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]