FIJI INDIANS IN NZ SEEK THEIR PACIFICA IDENTITY

 

FIJI INDIANS IN NZ REACH APEX OF THEIR ADVOCACY FOR SEARCH OF THEIR IDENTILY

                 Thakur Ranjit Singh

 

The zenith of Fiji Indians’ organisational leadership in general and their advocacy for identity in particular was reached in an overflowing Malaeola Community Centre on 7 May 2021, with over 1,600 people. This Mangere, South Auckland venue was the celebration of 142^nd Anniversary of FIJI GIRMIT REMEMBRANCE DAY. And that is the number of years Fiji Indians have been part of the Pacific – and some six generations on.

 

FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ Trustees (L-R) Sardar Harnam Singh Golian, Sam Achary and Krishal Naidu with the Girmit Remembrance Day cake

After normal salutations and acknowledgements, that is exactly what Krish Naidu, a youthful President of the organisers, FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ, advocated.

 

He very judiciously and expediently chose the right place and time. This was on the stage overflowing with Community leaders, diplomats, Government Ministers, Academics, and a potential National PM, among other politicians in the  welcome Presidential speech. His advocacy was emphatic - and he sounded like a confident sure leader . And this could be summed as the punchlines of the evening:

 

We are Pacific people. We are not asking for a favour - we just wish to be recognised for what we are.

Fiji Indians needs to be acknowledged as part of an inclusive Pacific community where diversity within the Pacific community is embraced and celebrated. An official recognition is needed from the government beyond the role of Stats NZ.

In his emphatic and forceful welcome presentation with a very attentive audience, Krish Naidu reminded  that the Ministry for Pacific Peoples role is to improve outcomes for ALL Pacific Peoples by bringing ALL Pacific voices, perspectives and understanding into policy. He questioned why Fiji Indian voice was silenced and ignored. 

He emphasised that to be effective, this Ministry must also hear voices of ALL Pacific peoples. He championed the view that Fiji Indians should not be treated as a ceremonial piece. They needed to be part of official policy framework of Pacific people always, and not merely when it suits them. He continued:

The taxpayer funded - ministry of Pacific People is for ALL Pacific People. It is not a ministry for Indigenous Pacific People alone. This bias -  this institutional  and structural discrimination - must stop. And for that, we need real political leadership.

And at that instance, the stage full of dignitaries and politicians erupted in spontaneous applause at mention of “need for real political leadership.” And leading them was the potential National Party Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon.

The stage with some of the dignitaries present on the day: Diplomats, Community Leaders  and Politicians listening attentively to the Presidential speech

Perhaps in body language, the current, potential, and past National opposition politicians on the stage were taunting the Labour Party politicians. This is because Labour Party, from the days of David Lange, were always seen to be close and sympathetic to Fiji  in general and Fiji Indians in particular. 

And appeals from Fiji Girmit Foundation implied that there appeared to be hints of dereliction of duties from some sections of the Labour Government, the Ministry of Pacific Peoples and some sections of the bureaucracy who were collectively or individually not listening or paying attention to their calls and concerns.

Krish Naidu also reminded that  Fiji Indians also featured negatively with issues like diabetes, heart disease, mental health, with certain diseases linked to Fiji and their Pacific lifestyle back in Fiji. He repeated that real gains for the overall New Zealand health system could only be made if diversity of all Pacific people were captured, as this was not currently done by the concerned Ministry.

Human Rights Commissioner, MENG FOON agrees with the advocacy of Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ for Fiji Indians in NZ to be accepted and recognised as Pacifica People, and be entitled to resources allocated to them as Pacifica People.

Human Rights Commissioner, Meng Foon, who was a keynote speaker at the function, concurred with stance of Fiji Indian advocacy. He was hopeful some solution to the issue could be found soon as far as human rights was concerned:

The commission is here to support anyone in New Zealand who feel they have been aggrieved or discriminated against. We also support the fair treatment of all, and this includes in the collection of data which could impact the fair distribution of resources.

He said  Fiji Indian community in New Zealand have recently expressed its concerns - and this was a valid one. The Foundation hopes to find a solution within the framework of human rights and would be approaching them for assistance if no other solutions are found. 

