 

A PROUD GIRMIT SON- PROFESSOR BRIJ LAL: Had it not been for him, Fiji's Girmit History could have been missing from history books. It is our fervent prayers, that Bainimarama Government in Fiji will rise up to allow him back in Fiji. That will be a fitting 140th Anniversary gift to people of Fiji's Girmitiya descendants who adore this Professor- a short man with very high stature.

When talking about promotion of Hindi Language through Ramayan, we sing: sach mano Tulsi na hote toh Hindi kahin padi hoti. If it wasn’t for Tulsidas in promoting Hindi through Ramayan, the language may have been lost.

Similarly, when speaking about Girmit (Indenture) history, we can say:
Sach mano yeh Professor na hote toh Girmit ki itihas kahi chipi hoti. If we did not have this Professor, History of Fiji Girmit would still be missing from history books. 

Yes, and that Professor is a simple, short person, but of very high stature, Professor Brij Vilash Lal from Labasa, Fiji (now of Brisbane, Australia). He was announced as recipient of Girmit Legacy Award 2019 in the Literature Category – Girmit Sahitya Ratan. (Professional Wellington A League Footballer, Roy Krishna received sports award-story to follow)

Professor Lal’s Award citation read:

Girmit is our foundational history, which was gradually being lost with the passage of time. However, had it not been for Professor Brij Vilash Lal – a descendant of the Girmitiyas – the very words ‘Girmit’ and ‘Girmitiya’ would have been lost forever.

In fact, there was a real danger of us losing the entire Girmit history, had it not been for Professor Brij Lal, a world-renowned scholar on Pacific and Girmit history who single-handedly retrieved and restored our foundational history. He removed the stain linked to the words “Girmit” and “Girmitiya” and turned them into jewels of our history that we have come to treasure and embrace. 

Professor Lal’s work spanned various disciplines – from history, biography to political commentaries and compiling an encyclopedia. He is regarded by his peers as the most eminent scholar in the school of humanities and social sciences Fiji has ever produced and remains one of the most highly acclaimed intellectuals of Fiji - a proud descendant of the Girmitiyas. 

Professor Lal makes us, the descendants of the Girmitiyas, very proud through his achievements. His most memorable quip, which is fondly quoted is: “The Girmitiyas were ordinary people, who achieved extraordinary feats in extraordinary circumstances.”

What Professor Lal has achieved through his writings is to give voiceless people a voice, place and purpose, a sense of dignity and inner strength that comes from never giving up no matter how difficult the circumstances. 

He strongly believes that history belongs to the victor as much as it belongs to the vanquished. And through his scholarship, initiative and sacrifice he has filled the blank pages of our Girmit history. 

He is author of some 40 book now, if not exceeding this number.  For such a long list of achievements, we concede that no award is adequate to truly reflect the depth of our appreciation.

Indeed, Professor Lal, in his long and illustrious academic career, would have received many, many awards, recognition and commendations for his excellence in his field from many sources.

An honour for this author, Fiji Pundit, Thakur Ranjit Singh, (left) to share this photo with a distinguished scholar and historian, Professor Brij Lal when he visited Auckland in May 2014 as the Chief Guest in Fiji Girmit Foundation Girmit's  Thanksgiving Day.

But this is unprecedented as it comes from his own people, and from an organisation, Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ, which represents people he has given a name – Girmit. 

To make it sweeter, he was the Chief Guest at the Foundation in Auckland in 2014. And Bainimarama can even make it sweeter by rising up to allow Professor and his good wife back in Fiji as Fiji’s 140th Anniversary gift to one of Fiji’s most celebrated Girmit son.

Indeed, it is a pride for him to be honored by children of Girmit - whose history he kept alive. It is now left on Fiji government honour the son who kept alive the memories, and feats of Girmitiyas.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a founding Trustee of Fiji Girmit Foundation, is a journalist, a media commentator and blogger at FIJI PUNDIT]

FIJI INDIANS IN NEW ZEALAND SEEK THEIR PACIFICA IDENTITY ON GIRMIT DAY IN AUCKLAND

FIJI INDIANS IN AUCKLAND SEEK THEIR PACIFICA IDENTITY

Thakur Ranjit Singh

It was 140 years ago that the first shipload of Girmitiyas arrived in Fiji on 14 May, 1879. And Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand commemorated this day with marked differences.

The Trustees of the Foundation passed on the baton to a youthful millennial executives who organised this event for the first time. And they brought in welcome changes. There was no crying, lament or apportioning the blame – the theme was to celebrate the resilience, resolve, faith in future, trust in education and vision of the forebear Girmitiyas.

