Fiji seeks Bollywood partnership on Girmitiya stories |
Fiji Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, has sought Bollywood collaboration with Fijian writers and creative talent for commercial films and documentaries to focus on Fiji’s indenture history. People of Indian Origin (PIOs) were lured some 175 to 200 years ago by colonial rulers to certain countries and are known as Girmitiyas. Some well known Girmitiya countries are Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, many West Indian and Caribbean island nations. The term Girmitiya is derived from ‘agreement’ that colonists signed with indentured labourers from India and South Asia promising them work and even high salaries / stakes in tropical countries where they would be taken to till lands and work on sugarcane plantations. Without knowledge of English language these indentured labourers referred to ‘agreement’ as ‘girmit’ and those signing it became known as Girmitiyas. And, being transported across oceans on ships some also called themselves ‘Jahajis’ derived from the Hindi name Jahaj for ships. The Fijian Deputy PM, himself a PIO, addressed the “Interdisciplinary Perspective on the Indian Diaspora: The Way Forward” conference at the University of Calcutta via video conferencing. Professor Prasad assured that Fiji government will back collaborations between PIO and Bollywood creative talent to being out the rich history and interesting stories of Girmitiyas. The Fijian Deputy PM endorsed the proposal put forward by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mauritius during his state visit 12 to 14 March 2025. Modi talked of documenting Girmit stories, create platforms for sustained research, support films and writers, and much more. Professor Prasad says the economics of indenture needs to be better understood to get a grip on Girmitiyas.
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