Apart from this crucial issue for Fiji Indians, the evening was a fitting tribute to memory of legacies and heritage of Fiji Indians. A miracle was that it was a free event that was fully funded by the community, with no external support, overflowing with snacks, refreshments, kava and of course very sumptuous dinner and desserts..  This was through enlightened generosity from businesses and individuals in their community which collaborated to salute  Girmitiyas and consequently provided thousands of dollars’ worth of services in kind.

 

Medal presentation for recognising Fiji Indians over 80 years old for carrying the banner and legacies of Girmit. Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ Trustee, Sam Achary, presenting the recognition medal to one of the ladies. Another lady, Martha Vir, aged 101 was the oldest person to receive Girmit medal. She is originally from Suva and her maternal grandfather was a Girmitiya in Veisaru, Ba,

The theme of the evening was aimed at remembrance and recognition of Girmitiya descendants. Consequently, some 50 Fiji Indians aged over 80 were honoured with  commemorative medals as an appreciation for carrying the flame of the rich Girmit legacy. In addition, the foundation  expanded its vision to celebrate and recognize people and  institutions for their noteworthy contributions, achievements, and services to the community. The category of awards and recipients for the Girmit Legacy Awards included:

 

Dr. Farzana Goundar, (left) receiving Fiji Girmit Legacy Award in literature and research about Girmit history. Mandvi Singh, a Lawyer and an inspiring entrepreneur presenting Dr. Goundar  the Girmit Literature Award.

Excellence in Community Services and Leadership (Supreme Award) - Sam Achary (Read a separate FIJI PUNDIT article)

Excellence in Grassroots Volunteer Award -  Dinesh Chand (Read a separate FIJI PUNDIT article)

Contribution to Girmit Literature – Dr. Farzana Gounder

Contribution to Arts and Culture - Pooja Cultural Trust

Special Appreciation Award – Kashmir Kaur

Kashmir Kaur (right) was recognised  for leading Girmit partnership with her team in Wellington in their project ‘Fiji Girmit Exhibition - 100 years of reflections’. This successful event engaged youths and spread awareness of Girmit and raised the issue of our identity. Anji-Naidu Khan, (left), Treasurer of the Foundation presenting Kashmir Kaur special Girmit Recognition Award.  

 

The Foundation wished to promote the importance of 14 May for Fiji Indian Community because it marks the day first Indians arrived in Fiji, which importantly marks the birth of Fiji Indian identity. And Girmit marked their foundational history and they do not wish the new generation to be denied the opportunity to know about their history - and their rich legacy.

Indian High Commissioner of India in NZ, His Excellency Muktesh Pardeshi (Right) presenting Special Girmit Legacy Award for Contribution to Arts and Culture to POOJA CULTURAL TRUST. Receiving on behalf of Trust is Swatna Lal.

Before 2012, Fiji Indians had been living in larger numbers in Auckland for over 30 years, but no such event or organisation were commenced until some visionary unsung heroes initiated this 9 years ago, and now that seed has grown into a fruit-bearing tree. Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ, apart from marking the remembrance has grown into an advocacy body for Fiji Indians and have plans of expansion into  other cities and towns of New Zealand. Christchurch already has a chapter while Palmerston North, Wellington, Dunedin and even Queenstown are expected to have theirs within this year with support of the Foundation in Auckland.

 

Fiji Indians now stand united and are enlightened about their stolen history and feel proud of their history, rich legacies, and heritage. And this, among others is the reason why they do so well as migrants and rarely, if ever make it into negative statistics.

 

The overflowing response and audience at Malaeola Community Hall during Fiji Girmit Remembrance Day on 7 May 2021 in Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand.

Over the years, FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ has grown from strength to strength, and culminated in the crowning glory in this memorable event on 7 May 2021 in Auckland. The crowning glory of the Foundation was realized by the vision of current trustees, very unlike in many other organizations when the baton was passed to the new generation led by the current youthful Trustee, Krish Naidu to manage and organise future Girmit events - and they rocked.

 

We salute the Trustees, the Executives, and the organising committee of nine-year-old FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ for bringing such a huge, memorable, and noteworthy Remembrance Day in New Zealand.