Also, the programme was not intended as an entertaining event filled with songs and dances. Instead, it was meant as educational, empowering and enlightening - with quiz, oratory and historical insights. In addition this programme was used to encourage and allow Fiji Indian community to ascertain their rightful role and recognition as Pacifica people, being the second largest Pacific population in New Zealand.

Girmit Legacy Awards- Sports Award-Khelkood Ratan, was awarded to Phoenix A league Soccer Star Roy Krishna. Chief Guest, Sir Anand Satyanand presenting Krishna award while his wife, Nazia Ali Krishna, who had especially flown from Fiji to be beside her husband, looks on. [FIJI PUNDIT will write in detail, separately about Girmit Legacy Awards in later articles]

This was reflected in presidential speech by the president, Krish Naidu, who mentioned that Fiji Indians were discriminated while in Fiji and this appears to have accompanied them to New Zealand. 
He said:

In New Zealand we live with an identity crisis where we are not accepted and recognized for belonging to the Pacific community and entitled to resources, opportunities, respect and recognition available and given to people who originate from the Pacific Island Countries. 

The president of Girmit Foundation called on New Zealand government, government agencies and other institutions to recognise geographical, statistical, ethnicity and historical facts about Fiji Indians, and treat them fairly. The youthful Girmit Foundation Executives promised to advocate for this change.

The Chief Guest, Sir Anand Satyanand , delivering his keynote address. He advised us, among others, to share our rich heritage with others to ensure they also benefit from its values.

Naidu also requested for Fiji Indians to be reflected as a separate ethnicity in NZ census, and requested all Fiji Indians to stand up and unite under a Girmit banner and to work together and build on unity. 

The Chief Guest, Sir Anand Satyanand, of Fiji Indian heritage and former NZ Governor General outlined both sides of his genealogy, coming from two parts of India. He told a packed Skipton Hall that he was moved by the respect that was shown by the foundation in honouring and presenting medals to over 25 elder reaching above 80, for passing the heritage and culture from the earlier generations to the next one.

The ARST Skipton Hall was full to capacity with a captive audience.

He once again echoed resilience and special traits our forebears left behind which make us proud with a rich heritage. Sir Anand posed a challenge and question: What are we to do with our matter with Indian heritage? It is not only to be recorded and bottled up but shared around for the benefit of a considerable number.

He saluted the faith of forebears in education and confidence in future that has seen the descendants to shine. He added:

I feel certain if it was possible for our forebears to ascertain what was achieved by subsequent generations, they would be proud. Education and its pursuit is of course, keynote. As Nelson Mandela once said, education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. 

The Housing and Transport Minister, Phil Twyford also saluted all other migrants who made Aotearoa into a beautiful melting pot and he saluted Fiji Indians for shining out and being exemplary citizens.

Some members of the community who were there to bless the event, from left, Mahendra Sharma, President of Waitakere Indian Association, Pundit Ram Kumar Sewak, Pooja Cultural Group, and Auckland Ramayan Sanstha (ARST), Pravin Kumar, Managing Trustee of Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust, Mahendra Singh and Mavis Lata Singh, President of  Sanatan Naari Sabha.

The prime event for the evening was Girmit Legacy Awards. As resilience and resolve of our Girmitiyas helped them transcend adversity, what that meant is they bequeathed the new generation a rich and inspiring legacy. And through that, Fiji has produced outstanding people.

The Memorial-Shradhanjali ke doh phool . Candle being lit in memory of the departed Girmitiyas. Soccer Star Roy Krishna and Fiji Honorary Consul, Harish Lodhia lighting the candles, while "paparazzi" is busy taking photos.

The president Krish Naidu reflected that Fiji Indians needed to celebrate their distinct identity and become a voice for their people. Hence the Girmit Legacy Awards were instituted this year to celebrate and honour the success of the descendants of Girmitiyas. He said it was important that such success stories were told, shared and celebrated. He said:

Girmit Legacy Awards are there to recognize the achievements of the descendants of Girmitiyas for bringing pride, joy, sense of belonging and social cohesion. These people have become role models to inspire others and ensure the hard work, spirit, values, and legacy of Girmitiyas continue to live in action every day in particular through our children and youths.

This year four such awards were declared. They were:

1) Community Well being Award – Samajik Kushalta Ratan, awarded to 
        Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation.

2) Arts and Culture Award – Girmit Kala aur Sanskriti Ratan, awarded to            Waitakere Hindi School.

3) Sports Award – Khelkood Ratan, awarded to Wellington A League                    Phoenix Star, Roy Krishna

4) Literature Award - Sahitya Ratan, awarded to Professor Brij Vilash               Lal.

