It took 97 years for the descendants of the girmitiya to finally become Fijians and gain a common name, says Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Rosy Akbar.
She made the comment at the Telecom Fiji 143rd Girmit Day commemoration in Nausori last Saturday.
“Today (Saturday) is an important date for Fiji and it is about reflecting on history,” she said.
“We celebrate living in a country that was carved through the blood, sweat and tears of those girmitiya and it is with immense appreciation towards the girmit era that we can attribute the early years of our economic progress as a nation, to the great sacrifices made by our indentured labourers.
“Gaining a sense of belonging in Fiji had been a long, slow and often painful process and right up until our recent past, people who had lived in Fiji for several generations were still called Indians or Indo-Fijians.
“I’m glad to say that it took 97 years after the last arrival of the girmitiya for the citizens of these islands — no matter what their background – to finally gain a common identity, equal citizenry and a common name.”
She urged fellow Fijians to remember the history of the girmitya and paid respect to iTaukei forefathers who helped the girmit ancestors settle into the country and lifestyle.