 

Our only hope remains for a similar event to be emulated by almost forty-year-old Fiji Girmit Council on the soils where Girmit began - Fiji. And hoping following in the footsteps of elder Trustees of Foundation in NZ, the ageing Trustees of Fiji Girmit Council can pass the baton to the new generation to see Girmit Legacy continued on Fijian soils.

 

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a founding Trustee of Fiji Girmit Foundation, a journalist, a media commentator and blogger at FIJI PUNDIT. He has a passion for his forebears and Girmit Legacy and has written many articles on them. This is not a press release of the Foundation but an independent journalistic observation. E-mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com]

 

 

 

OFFICE FOR SENIORS HUI CALLS FOR DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURALISM IN NZ POLICY-MAKING PROCESS

 

AN ETHNIC WORKSHOP CALLS FOR DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL INPUT IN STRATEGIES AFFECTING THEM

Thakur Ranjit Singh

[A hui/workshop called in collaboration by the Office of Seniors and The Asian network Inc (TANI) overwhelmingly called for ethnic voices to be heard in policies and strategies affecting them. The ethnic elders/kaumatuas lamented remote control implementation by those lacking understanding, empathy, social appropriateness, and cultural sensitivities  from mainstream bureaucrats sitting in Wellington.

This hui in Auckland provided a grand opportunity to hear from the “horses ‘mouths”, metaphorically speaking. It is hoped the collated outcomes would be effectively utilised, rather than being just another talk shop , that some  seniors felt such workshops have degenerated into.

We are thankful to Wellington for their support and appreciative to the Office of Seniors, Joint Venture and TANI. Please read on for a media perspective…..]

 

The people behind the workshop. (L-R) VISHAL RISHI, Director, The Asian Network Incorporated (TANI), DIANE TURNER, Director, Office for Seniors and SARAH from Joint Venture.

As Kaumatua Uncle Harding commenced his opening Karakia and blessings, one could feel the cold wintery air seeping through a few partly - open windows into the Beeson and Henderson Rooms of Onehunga Community Centre in Auckland.

 

This was heralding Aucklanders some cold news on the first day of official winter on 1 June 2021. Uncle Harding, who was born in a small, picturesque settlement in Hokianga, Northland, however  set a warm tone for the day with a very inspiring and energetic talk.

 

Karakia and Blessings being presented by Kaumatua UNCLE HARDING

This was the venue for a collaboration hui (workshop) organised by The Asian Network Inc. (TANI) with the Office for Seniors  and Joint Venture  where a phenomenally successful and fruitful strategy consultation took place.

This gathering included over fifty community leaders and elders of various depths and lengths which reflected diversity of Aotearoa. And the workshop was equally blessed with the presence of Director of Office for Seniors, Diane Turner and Sarah from Joint Venture, both of whom flew in from Wellington for this important consultative event. TANI’s Director, Vishal Rishi was thankful for their presence, and thanked all for taking time out on the first cold day of winter to attend this important forum.

 

The Multiracial Kaumatuas/Elders

The hui was intended to hear the voices of key ethnic and migrant communities and learn from their  wisdom to contribute to the National Strategy and Action Plans. These strategies are meant to support Kaumatua/older people to enjoy their life without any family harm in Aotearoa. And the gathering went a long away in assuring that. The hui took  the form of a facilitated interactive workshop and  focused on what needed to  happen to eliminate family violence and elder abuse in our communities, especially ethnic and diverse ones.

Presentation being made to the Multiracial Kaumatuas/Elders

Representatives from Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Bangladeshi and Fiji were represented along with a number of service providers.

The  hui provided an opportunity to the ethnic community leaders to have their say in the Vision, it's principles and key seven action areas of the strategy. The message there was that there appeared to be a lack of ethnic and diverse views in implementing things for those who needed to have an input in methodologies in the first place. Hence we were honoured to address that shortcoming. 

VISHAL RISHI, TANI Director (left) with SARGEANT GURPREET ARORA, Family Harm Partnership Liaison Officer, NZ Police.

 Vishal Rishi , Director of The Asian Network Inc. (TANI) said:

We will hold more of similar huis or workshops in the future as ethnic communities’ voices are still missing from a number of national initiatives and there are not enough resources allocated to ethnic communities according to the population size. TANI has been actively advocating for putting more resources in prevention spectrum of health rather than an abundance at bottom of the cliff.