The most outstanding Historian son of Fiji who brought out the stolen Girmit History into limelight, gave the name 'Girmit" and added respectability to people who were virtually forgotten. Professor Brij Vilash Lal was awarded Sahitya Ratan-Literature Award for unprecedented work on Fiji History. He is seen here delivering his keynote address in Auckland Girmit  Function in 2014. Looking is the then President, Late Pundit Devakar Prasad.

The three awards were presented by the Chief Guest, Sir Anand Satyanand, while Professor Brij Lal could not be present, and it would be presented to him in a later event this year. [Separate articles later would cover the awards in detail]

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Priyanca Radhakrishnan and Hon Aupito Tofae Su'a William Sio, Minister for Pacific Peoples, presented their messages and there were other congratulatory messages, interspersed with cultural item and quiz. The evening rounded off with photography sessions where photos were taken with the star attraction soccer star Roy Krishna and his pageant beauty queen wife Nazia Ali Krishna who had especially flown from Fiji to receive the award with her husband. And many people took out time to take photograph with the elders who were given medals and also with the Chief Guest Sir Anand and Lady Susan.

Remembering and rewarding the forgotten elders who passed on the teachings and character of Girmitiyas to the new generation. Here some are seen with their medals with two founding Trustees of Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ, Master Shiu Charan (nearest to camera on the right) and Sardar Harnam Singh Golian (in suit)

As usual the evening rounded off with sharing of bilos of traditional Fijian drink, yagona, and people had a good feed of sumptuous meal provided. 

If it was a litmus test for the millennial team of Executives of Fiji Girmit Foundation, it was a job well done and huge applause from all of us.

A very memorable, and unique way to salute the memories of those who sacrificed for us, and Fiji Indian Diaspora need to learn from Aucklanders to emulate such events for their forebears in their respective cities around where Fiji Indian Diaspora have settled.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a founding Trustee of Fiji Girmit Foundation, is a journalist, a media commentator and blogger at FIJI PUNDIT]

A Salute to Fiji’s forgotten Girmitiyas on 14 May, 2019 - 140 years on

A Salute to Fiji’s forgotten Girmitiyas - 140 years on

Thakur Ranjit Singh

FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION OF NEW ZEALAND is hosting 140th Girmit Thanksgiving Day on Friday 10 May, 2019 from 6.30 - 9.30 pm, at ARST Community Hall, 53 Skipton Street, Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand.

May 14 is a significant day in the calendar of Indo-Fijian history. It can be variously recognized but its foremost significance is the arrival of first ship Leonidas, with 479 Indian indentured immigrants, who we call Girmitiyas. That significant year was 140 years ago, in 1879.

This followed 82 other ships that transported over 60,000 Girmitiyas to Fiji. Indenture system (Girmit) came to an end on December 31, 1919 after a bitter struggle against the recruitment of Indian indentured labourers that saw the might of Mahatma Gandhi ultimately triumph over that of the British Government. Some 35,000 of these people decided to settle back in Fiji, and their descendants now make a distinct race of people with a distinct culture, language - and achievements. They are us-FIJI INDIANS

Sir Anand Satyanand, Chief Guest for 140th Anniversary of Girmit. He is a proud son of Girmit, tracing his roots to Fiji. He has been a lawyer, a former Judge and former Governor General of New Zealand.

As 14 May 2019 marks 140th Anniversary of the first arrival in 1879, I am sure many in Fiji Indian Diaspora are ignorant of its importance. I do not blame them for their lack of knowledge of history of their heritage, as our school history fails to recognize and acknowledge this fact, which appears to have been stolen from successive Fiji Indian generations. 

Americans and Canadians honour their warriors on Thanksgiving Day, New Zealanders and Australians do this on ANZAC Day (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps), and New Zealanders and especially Maori do this on Waitangi Day. 

Leonidas, the first sail ship that brought indentured labourers (Girmitiyas) to Fiji on 14 May, 1879. Therefore 14 May 2019 is 140th anniversary of that first journey. We urge Fiji Indians to develop pride for those who sacrificed and suffered for us. The vision of Girmitiyas has given us this life of comfort away from their impoverished villages they left behind, with a dream of better future for the new generation. At least we owe this burden of gratitude to mark one day for them-and salute them for what we have now.

And what do Fiji Indians have? Why cannot we set aside at least one day in a year to think and honour those who sacrificed their lives and gave us this better life through their suffering, sacrifices – and vision? While the soldiers fought their wars in battlefields, Fiji Girmitiyas fought economic wars for the British on the killing cane-fields of Fiji.

