I have taken screenshots from the BBC Documentary, Coolies: How Britain Reinvented Slavery. The full documentary is available under the History tab on this website. The screenshots are part of the interview undertaken by Dr Brij V Lal who visited Late Mr Deo who was an indentured labourer who arrived in Fiji under the Indian system of indenture. Late Mr Deo recounts the conditions that he and his fellow Girmitiyas were subjected to. I was fortunate enough to meet Late Mr Deo in 1997 in Sigatoka Fiji. The slave trade was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1807, but contrary to this, Britain continued such practice under the system of Indenture – a proper name for slavery and continued sending shiploads of Indians to, South America, Mauritius, Malaya, South Africa and Fiji.
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I am so overwhelmed for this page I have been in conversation with satish rai and now through Him I can get information of my great great grand parents.
I Salute you for your hard work and great passion in assisting us to link with girmit stories.
Soon I will be sending boat passes
GOD bless
NZ
0221526686
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for visiting the site which has been created to keep the history of Fiji Indians and our rich heritage alive. Please pass on the link to other people who may share our sentiments on this topic.
Vanita
How can I learn more?
First generation New Zealand Fijian Indian who wants to learn more about his history.
Thanks
Hi Anmol, start by going through this website, talking to older relatives, document everything from names, to village names, and any other details that will assist you in your research.
You have come to the right website – this is where you can learn more – read on….
Can you help find my grand father named Shiu Narayan or if it spelled Shiv not sure, find his family background, to be from bihar. He came when he was 12 yrs old and settled in Bulini/Barothu/RakiRaki, Fiji. He died around in 1960’s in Barothu, Raki Raki, probably around the age between 80 & 90. His wife’s name was Ganga Dei was born in Fiji.
Hi Roshni
Is any of his children named Ram Harak or Ram Baran ? Or daughter in Law named Ram Rati ?
If it is , Please check this record from FamilySearch.
Shiu Narayn
Vital • Fiji, Vital Records, 1900-1989
VIEW RECORD
Name Shiu Narayn
Sex Male
Age 87 years
Birth Year (Estimated) 1888
Father’s Name Jagessar
Father’s Sex Male
Spouse’s Name Ganga Dei
Event Type Death
Event Date
19 April 1975
Event Place Barotu, Saivou, Ra, Western, Fiji
Shiu Narayn’s Parents and Siblings
If this is correct, then search through this father’s name with an estimated year of arrival , using the guidelines mentioned on this page. All children entering Fiji with their parents have their records on them.
Rita
Thank you so much for your initiative and hard work in preparing the website on the Girmitiyas.
It is indeed very helpful and has enable us to access the records of our forefathers.
With the records from the site, we were able to connect with our families in Bandipur UP.
I am now assisting others families to find records of their girmitiya forefathers.
Dhanbaad aur baghwan ki ashirbaad sada bana Rahe.
Thank you for the comments. It is good to know that people use the website to learn more about their ancestors. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for all the hard work. I have managed to trace my great-grandfather’s records and his village. I remember going to the national archives center in Suva about 20 years ago, but I found it very difficult to search as nothing was available online. I lost hope at that point. You have to look out for the spelling of names. For example, my great-grandmother’s name was Jaiwati, but it is written as Jiwati , Jiti, or Jiwti.
I have also managed to pull out records for their sons and daughters by going through FamilySearch too.
Regards
Rita
New Zealand
Thank you so much for the comments Rita.