This view was also echoed by participants who called for more workshops , seminar, and education campaign for prevention of issues at source. The voices called to attack the symptoms from voices of those who were affected rather than receiving cures from “outsiders”. Among other things it was also suggested to work with Te Whare Tapa Wha Model and recognise and incorporate the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

 

Presentation being made to the Multiracial Kaumatuas/Elders by Vishal Rishi

While the workshop notes are being collated by the workshop team, I hazard to present some advance points which I noted as a journalist. These are not exhaustive and are not necessarily official position of the workshop but are mere journalistic observations to raise awareness, our concerns and interest in such initiatives.

 

Presentation being made to the audience by DIANE TURNER from Office for Seniors

It was observed that in trying to increase the focus on prevention, among others, it was needed to create awareness through culturally appropriate methodology and language , with community led approach, supported by ethnic and social media.

VISHAL RISHI with representatives from Kashmiri Association and Pakistan Association of New Zealand. 

It was heard that government responses could be improved through coordination and cooperation within various community organisations working as a team rather than as competitors. It was also recommended, among others, that workforce needed to be strengthened to respond to family harm through recruitment, training, and promotion of diverse multi-cultural staff. At the same time, the mainstream social workers needed to be educated and coached in cultural and religious appropriateness and sensitivities to provide  efficient, but more importantly, effective services. And such changes , as past experience has shown, could be brought by lobbying through community organisations.

 

Hui in progress under watchful eye of DIANE TURNER

The manifest or main reasons for this hui is to develop out vision framework and strategic action plans which are being collated. However, the latent and perhaps the greater side-line or hidden functions of such workshops is to bring remarkably diverse and often isolated community leaders in a room where they make personal contacts to work in collaboration with their various respective organisations.

Same thing happened with my Waitakere Indian Association Seniors and Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ hats which I wore, to organise some community-based workshops with contacts that were made. Similar developments also eventuated with others.

 

Two ladies who flew in from Wellington to a road-clogged Auckland to make this workshop possible (L-R) DIANE TURNER and SARAH

We are therefore thankful to the Office for Seniors and TANI for these very fruitful and productive opportunities. Indeed a day well spent and would further prove rewarding from the final output. Vinaka.

 

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a journalist, Secretary of Waitakere Indian Association Seniors, and a Founding Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ. He is a volunteer grassroots community journalist, who covers community, especially ethnic, Indian, Pacifica and Fiji Indian issues generally overlooked and ignored by the mainstream media, generally lacking diversity, empathy and sensitivity. Thakur runs his blog, FIJI PUNDIT which endeavours to fill this vacuum]

SAMOA - A MODEL OF PACIFIC DEMOCRACY?

 

SAMOA - A MODEL OF PACIFIC DEMOCRACY?

 

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Prologue

Fiji has had its share of political uncertainties and instability. Some of this has been exaggerated by the ridiculing of Bainimarama by the Samoan Prime Minister and satire and sensational news stories written by some Samoan journalists on Fiji’s political adversity. 

Samoa has been trying to cash in on Fiji’s handicap by attempting to step into the economic, transportation and regional leadership shoes that Fiji had carved out over the past three to four decades. 

With the amplification and browbeating of failure of democracy in Fiji, Samoa had consequently been projected as a model of Pacific democracy.

However, this myth has been shattered now in the aftermath of upheavals in Samoan Democracy

 

This article is over a decade old and was initially published in the blog The Pacific Scoop in December 2009.

 

It is coverage of the Pacific Islands Political Studies Association’s (PIPSA) 11^th conference held on 3 December 2009 at Fale Pasifika, University of Auckland.

Two Samoan academics and a former Samoan diplomat and a former member of the ruling party took turns in revealing what was wrong with the Samoan model of democracy which Samoans were reluctant to discuss openly in publicly.

 

And this was very evident by the forced withdrawal of this article soon after publication. It had to be withdrawn within days because the Samoans who raised the issues got cold feet once they got pressure from “outside” and did not want that published. To protect them after such a long time, I am republishing it with hidden names to protect their identity.

 

Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, as seen by NZ Herald Cartoonist on the day of the large red moon on 26 May, 2021 ( NZ Herald Cartoon) 

Samoa’s pride in being leaders promoting democracy, equality and social justice in the Pacific just now remains a shadow. Let’s revisit the problems that were unearthed over a decade ago, but those speakers were not bold enough to publicly uphold their opposition to a wanting democracy in Samoa.

 

The Conference

On plenary session on democracy in Samoa, a doctoral student and Samoan academic Fiu (real name hidden) spoke on Temokalasi ma le fa’amatai: A true democracy or dictatorship in disguise?

 

Fiu quoted other Samoan leaders who had likened their Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to Hitler. He cited incidents of Prime Minister ignoring the wishes and petitions of Apia people to stop proposed gas pipes being laid through their townships and the changing of the roads where changes were brought about without proper consultation or informing the people. Fiu told the conference that:

Former opposition leader Asiata Saleimoa Va’ai wrote that history shows that political parties in the past who have dominated governments for many years have often become dictatorial and communist in their ways, giving the examples of Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Hussein in Iraq and of course Hitler in Germany. This he says is becoming the case with Tuilaepa and Samoa.

 

Samoa's democratically elected first lady incoming PM was locked outside Parliament by existing PM Tuilaepa, who ignored people's and court verdict to transfer power.

The question was posed whether these comparisons were justified and whether Samoa was under dictatorship or still had a semblance of democracy.

This was answered by the fact that the word “democracy” did not exist in the two most recognised published Samoan dictionaries. Despite the long history of chiefly authority in Samoa, universal suffrage was introduced only in 1990 when all were eligible to vote, whereas, before that only the matai were allowed to vote.

 

Fiu cites an experience of his recent trip back home where while all appeared to be well post the road change, the road switch debacle has resulted in another ongoing battle between the people of Samoa and the Government at a lower scale. 

Supposedly for the safety of Samoans, the government has passed a law  that all pubs and clubs must close  at 10pm while the business concerns have objected, saying most money was made after 10pm. A strange compromise was allowed which permitted establishments to open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, however all music, DJs bands etc must still be turned off at 10pm. While this could hardly be classed as a compromise, the sad part was that there was nothing much the business owners could do about it, illustrating the lack of democratic procedure.

 

Fiji's PM who has been at the receiving end and butt of jokes of Samoan PM who never ceased to humiliate Bainimarama for not respecting democracy. Now Tuilaepa has become butt of jokes for doing exactly what he used to accuse Fijian PM of doing

Fiu further reported that according to former Samoalive news editor, Cherelle Jackson, the gist of complaint of the people was not on the actual road switch, but rather the way government went about implementing the changes, completely ignoring and disregarding the voice of the people. It appeared that there was no sign of democracy having taken place during the process.

 

Savea Sanoa Malifa, who had written in the Samoa Observer likening the Prime Minister with Hitler, said that the PM already had complete control over Samoa.

He already owns Parliament, Cabinet, the Public Service, the Church, the business community, all the villages and their happy, itching mayors as well, the public media and the little boys and girls there jumping eagerly to his command - in fact, the man owns practically the whole country- when one man “owns practically the whole country”… and not necessarily under the will of the people, chances are they are a dictator.

It was observed that in absence of an opposition party, Samoa had become a one-party state, contrary to what the Westminster system defines democracy as. It was felt that the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) completely dominated the Parliament, hence anything they say goes. National University of Samoa Vice Chancellor, Leapai Professor Asofou So’o was quoted as saying that:

 

a disadvantage of the party system is that, when the party in government obtains too much power and has been in power for a long time, parliamentary opposition is rendered meaningless.

 

This point is illustrated by comparison of Samoan government since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1990 with other long well-established democracies. The available data shows that in the two decades between 1990 and 2009:

 

United States of America had 4 governments and 4 Presidents

Great Britain had 4 governments and 4 Prime Ministers

Australia had 3 governments and 4 Prime Ministers

New Zealand had 4 governments and 6 Prime Ministers

Compared to all these, Samoa had ONLY 1 government and ONLY 2 Prime Ministers.

Despite Fiji not being a model democracy and despite its current government being periodically ridiculed by Samoan Prime Minister, Fiji had seen more changes than Samoa, with two constitutions, 4 Prime Ministers, four governments and ..er...two coups.

Fiji has been dubbed a failed democracy by some academics for failing the ultimate test of democracy - SMOOTH TRANSITION OF POWER. Now Samoa, an ardent critic of Fiji remains accused of failing that test. Ironically, Samoan PM Tuilaepa (top) has always been critical of Bainimarama ( above) for not allowing that transition. Now he himself stands accused of doing exactly the same.

Conclusion

In his concluding remarks Fiu summed up his presentation as follows, which is best presented in full:

In concluding, democracy is a clouded concept in Samoa. At the national level, there exists a government that has in general adhered to democratic practices however there have been instances of lately where they have ignored the democratic process in order to implement things they know full well would have probably never passed had they given the people a democratic say.

The irony of all this is that the flagship of so-called democracy, the government, has in recent times displayed obvious anti democratic behaviour, and dare I say, have indeed been rather dictatorial in the running of the country… they only listen when it suits or benefits them. Other than that, the order of the day seems to be dictatorship.

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, the first Lady incoming PM of Samoa has guts and  resolve to unseat a party which had "stolen" democracy from Samoans for some four decades. But she is denied smooth transition of power by the sitting PM who had been masquerading as a disciple of democracy.

At the village level, indigenous democracy is thriving. Although from an outsider’s point of view, the matai system seems very dictatorial as well as being a body that suppresses individual rights.

Despite the inconsistencies of democracy at national and village level, the one constant is that at the end of the day, barring a military takeover, it is the people that choose their leaders, their Prime Minister, their matai etc, and this process regardless of how other decision have been made, will inevitably be democratic.

Democracy will prevail and if people feel they have not been listened to initially, nature and society work in such mysterious ways that eventually they WILL be heard. I am predicting that the voices of the Samoan people will be heard at the next elections, and that the road switch issue may actually be the undoing of the HRPP party.

Although throughout the past and present, democracy has at times appeared nonexistent, democracy in the end will prevail, and as the cliché goes, “will have the last laugh”............ But then again, anything can happen in Samoa.

 

Epilogue

Despite Fiu’s prediction, nothing changed in the 11 years since this conference in Auckland, and Fiu would be a professor by now and may recognise his presentation, which 11 years ago, he was too scared to have it published. Perhaps he may be bold enough to come out now.

 

It took a long time, but it seems democracy will now have the last laugh at the situation in Samoa now.

 

And Karma is at work with Samoa’s PM Tuilaepa who always took pot -shots and ridiculed  Fiji’s Bainimarama for playing with democracy in the past.

He now finds himself in a deeper chasm of arrogance and has himself become a dictatorial “Hitler” who needs to re-check his use-by date.

 

Like the tsunami, the change may come with little warning, it has taken long, although preliminary warning shots had been fired in Auckland over a decade ago in this Pacific (PIPSA) conference.

Samoans now await change that they have been craving for decades.

 

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a former Publisher of Fiji Daily Post newspaper, and a Pacifica Fiji Indian recipient of Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) and AUT postgraduate scholarship at AUT where he completed Masters in Communication Studies (MCS) with honours. When he wrote this article in 2009, he was still a postgraduate student at AUT, and attended the conference on behalf of Pacific Media Centre (PMC). He currently is  retired and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT.]

 

BOOK REVIEW: SATENDRA SINGH’S (JAI FIJI’S) “ VIDHWA - THE DARING WIDOW"

 

BOOK REVIEW: SATENDRA SINGH’S (JAI FIJI’S) “ VIDHWA -The daring Widow

By Guest Writer: RAJENDRA PRASAD

[Originally from Vaqia, Ba, Fiji, he is author of “Tears in Paradise” and “Enslaved in Paradise”]

I am indeed privileged and honoured to do a book review of a fellow villager budding writer Satendra Singh (Jai Fiji) from my neighbouring birth village, rustic and dusty Rarawai, Golflinks, Ba in shadows of Rarawai Sugar Mill.

The Vidhwa is stripped of all happiness and dressing in colours after death of her husband in some Hindu Communities. She stands very distinctly rejected and "uncoloured" in crown of other colourfully-dressed married woman? Isn't it time modern educated women should start sending those outdated modes and practices to trash bins, and rewrite future of Widows from viewpoint of women - educated women?

And that is not the reason for my review to be partial in anyway. In fact, this is a salute to this budding writer, who, like me, has taken this mammoth challenge, a common villager, aam aadmi, who has not been to a university, but writes from heart that is very readable. 

And that is done in a climate where we have dwindling book readers, with the new generation busy with their modern gadgets and phone technologies.

The Guest Writer, RAJENDRA PRASAD, who kindly agreed to read the book and write this review for FIJI PUNDIT. He is a renowned author of Tears in Paradise and Enslaved in Paradise

Recognising such a constraint, he has written short books which are packed with action, drama, emotion, and suspense. The other advantage of such amateur writers is that they do not write boring academic pieces but the thoughts flow deep from their real-life experiences. Such is the case with VIDHWA too.

Vidhwa (widow) is an apt title for this book and author, Stan, F.J (pseudonym) acutely knows the Hindu societal norms and practices, which were meant to destroy, if not, hurt and humiliate the widows. In this, Vidhwa could be referred to as ‘double jeopardy’, noting that the central character suffers the loss of husband and, in a cruel twist, she is held responsible for it. In such circumstances, some lives are lost through suicide when victims choose it as the ultimate option to escape sustained familial and public humiliation.

The launch of VIDHWA in Auckland by Labour Minister Phil Twyford (right) at GIRMIT REMEMBRANCE DAY in Auckland on 7 May, 2021 . President of FIJI GIRMMIT FOUNDATION NZ, Krish Naidu is with him after the launch. 

Like his first book, TEARS OF A FATHER, this book is also rooted in the community, echoing its societal oddities.

It also touches on very deep hypocrisy – pakhand prevalent in our people. They project themselves as deeply religious but their walks differ markedly from their talks wherein the villains gain approbation as virtuous.

STAN - the Author, SATENDRA SINGH (JAI FIJI) - the two faces: In his younger days in Fiji (top) and how he looks now (above)

Vidhwa also exposes the multifaced people, the colour-changing chameleons,(girgit, bistuia) who comprise our society. It movingly captures the local village politics and how some rich and influential people use their wealth and influence to hurt or exploit common people who stand up for their rights. It is not all grisly and gruesome, as the author, seemingly, also captures high school knowledge and experiences to sprinkle his story with variety that includes romance and mystery, including contemporary news on drugs and the mystery of missing girls. 

A best dressed Hindu widow is stripped off her fashion and beautiful clothes upon death of husband. Why is her present and future determined by a man? Why aren't   similar reciprocating atrocities and discrimination bestowed on widower husbands who are ready to re-marry before the flames and embers of the pyre (chita) of their wives have cooled? Were script-writers of Hindu scriptures very male-chauvinists, with no real-life experience, always putting down women?

The story line very ably weaves all these into an ending which is very interesting and would sound like a Bollywood plot. But the plot insinuates that righteousness and truth are the ultimate victors and strongly endorses respect for women who have been the victims of decadent societal norms that afflicted every generation.

Fortunately, they belonged to a bygone era, though the society is not completely rid of it. These societal beliefs and practices were conceived in a less enlightened era but entrenched itself so strongly that that its residual effects touched every generation. The author aptly captures the depravities associated with such beliefs and practices, which may not make as much sense to today’s educated and enlightened generation, but they do provide a healthy forum for introspection and reflection.

There are sparks of brilliance throughout the book, which perhaps captures author’s disgust of some of the beliefs and practices introduced to demean, demonize, and destroy women’s social standing.

VIDHWA -THE DARING WIDOW - The Book Cover.

Vidhwa, based in Fiji, has target audience and the author weaves through intricately to keep the reader enthralled and engrossed to the end.

[About the Author: Rajendra Prasad is the author of two historically-enlightening books on Fiji, TEARS IN PARADISE – Suffering and Struggles of Indians in Fiji 1879-2004) and ENSLAVED IN PARADISE – A history of Mammoth Betrayals of Fijians by British, Chiefs and Leaders in Fiji 1876-2006.He is a Foundation Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ, and a former Ba Town Clerk. He now resides in Auckland. Those wishing to acquire these books can e-mail Thakur Ranjit Singh at: thakurjifj@gmail.com or inbox message to him on Facebook]