It is for the sake of their history and rich heritage and legacy that Fiji Indians need to inculcate pride of the new generation in their history. We need to tell our children and grandchildren about the stories of Girmit so that they know where they have descended from and how full of suffering and sacrifices have been those Girmit journeys.

To realise this dream, a group of Fiji Indians in Auckland New Zealand, have taken steps to reconnect, reclaim and restore Indo-Fijian history. FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION OF NEW ZEALAND has been formed six years ago, among other things, to regularly organize commemoration of Girmit in New Zealand and also become an advocacy organisation representing interest of Fiji Indians in New Zealand.

And we have been regularly marking 14 May as Girmit Remembrance Day and enhancing this knowledge not only in New Zealand but in Fiji Indian Diaspora. Girmit Foundation is already gearing on to commemorate 140th Anniversary in Auckland on Friday 10 May, 2019. They have a Chief Guest who really brings to reality the theme that Girmitiyas were ordinary people who did extraordinary things in extraordinary circumstances. Through their suffering-and vision they have been able to leave behind a legacy they can be proud of – one of their sons honoured their memories by being appointed New Zealand’s Governor General.

Laborers in front of a sugar mill, getting ready for their back-breaking task of doing work for the CSR Company on very little pay and very difficult conditions. They endured so much for a better life for us - and we salute them for it. But how many of us really appreciate and remember them?

Yes, Sir Anand Satyanand will be our Chief Guest. A  New Zealander lawyer, judge and ombudsman, he became our country’s 19th Governor General for five years from 2006 until 2011.  On both sides of his family, his linkages are to Fiji and to India and he has continued to maintain them.  Both sets of his grandparents came from different parts of India (Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh) to Fiji under the Girmit system.  Sir Anand has always been proud to acknowledge this background. He is an excellent and eloquent speaker, and we are honoured to have a Girmiya grandson addressing us, who make all of us proud of the rich Girmit legacy.

Speakers, among others, would include New Zealand politicians. The evening’s programme will remember sacrifices, progress and vision of our forebears through oratory, poems, quiz, music and achievements of some Girmitiyas and their organisations. This will be a journey through memory lane which will provide exposure to a history that has been stolen from us, and remains yet to be told. 

The Trustees of Girmit Foundation have also ventured on a culture that is prevalent in NZ- the new generation, or Millennials, like NZ PM, taking the helm, and driver’s seat. Therefore in this spirit, the older Trustee have passed on the baton to younger  executive team.

The new youthful team is led by its youth Trustee, Krish Naidu, as President, assisted by Kirti Singh and Nikhil Kumar as Vice Presidents and Shiraaz Shah is Treasurer. Ashfaaq Khan is the Chairperson, with Anji Naidu as Marketing and Communications Officer. The youthful team has Krishneel Prasad as Secretary, Radhika Priya as his assistant, Param Rana and Morisha Ali are Advocacy and Community Liaison, Ashwant Sahay as executive member, and Radha Kanhai Reddy in the organising Committee. The trustee have full confident in this rejuvenated and youthful team.

We are aware that there are at least five other organisations in New Zealand who will commemorate this day. Fiji Indians in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will also rise up to remember our Girmitiyas.

Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand has been commemorating GIRMIT REMEMBRANCE DAY to honour 14 May, regularly. This is the banner for our event in 2015 in Auckland, when tragic sinking of Syria Ship was our main theme.

As our people in Fiji, Australia and New Zealand have taken lead, we Fiji Indians across the world especially those in Canada and USA, also need to commemorate the sacrifices of the pioneer generation with solemnity and sobriety on May 14, paying homage to those who laid their lives on the altar of sacrifice. I urge religious, social and cultural organizations to undertake this mission at the community level annually and also appeal to individual families to offer prayers and recitals in their homes in memory of those whose lives were tragically lost. 

Let us commemorate and celebrate their legacy and humanity. We call on all Fiji Indians, all children of Girmit to rise on 14 May to remember and appreciate the sacrifices of our girmitiyas, and reclaim our heritage and history.

We are what they wanted us to be. In   commemorating their memories, let us ignite that undying flame of desire and gratitude in our community, particularly in our children, that they are able to consciously and appreciatively inherit the legacy of the Girmitiyas – a legacy of struggle, endurance, resilience and achievement.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a third generation Girmitiya son, a journalist, a blogger, a media commentator and former Publisher of Fiji’s Daily Post. He is A Founding Trustee of Fiji Girmit Foundation of New Zealand. He runs his blog site: FIJI PUNDIT, available at www.fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz]