Below is a presentation that was made at the Commemoration of Centennial of Abolition of Indian Indentureship. It was presented by Kavita Maharaj and co-authored by Kavita, Krishneel and Atma Maharaj.
I WOULD like to congratulate conference organisers in successfully commemorating the Centennial of the Abolition of Indian Indentureship, a fundamental part of the identity of Fiji’s Indians and vital to the shaping of our nation.
I would also like to share my appreciation in having the opportunity to present this paper as part of the program. This conference provides an ideal platform to raise awareness for and remedy major misconceptions that are perpetuated by the majority of historians and authors.
Girmit, or indentured labour from 1879 to 1920, is typically recognised as originating from India. This includes Pakistan and Bangladesh, whose geographic boundaries were encompassed as part of India during the girmit era.
However, there is a fundamental error in Fiji’s history books, which stipulate that 60,965 Indian indentured labourers were brought to Fiji.
Fiji’s history, regarding indentured labour, needs to be re-written to correct the origins of these labourers because not all girmitiya were from India (including Bangladesh and Pakistan). Many hailed from Nepal, a landlocked central Himalayan country bordering India and China.
The people of Nepal are not Indians but Nepalis, commonly known in Fiji as Gurkhas.
Nepal was declared a kingdom on September 25, 1768 following its unification, and became a republic on May 28, 2008. Nepal remains an independent sovereign country, never occupied by an external power.
Recruitment of Nepali girmitiya
During the girmit era, Nepal’s Government ruled against the British recruitment of its citizens for indentured labour. Despite the restrictions placed, the first Nepali inhabitants were brought to Fiji, together with Indian labourers, under British administration.
Soorbir, my maternal great grandfather, was one of those Nepali girmitya. His story, as told by his daughters (my grandmothers) was not uncommon.
An 18-year-old Soorbir was grazing his cattle one day, in the pastures of Nepal, when he was approached by British recruiters looking for young men. They enticed him to make the journey, which would see him sieve sugar in Fiji, on the promise of making a lot of money.
The conditions were simple; he had to leave immediately and was advised against telling anyone. Soorbir went home to pack his clothes. He did not tell his mother or family members before quietly leaving for Calcutta, India where he would board the ship to Fiji.
Many other Nepalis were recruited in a similar way, covertly. Some even changing their names so as not to reveal their identity.
Those of priestly caste had to disguise themselves as kshatriya to indicate they were strong enough to work the cane fields. Young Nepali brahman were also recruited while undergoing training for priesthood in Kashi, India.
While British recruiters preferred single men, there is evidence that some married couples were also enlisted (including my great grandparents).
Registration documents of Nepali indentured labourers, like that of another of my maternal grandfathers shows that he was married prior to departure. His wife travelled with him. It also incorrectly represents their nationality as Indian from the “District of Nepal.”
While personal accounts from first generation Nepali’s confirm that the Government of Nepal had banned recruitment of its citizens, literature indicates that the restrictions only came into effect after the Government of India prohibited the emigration of Nepalis much later, in 1894.
However, as we have already established; Nepal was and still is a sovereign nation independent of India.
The fact that these Nepalis may have boarded a boat in Calcutta, or were under the de-facto protectorate of Great Britain, does not make their nationality interchangeable with that of an Indian. It also makes their recruitment unlawful.
These Nepali girmitya suffered great hardships, not only akin to those of Indian girmitya. But exemplified by the fact that they were unable to inform their loved ones of their departure; thus, their families would have been clueless about the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
Settling in Fiji
After arriving in Fiji, the Nepali girmitya worked predominantly on cane fields surrounding Navua.
Once they completed their girmit service, many moved in search of land with similar terrain as their mountainous Himalayan homeland. They settled in locations such as Sigaria, Lokia, Raiwaqa, Kavanagasau, Yalava and Yalasa.
After the collapse of the Vancouver Company, a few chose to remain in Navua while others moved to Suva and other parts of Fiji.
To this day, Kavanagasau is still known as the main Nepali basti, the home of the largest Nepalese community in Fiji.
People of Nepali origin have served Fiji well over the past 139 years. They have contributed to nation building through a wide range of disciplines including serving in the Fiji army and Fiji Police Force, farming, engineering, retail, construction, IT, electronics, medical and legal fields, to name a few.
Importance of recognition
Ultimately, we are all Fijians, no matter where we hail from; and we are ever so grateful to our indigenous Fijian brothers and sisters for welcoming us with open arms and hearts into their homes.
However, history, ancestry and genealogy are essential to gain a fundamental understanding of who we are, how we experience ourselves and how others see us. They form the roots that help ground us by establishing our identity.
Without an understanding of one’s origins, the way of life of a people is lost. This is particularly true for Fiji Nepali who are direct descendants of indentured labourers.
Fiji Nepalis are largely Hindu and, as such, have integrated well with Fijians of Indian descent and also with indigenous Fijians. However, the culture, customs, language, rituals and norms that are inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants have, over time, been diluted.
For me, personally, while I was growing up I was well aware of my Indian ancestry. But I am what is known as “half-caste” — half Indian and half Nepali.
It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began to understand the distinction of my two cultural backgrounds and how they defined me. Through my travels and my journey to Nepal I was able to reconnect with my maternal ancestry.
Today I am very glad to say I have been able to retain both my Indian and Nepali origins fairly well intact. But I know not everyone has this same opportunity. For me this and affording Fiji Nepalis their due credit are the primary reasons why recognition is vital.
A recent picture taken on February 18, 2017 shows an example of a Fiji Nepali family with origins linked to the indenture system. Not one ounce of Indian blood flows in this picture. All family members are either first, second or third generation 100 per cent Fiji Nepalis with “royal” Gurkha blood and zero linkages to India other than the boat their ancestors arrived on.
And yet Nepali indentured labourers are yet to be recognised in this country.
I hope a seed has been planted for greater research to be done into the plight of Nepali indentured labourers to Fiji.
And believe that it is only right that all accounts of indentured labour recognise those from Nepal as distinct and equal to those from India.
Therefore, all references to the indenture labour system in Fiji’s history books must be rectified and due recognition should be given to the origins and contributions of Fiji Nepalis.
I also humbly request that all papers from the conference, when published, correctly record and acknowledge that the abolition of indentureship was not only for India but also for Nepal.
In closing, while we commemorate the abolition of indentureship, I am truly indebted to my ancestors (both Indian and Nepali) for the struggles and challenges they endured because today I can proudly call myself a Fijian. Dhanyabad!
