My grandparents with their 5 year old son who were from Punjab vacationing in Goa were talked into getting on a "ship" for a quick trip to Shri Lanka and months later they were dumped in Fiji Islands. They were then forced to work on sugar cane farm in Tavua...they weren't peasants by any meaning of the word. They owned land and home in Punjab, India. One of my granddad's brother was in the Indian military. In 1987 I was able to visit and connect with the remaining brother's grandchildren in Punjab. I was married with two children living in the US. For the first few days all they did was cry while hugging and kissing me till my body hurt. They had heard stories of my grandparents and my dad not returning from their vacation to South Indian. My grand-dad beat the heck out of a British "sardar" when he tried to get fresh with my grandmother who was a fair and beautiful woman,and later was beaten mercilessly by two of them "sardars," which eventually caused him to become asn invalid. He passed away when I was 4 years old in 1961, he was in his 80's. He had by then fathered seven sons, three daughters, numerous grandkids, acquired free-hold land and built a houses for his family---!
Thank you for this rare presentation. It must have taken lots of research and effort to produce it. I am an Indian from South Africa. The girmityas who were brought to Natal, South Africa came from nearly the same areas of India as those taken to Fiji and the Hindus spoke the Bhojpuri dialect mainly in nearly the same tone and manner as the Figis. I do appreciate the fact that you presented a person who sang the songs of the Fiji girmityas. Most of those brought to South Africa also sang songs about their hard labour, maltreatment by their Masters who they called "Angrezi" and their longing for their own homeland. It is from their songs that much can be learnt about what they went through. Their descendants now face an uncertain future here. Thank you once again.
@Dead Soul Both. When Whites ran the government we were regarded as not being white enough to be afforded equal opportunities. Now with the black government in power, we are regarded as not black enough.
+Isaac Isoa Coudn't agree more, the Indians in Fiji have contributed immensely to the progress of Fiji and i will not wish for things to change. We're good as we are and we can only progress forward from here.
Hi Shailendra...It has been a long time my primary school days...1970 in fact...I left lautoka in 1986 and left Fiji in 1980...my memories of my days in Fiji are vague now.
Satish Rai I congratulate you for this great work of displaying the conditions of those Indians who perished there in Fiji searching for better tomorrow. Poverty is a curse on the face of humanity.The racial approach adopted by whites towards poor Indians is always condemned. I feel & share the pain meted out to Indians. Keep it on & God will help to improve our living styles on planet Earth. Best regards, Gursharan Singh Sekhon USA
At that time my grandparents were the only Punjabi speaking family in that part of the island, they were isolated, lonely, scared, lost, deprived, de-humanized, abused...yet they survived. My dad told us kids many stories and he wrote down most of it which, he gave to me for safe keeping when I came to the US as a young teen. The White people of this world has done this sort of things to every race, ethnic group, even their own since they took over from the Muslim-Turks. It is still taking place in the world today in Africa, South America, Middle-East, Europe, China-Orients, India, here in the US--just in different forms and methods.
Great documentary - Fijian indians should all find time to look into their ancestry. and any that voluntarily want to return to mother India, should be given assistance in doing so.
I am from Fiji...my Father came to Fiji , 1930...started his business . Back in 2008, I applied NIR card for India...since both my parents were from India . Told by the Indian embassy , I am not Indian enough since my parents did not have Indian passport. I had papers which said they were born in India and they still had land in India under name.....oh well.
Today someone posted a racist comments against our fellow native Fijians.....this comment was removed by me as soon as I saw it!!! I repeat...no racist comments will be tolerated on my forums...whatsoever!
Many many thanks for your effort to make this documentary and post it in UA-cam. I am a person from India living in Odisha Eastern part of India.I am searching net about Indians staying around the globe long before. I found your document much valued to me. Thanks again & regards from Odisha.
I am proud to be born in Fiji beautiful country,now living in beautiful country as CANADA,PROUD OF MY GRAND AND GREAT GRAND PARENTS FROM INDIA,with our rich culture from INDIA.Life is not easy anywhere we live. our love ,peace and dedication to own living place is the essence of life with faith in god .
I love this I’m black and Fijian Indian my mother’s whole side of the family are from there and Mumbai but I’m first born generation of my mom’s side in the U.S. this is soooo interesting I’m fascinated by this information. Growing up I have done tones of research of my black African side and know almost all of my history on that end I’m familiar with my Indian side but culturally more less then the actual history. I always knew them being there had to do with the sugar cane slave trade I just never understood why my grandparents never went back to Mumbai?!! But it makes sense now seeing as they only offered for the ones born in India to be able to go back but not the children and my grandparents had 7 kids two of my uncles live back in Fiji now but all my moms sisters live in the U.S. and married to Americans black and white. Wow this is sooo deep for me bc slavery is very much in the more recent history of my fathers side but this confirms my mothers side even moreover bc we don’t really have a very large family in Fiji as far as extended relatives on either of my grandparents side they must have both came across as slaves. Bc the came to the U.S. in the 70’s after my aunts and uncles where teenagers. I got to meet my great grandma on my dads side before she passed she was a slave she died at 106 we met when I was 6yrs old I remember helping her in her wheelchair putting on her robe and seeing the bull whip marks on her back. They told me the story and I’ve been very interested since a child about my culture and history on both sides this is very fascinating and extremely informative I had no idea they could not go back to India if they were born in Fiji that’s wow to me but it makes so much sense about so many things wow🤲🏽 mash Allah thank you for this information I just sent this to my daughter this is amazing information💯
Thank you for posting this. I have a special interest because I lived in Fiji for a few years as a teenager (1971-73). I plan to use this in my Globalization and Justice course at Northeastern Illinois University.
My grandfather was also a little boy who went to Fiji with his mother, father, brother, and sister, and after 6 years of service they all returned to India, and on the trip he had to sea bury his sister because she died of chickenpox it was believed. Anyway he said after arriving in India, they saw better lifestyle to be made in Fiji and since they had done their 6years of service to the British, they went back and claimed land and started farming and went in different ventures. I hear real horror stories of ex-patriots but I asked my grandfather so many times about he British, and he never said a single negative statement. All he said, was they were people who installed law and order and if you did work for them honestly then they paid you. Going forward, I see so much pain in the songs sung in this article that my heart cannot but shed tears also. Just to think about all those women who got taken away by British men and given dishonour. Fiji to this day is quite reserved country and Indians have instilled their traditions as their forefathers would have expected, cannot imagine how those abused families would have coped.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. You may wish to read one of my articles on Fiji Girmit that is available on my academia.edu page: www.academia.edu/41135596/TRANSGENERATIONAL_TRAUMA_OF_FIJI_GIRMITYAS_AND_THEIR_DESCENDANTS
People have been living in exile for ages and many definitions of the exile have been put forward. In some instances people may have left their country of birth (home) willingly for whatever reason, but later found that circumstances there has changed dramatically and they feel that they are not able to return. In Fiji's case I believe the two coups of 1987 dramatically changed Fiji. This may have influenced some (people who left Fiji prior to the coups) not to return to live in Fiji.
Very well presented. I feel depressed, elated, overwhelmed by the story. I read many stories from books from western regional library. But all these stories is making me home sick to the core of my soul. Thank you Mr Rai.
I'sa. As indigenous of fiji listening to this beautiful story. 😢😢. I'm sad 😔 at the moment. I just hope that my indigenous people understand our brother and sister the Fijian indo. They came longway for better lives to build our country's too. I remember that my dad always loved them. So, i began to follow my dads footsteps until today. My dad used to tell me to love them. When I looked at them, i looked at myself as them too. They're big parts of our fiji. God bless them 🙏.
They should produce a movie of say a yound women or man taken from India and document their life story in the movie. That would be a good way to honor history.
I think Dr Brij Lal encapsulates the admirable Indian Fijian people and their plight so well at 44:10. What courage the 1st ones must have had to leave their former homelands. The sadness and desperation must have been overwhelming at times, yet through all of this, I'm sure with their spirit they would have mustered up many a good time at parties and get togethers. Despite such an adverse beginning, so many of these Indian people have made good fairly and peacefully. Bravo I say!
im pakistani living in europe. i have heard that lot of my relatives from punjab went to Fiji in 1800's and we never heard of them again as if they are alive or not.
Bhai ji thank you very much for compiling this! Exile from home, u got that so right!! If you check youtube on baithak gaana, those guys language and song is very similar to us 2!
Thank you...yes it is now our plan to get girmityas from all the girmitya colonies on one platform, including the descendants of the families of the global girmityas in India. More details will be in the next edition of our magazine The Voice of Girmityas...will be out next week.
when the phrase exiled is said about people no longer living in Fiji, does this refer to the people who left willingly to other countries at the times when Fiji was not under a coup? Or does it refer to the people who fled because of the coup?
Dear Mr. Rai: How is it possible to email you to ask for permission to use some audio from this video for a short film I am trying to make (not for profit). I want to focus on the place of music and the songs related to stories and Gods that helped Indo-Fijians make sense of their state. thanks,
Ashi Prasad I have tried to write it based on the singing in the video. It is amazing how a bidesia genre song has been adapted to narrate the longingness of the mother country in this song. Most bidesia songs I’ve heard are about the longing of a bride whose husband has gone away for a long period of time to earn a living. But then both are sad situations. घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया फिरंगीयों के रजवा मां छूटा मोरा देसवा हो गोरी सरकार चली चाल रे बिदेसिया पाल के जहाजवा में रोए धोए बैठी हाय कैसे होई काला पानी पार रे बिदेसिया आई घाट देखा जब फ़िज़िया के टपुआ हो भया मन मोरा उदास रे बिदेसिया काली कोठरिया में बीते नाहीं रतिया हो किसके बताईं हम पीड रे बिदेसिया घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया अमवाँ के डलिया में कुहके कोयलिया मनवा में अगवा लगाए रे बिदेसिया गईया बयल मोरा खुटवा पे भूखे रोवे आँखियों से अंसुआ बहाए रे बिदेसिया घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया तमकुआ के देसवा में कुहके बदरिया कोनी नगरिया में जाए रे कइंदिया कोनी नगरिया में बसे रे कइंदिया घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा कौनी नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया
Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia Phirangia Ke rajwa men chuta mora Deswa Re Gori sarkar Chali chaal re bidesia Pal Ke jahajwa men roe dhoye baithi hai Kaise hoi kala pani paar re bidesia Aai ghat dekha jab fijia Ke tapua ho Bhya man mora udaas re batohiya Kali kitharia men bite nahi ratia ho Kiske bataaee ham pidr re bidesia Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia Aamwa Ke dalia men kuhke koelia Manwa men agwa lagaee re bidesia Gaeea bayal mora khutwa Pe bhukhe roye Aankhwa se aansua bahaye re bidesia Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia Tamakua Ke Deswa men kuhke badaria Koeni nagaria men jaye re koindia Koeni nagaria men base re koindia Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia
NAMESTE. I AM BASANT FORMALLY OF VAI VAI LAUTOKA NOW IN USA PORTLAND... VERY SAD TO LEARN OF GIRMIT OF FIJI AND LAND DISPUTE. WE WERE KIDS THAT TIME ,,,,, WHY NOTHING WAS DONE THAN???????????
The racism, bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, ostracising, or whatever or whichever you want to call it the bluntness of it I have read and heard is becoming more mini in these decades, generations, eras, centuries, and timelines nowadays in Fiji on both sides The Native Fijians And Indo Fijians
Thanks so much for sharing this. Can someone explain why Fiji Hindi is so different than India Hindi? Was it already a regional thing in India or has it evolved in Fiji?
Fiji Hindi or Fiji Baat is derived from two languages from Bihar and eastern UP, Bhojpuri and Avadhi respectively....these two then adapted few words from south Indian girmitiyas, English and Fijian and hence has become unique global language... close Hindi spoken by Surinamese and others in other girmit colonies, which share similar girmit experiences.
I don't find Fijian Hindi much different from the Bhojpuri spoken in my home. Yes it is different from Urdu or even Khadi boli, but so is Bhojpuri from Urdu or Khadi Boli. Many of the songs I hear in the Fijian hindi songs are word by word same to bhojpuri songs sung till date. Genres like Bidesia, Biraha, etc are so similar.
Those song the guy is singing in this doc is off the history song sheet of what the girtmityas wrote when they arrived. Thats the original language. Thats not Fiji Hindi today.
I note at the end that none of the countries mentioned to migrate to from Fiji, was Mother India seen as a destination for modern Fijian Indians ? everywhere else but it seems ?
beingatliberty Fijian Indians were very traditional in thoughts and religion but very westernised in education and lifestyle so aust nz canada and usa were destinations that would be easier for them to live in. don't get me wrong indian and indians are fantastic but for fiji indians a cultural difference exists
beingatliberty born in Fiji no love or feelings for india will always have my love for Fiji where I was born and raised and now living in Canada visit home quite a lot so why would we even think about your country india. Maybe you should go and visit Fiji and see the beauty of this paradise and the people there and than u will understand and see the difference between the two countries and we we chose to go and leave in the country of our choice hula and god bless Fiji for ever
Thanks Alot friend.Yet THE HINDUS DON'T HAVE UNITY & DISCRIMINATE ONE ANOTHER IN THIS MODERN WORLD!CAN U BELIEVE THIS?!This's what being happening worldwide.They're saying so many bad things about Fiji&those that look half caste are treated as lesser peoples.But HALF CASTES R AN AWESOME COMBO-SMART&HARDWORKING+POSITIVE MINDED=HELPFUL=THE COOLEST.WE R THE SYMBOL OF THE GOODNESS FOR THE FUTURE.WE ARE THE FUTURE!!!
Prof Nandan is reading from his own book...if you write to me via my email I will put you in touch with him and you can ask him about the book...raivisionfilm@gmail.com
Greetings from Trinidad, bhai, where my family has been for 6 generations. Your documentary is very much appreciated. Well done. Our Hindu community in the Caribbean is descended from the girmityas. My wife is from Mauritius. Please reach out to me on Facebook at facebook.com/kirk.meighoo
Hare Krishna sabhi ko 🙏🏽 All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauraga Mahaprabhu ji. All glories to Sri Sri Sita Ram ji. 🙏🏽 If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and benevolent. Sri Dadhica Muni. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.,10.9. Al glories to those have sacrificed their lives for the indenture system in Fiji Islands. Lord bless you all everyone. Hare Krishna sabhi ko 🙏🏽 ☘️🌸💐🍨🍨💐🌸☘️
I don't mean to be a judge. But how can you allow black people to be insulted under the same conditions like these people went thru? We have a bad history that will never make black people look human. But we are human just like these people are here and like you are. Fights are a fact of life. Not a way of life. Do the right thing and delete or remove any racists comments across the board and then you will have done the right thing. We are human too'
NOT CORRECT...some 5,000 are from Bihar and 15,000 are from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala,. There are some from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kolkata, Haryana, and Punjab. The total number was approximately 60,500...so do your calculations.
@@SatishRai galat India se log fiji Suriname Mauritius Guyana Trinidad sugar farming ke liye gaye the picknic manne Nahi aur Sugar farming India mai UTTAR PRADESH mai hota hai Telgana Punjab mai Nahi 🤣🤣🤣
@@SatishRai Although they hailed from various regions in India, the vast majority of Indo-Fijians trace their origins to the area of modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The major home districts of Fiji's North Indian labourers were Basti, Gonda, Faizabad, Sultanpur and Azamgarh, in the present-day Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh and the present-day Bhojpur region of Bihar.[9] Others (in a smaller quantity) originated in the Tamil and Telugu regions of the Madras Presidency, and free immigrants came from Gujarat and Sindh. Fiji's British colonial rulers brought Indian people to the Colony of Fiji as indentured servants between 1879 and 1916 to work on Fiji's sugar-cane plantations.
My grandparents with their 5 year old son who were from Punjab vacationing in Goa were talked into getting on a "ship" for a quick trip to Shri Lanka and months later they were dumped in Fiji Islands. They were then forced to work on sugar cane farm in Tavua...they weren't peasants by any meaning of the word. They owned land and home in Punjab, India. One of my granddad's brother was in the Indian military. In 1987 I was able to visit and connect with the remaining brother's grandchildren in Punjab. I was married with two children living in the US. For the first few days all they did was cry while hugging and kissing me till my body hurt. They had heard stories of my grandparents and my dad not returning from their vacation to South Indian. My grand-dad beat the heck out of a British "sardar" when he tried to get fresh with my grandmother who was a fair and beautiful woman,and later was beaten mercilessly by two of them "sardars," which eventually caused him to become asn invalid. He passed away when I was 4 years old in 1961, he was in his 80's. He had by then fathered seven sons, three daughters, numerous grandkids, acquired free-hold land and built a houses for his family---!
then don't go to other countries Kenneth J and say people are racist towards native fijians
@Kenneth J THANK
Vinaka viti.
Since Pakistan or Punjab Pakistan was part of India at the time
@Kenneth J Punjab Pakistan or Punjab province in India
Thank you for this rare presentation. It must have taken lots of research and effort to produce it. I am an Indian from South Africa. The girmityas who were brought to Natal, South Africa came from nearly the same areas of India as those taken to Fiji and the Hindus spoke the Bhojpuri dialect mainly in nearly the same tone and manner as the Figis. I do appreciate the fact that you presented a person who sang the songs of the Fiji girmityas. Most of those brought to South Africa also sang songs about their hard labour, maltreatment by their Masters who they called "Angrezi" and their longing for their own homeland. It is from their songs that much can be learnt about what they went through. Their descendants now face an uncertain future here. Thank you once again.
@Dead Soul Both. When Whites ran the government we were regarded as not being white enough to be afforded equal opportunities. Now with the black government in power, we are regarded as not black enough.
Welcome to Fiji
I have a great respect for our Fijian Indian friends back home they have contributed much to the growth of our GDP in the past and continues.. vinaka!
Isaac Isoa Are you native Fijian (A polynesian ethnic)
Native Vitian Mr Mishra
+Isaac Isoa Coudn't agree more, the Indians in Fiji have contributed immensely to the progress of Fiji and i will not wish for things to change. We're good as we are and we can only progress forward from here.
Qori na nodrai tavi ga. Sega ni tukuni mera mai lewa sara na noda Vanua.
@@MegaBrijen hi I am Brijesh misra in nyc
Hi satish [meli] after long time I see your photo miss my primary school days Natabua primary school
Hi Shailendra...It has been a long time my primary school days...1970 in fact...I left lautoka in 1986 and left Fiji in 1980...my memories of my days in Fiji are vague now.
Satish Rai I congratulate you for this great work of displaying the conditions of those Indians who perished there in Fiji searching for better tomorrow. Poverty is a curse on the face of humanity.The racial approach adopted by whites towards poor Indians is always condemned. I feel & share the pain meted out to Indians. Keep it on & God will help to improve our living styles on planet Earth. Best regards,
Gursharan Singh Sekhon
USA
Superficial facade...hypocrisy
At that time my grandparents were the only Punjabi speaking family in that part of the island, they were isolated, lonely, scared, lost, deprived, de-humanized, abused...yet they survived. My dad told us kids many stories and he wrote down most of it which, he gave to me for safe keeping when I came to the US as a young teen. The White people of this world has done this sort of things to every race, ethnic group, even their own since they took over from the Muslim-Turks. It is still taking place in the world today in Africa, South America, Middle-East, Europe, China-Orients, India, here in the US--just in different forms and methods.
Shriman, would you like to share some stories please? I will like to write about them? thanks.
Great documentary - Fijian indians should all find time to look into their ancestry. and any that voluntarily want to return to mother India, should be given assistance in doing so.
I am from Fiji...my Father came to Fiji , 1930...started his business . Back in 2008, I applied NIR card for India...since both my parents were from India . Told by the Indian embassy , I am not Indian enough since my parents did not have Indian passport. I had papers which said they were born in India and they still had land in India under name.....oh well.
@lilyjones3144 I'm feeling sorry for you about all these sad things happened 😢but hopefully they'll make things easier for you and ur people ❤🙏🏼
Today someone posted a racist comments against our fellow native Fijians.....this comment was removed by me as soon as I saw it!!! I repeat...no racist comments will be tolerated on my forums...whatsoever!
shay not every native Fijian is racist
Bhai where you get this register???
Atish Chand National archives in Carnarvon st Suva.
Good decision.
Many many thanks for your effort to make this documentary and post it in UA-cam. I am a person from India living in Odisha Eastern part of India.I am searching net about Indians staying around the globe long before. I found your document much valued to me. Thanks again & regards from Odisha.
I am proud to be born in Fiji beautiful country,now living in beautiful country as CANADA,PROUD OF MY GRAND AND GREAT GRAND PARENTS FROM INDIA,with our rich culture from INDIA.Life is not easy anywhere we live. our love ,peace and dedication to own living place is the essence of life with faith in god .
This is really interesting :)
Greetings from India :D
Bula
love this! im fijian born in canada married to a tamil srilankan...so my kids are fijian-india tamils lol
Correction.....Canadian. Fijian Indian tamil..or Canfiindian.
Mix breed
@@namalum420 we are Pacific Islanders now. It has changed since.
@@blissful249 no pun intended but you are insulting yourself
@@namalum420 ur! Go check it out! Educate urself!!! Ugh
my loving indian brother and sisters...spread our culture,tradition,language
in all over the world like brits did this before
Love your video and pictures thanks for sharing
Thank you
I love this I’m black and Fijian Indian my mother’s whole side of the family are from there and Mumbai but I’m first born generation of my mom’s side in the U.S. this is soooo interesting I’m fascinated by this information. Growing up I have done tones of research of my black African side and know almost all of my history on that end I’m familiar with my Indian side but culturally more less then the actual history. I always knew them being there had to do with the sugar cane slave trade I just never understood why my grandparents never went back to Mumbai?!! But it makes sense now seeing as they only offered for the ones born in India to be able to go back but not the children and my grandparents had 7 kids two of my uncles live back in Fiji now but all my moms sisters live in the U.S. and married to Americans black and white. Wow this is sooo deep for me bc slavery is very much in the more recent history of my fathers side but this confirms my mothers side even moreover bc we don’t really have a very large family in Fiji as far as extended relatives on either of my grandparents side they must have both came across as slaves. Bc the came to the U.S. in the 70’s after my aunts and uncles where teenagers. I got to meet my great grandma on my dads side before she passed she was a slave she died at 106 we met when I was 6yrs old I remember helping her in her wheelchair putting on her robe and seeing the bull whip marks on her back. They told me the story and I’ve been very interested since a child about my culture and history on both sides this is very fascinating and extremely informative I had no idea they could not go back to India if they were born in Fiji that’s wow to me but it makes so much sense about so many things wow🤲🏽 mash Allah thank you for this information I just sent this to my daughter this is amazing information💯
You are welcome to Fiji ❤
Thank you heaps Mr Rai for a great upload. Cheers
Thank you for posting this. I have a special interest because I lived in Fiji for a few years as a teenager (1971-73). I plan to use this in my Globalization and Justice course at Northeastern Illinois University.
+Nancy A Matthews Good luck with your course. Thanks for your interest in Fiji and my film.
Satish rai how can I find where were my grand parent from .my dad used to say my aja is from india .but I never seen him
Please note any racist comments will NOT be tolerated and WILL be removed.
The great story of girmitiyas. Thanks a ton Satish ji.
Enjoyed this documentary thoroughly! Informative and educational. Thanks
My grandfather was also a little boy who went to Fiji with his mother, father, brother, and sister, and after 6 years of service they all returned to India, and on the trip he had to sea bury his sister because she died of chickenpox it was believed. Anyway he said after arriving in India, they saw better lifestyle to be made in Fiji and since they had done their 6years of service to the British, they went back and claimed land and started farming and went in different ventures. I hear real horror stories of ex-patriots but I asked my grandfather so many times about he British, and he never said a single negative statement. All he said, was they were people who installed law and order and if you did work for them honestly then they paid you. Going forward, I see so much pain in the songs sung in this article that my heart cannot but shed tears also. Just to think about all those women who got taken away by British men and given dishonour. Fiji to this day is quite reserved country and Indians have instilled their traditions as their forefathers would have expected, cannot imagine how those abused families would have coped.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. You may wish to read one of my articles on Fiji Girmit that is available on my academia.edu page: www.academia.edu/41135596/TRANSGENERATIONAL_TRAUMA_OF_FIJI_GIRMITYAS_AND_THEIR_DESCENDANTS
People have been living in exile for ages and many definitions of the exile have been put forward. In some instances people may have left their country of birth (home) willingly for whatever reason, but later found that circumstances there has changed dramatically and they feel that they are not able to return. In Fiji's case I believe the two coups of 1987 dramatically changed Fiji. This may have influenced some (people who left Fiji prior to the coups) not to return to live in Fiji.
Beautiful information..... 👍
omg...the story moved me to tears specially the person singing bhojpuri songs...may god bless you all...
Thank you Dr Satish Rai for the nice and valuable documentary...history always repeats itself...
Thank you for sharing..very educational for today's children .
Very well presented. I feel depressed, elated, overwhelmed by the story. I read many stories from books from western regional library. But all these stories is making me home sick to the core of my soul. Thank you Mr Rai.
I'sa. As indigenous of fiji listening to this beautiful story. 😢😢. I'm sad 😔 at the moment. I just hope that my indigenous people understand our brother and sister the Fijian indo. They came longway for better lives to build our country's too. I remember that my dad always loved them. So, i began to follow my dads footsteps until today. My dad used to tell me to love them. When I looked at them, i looked at myself as them too. They're big parts of our fiji.
God bless them 🙏.
I am so glad that I worked on Shaista when I was beautician at Prirmose beauty Salon......i wish find Nikhat Shameem
Namaste Bhai Satish. Job well done.Love and regards.
Namaste Bhai...thank you...I hope you and the family are fine.
Very nice video thank you again
Thank you for sharing this.
They should produce a movie of say a yound women or man taken from India and document their life story in the movie. That would be a good way to honor history.
Very interesting ....
Dr Shamima summed up rightly no choice was given to us. I hope these conversations will ignite some kind of reconciliation effort. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. We, through the Global Girmit Association Inc are working in that direction.
Thank you Sir for your work, very nice of you. all the best and God Rama bless you
This really made me sad,I didn’t know much about the painful past our Indo Fijian brothers & sisters faced when they were brought to Fiji😢
Thank you so much for this revelations! Much appreciated.
I think Fiji Indians need to sue CSR + the British.
I think Dr Brij Lal encapsulates the admirable Indian Fijian people and their plight so well at 44:10. What courage the 1st ones must have had to leave their former homelands. The sadness and desperation must have been overwhelming at times, yet through all of this, I'm sure with their spirit they would have mustered up many a good time at parties and get togethers.
Despite such an adverse beginning, so many of these Indian people have made good fairly and peacefully.
Bravo I say!
Thank you Satish
Arun Pillai
im pakistani living in europe. i have heard that lot of my relatives from punjab went to Fiji in 1800's and we never heard of them again as if they are alive or not.
Because theyre live happily there!! got carried away to fiji because its too paradise for them.
I'm sure my Dad was one of them. 😢😢😢
Bhai ji thank you very much for compiling this!
Exile from home, u got that so right!!
If you check youtube on baithak gaana, those guys language and song is very similar to us 2!
Thank you...yes it is now our plan to get girmityas from all the girmitya colonies on one platform, including the descendants of the families of the global girmityas in India. More details will be in the next edition of our magazine The Voice of Girmityas...will be out next week.
@@SatishRai good job bro,is there a online link i can follow??
@@pranilmaharaj4620 This is one FB link: facebook.com/groups/2182559491970198/
This is link to The Voice of Girmityas online magazine: facebook.com/groups/268543650458178/
Bahut romanchak kahani hai satishji
when the phrase exiled is said about people no longer living in Fiji, does this refer to the people who left willingly to other countries at the times when Fiji was not under a coup? Or does it refer to the people who fled because of the coup?
Thank you for a very informative piece. It would be wise for the generation nowadays to know these...visit the national archives.
Dear Mr. Rai: How is it possible to email you to ask for permission to use some audio from this video for a short film I am trying to make (not for profit). I want to focus on the place of music and the songs related to stories and Gods that helped Indo-Fijians make sense of their state. thanks,
Please send email to raivisionfilm@gmail.com.
Nice documentary. Good work Mr Satish.
Very well put together. One request, if I can get the lyrics of the song by Dr.Som Prakash
Ashi Prasad
I have tried to write it based on the singing in the video. It is amazing how a bidesia genre song has been adapted to narrate the longingness of the mother country in this song. Most bidesia songs I’ve heard are about the longing of a bride whose husband has gone away for a long period of time to earn a living. But then both are sad situations.
घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा
कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया
फिरंगीयों के रजवा मां छूटा मोरा देसवा हो
गोरी सरकार चली चाल रे बिदेसिया
पाल के जहाजवा में रोए धोए बैठी हाय
कैसे होई काला पानी पार रे बिदेसिया
आई घाट देखा जब फ़िज़िया के टपुआ हो
भया मन मोरा उदास रे बिदेसिया
काली कोठरिया में बीते नाहीं रतिया हो
किसके बताईं हम पीड रे बिदेसिया
घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा
कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया
अमवाँ के डलिया में कुहके कोयलिया
मनवा में अगवा लगाए रे बिदेसिया
गईया बयल मोरा खुटवा पे भूखे रोवे
आँखियों से अंसुआ बहाए रे बिदेसिया
घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा
कौने नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया
तमकुआ के देसवा में कुहके बदरिया
कोनी नगरिया में जाए रे कइंदिया
कोनी नगरिया में बसे रे कइंदिया
घिर घिर बदरा सवनवाँ के आयो रामा
कौनी नगरवा में बसे रे बिदेसिया
Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama
Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia
Phirangia Ke rajwa men chuta mora Deswa Re
Gori sarkar Chali chaal re bidesia
Pal Ke jahajwa men roe dhoye baithi hai
Kaise hoi kala pani paar re bidesia
Aai ghat dekha jab fijia Ke tapua ho
Bhya man mora udaas re batohiya
Kali kitharia men bite nahi ratia ho
Kiske bataaee ham pidr re bidesia
Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama
Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia
Aamwa Ke dalia men kuhke koelia
Manwa men agwa lagaee re bidesia
Gaeea bayal mora khutwa Pe bhukhe roye
Aankhwa se aansua bahaye re bidesia
Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama
Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia
Tamakua Ke Deswa men kuhke badaria
Koeni nagaria men jaye re koindia
Koeni nagaria men base re koindia
Ghir ghir badara sawanawaa ke aayo Rama
Koewane nagarwa tu base Re bidesia
NAMESTE. I AM BASANT FORMALLY OF VAI VAI LAUTOKA NOW IN USA PORTLAND...
VERY SAD TO LEARN OF GIRMIT OF FIJI AND LAND DISPUTE. WE WERE KIDS THAT TIME ,,,,, WHY NOTHING WAS DONE THAN???????????
The racism, bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, ostracising, or whatever or whichever you want to call it the bluntness of it I have read and heard is becoming more mini in these decades, generations, eras, centuries, and timelines nowadays in Fiji on both sides The Native Fijians And Indo Fijians
Ab aap post nahi karte kya??? Plz kijiye
Fiji leaving in india great peoples
🚩🚩Jay Shree Ram 🚩 🚩
From India 🚩🚩🚩🚩
Did many Indian people left Fiji to India after the coup in 1987 .
The Indo-Fijian population in Fiji has reduced from 52% in 1987 to about 30% today...due to exodus from Fiji post coups of 1987.
Thanks so much for sharing this. Can someone explain why Fiji Hindi is so different than India Hindi? Was it already a regional thing in India or has it evolved in Fiji?
Fiji Hindi or Fiji Baat is derived from two languages from Bihar and eastern UP, Bhojpuri and Avadhi respectively....these two then adapted few words from south Indian girmitiyas, English and Fijian and hence has become unique global language... close Hindi spoken by Surinamese and others in other girmit colonies, which share similar girmit experiences.
Does any one speak or understand Bhojpuri there?
pls can join ur production team pls give chains
I don't find Fijian Hindi much different from the Bhojpuri spoken in my home. Yes it is different from Urdu or even Khadi boli, but so is Bhojpuri from Urdu or Khadi Boli.
Many of the songs I hear in the Fijian hindi songs are word by word same to bhojpuri songs sung till date. Genres like Bidesia, Biraha, etc are so similar.
Those song the guy is singing in this doc is off the history song sheet of what the girtmityas wrote when they arrived. Thats the original language. Thats not Fiji Hindi today.
this is best
I note at the end that none of the countries mentioned to migrate to from Fiji, was Mother India seen as a destination for modern Fijian Indians ? everywhere else but it seems ?
beingatliberty Fijian Indians were very traditional in thoughts and religion but very westernised in education and lifestyle so aust nz canada and usa were destinations that would be easier for them to live in. don't get me wrong indian and indians are fantastic but for fiji indians a cultural difference exists
beingatliberty born in Fiji no love or feelings for india will always have my love for Fiji where I was born and raised and now living in Canada visit home quite a lot so why would we even think about your country india. Maybe you should go and visit Fiji and see the beauty of this paradise and the people there and than u will understand and see the difference between the two countries and we we chose to go and leave in the country of our choice hula and god bless Fiji for ever
Abdul Aiyum bula vinaka
Indo fijiian links are with NZ,Aust, canada, US, UK. Except for bollywood movies and now the internet, indo fijians had no exposure to india.
Thanks Alot friend.Yet THE HINDUS DON'T HAVE UNITY & DISCRIMINATE ONE ANOTHER IN THIS MODERN WORLD!CAN U BELIEVE THIS?!This's what being happening worldwide.They're saying so many bad things about Fiji&those that look half caste are treated as lesser peoples.But HALF CASTES R AN AWESOME COMBO-SMART&HARDWORKING+POSITIVE MINDED=HELPFUL=THE COOLEST.WE R THE SYMBOL OF THE GOODNESS FOR THE FUTURE.WE ARE THE FUTURE!!!
what book is being read @19:43 ? Can I please have the source of this!
Prof Nandan is reading from his own book...if you write to me via my email I will put you in touch with him and you can ask him about the book...raivisionfilm@gmail.com
Wish i could find out more about my family, there's hardly any information. :(
Check the libraries
Are you on Instagram Satish hi ?
Sorry no instagram.
Greetings from Trinidad, bhai, where my family has been for 6 generations. Your documentary is very much appreciated. Well done. Our Hindu community in the Caribbean is descended from the girmityas. My wife is from Mauritius. Please reach out to me on Facebook at facebook.com/kirk.meighoo
A real fijian shares food with his brother ❤
Dr Brij Lal is a voice and a man for the people of Fiji ,much respect, never forgotten ❤vinaka
Hare Krishna sabhi ko 🙏🏽
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauraga Mahaprabhu ji.
All glories to Sri Sri Sita Ram ji. 🙏🏽
If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and benevolent.
Sri Dadhica Muni.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.,10.9.
Al glories to those have sacrificed their lives for the indenture system in Fiji Islands.
Lord bless you all everyone.
Hare Krishna sabhi ko 🙏🏽
☘️🌸💐🍨🍨💐🌸☘️
I don't mean to be a judge. But how can you allow black people to be insulted under the same conditions like these people went thru? We have a bad history that will never make black people look human. But we are human just like these people are here and like you are. Fights are a fact of life. Not a way of life. Do the right thing and delete or remove any racists comments across the board and then you will have done the right thing. We are human too'
theron english yes you’re human! And the person that uploaded the video remover from the comments! Love from guyana 🇬🇾
Ram Ram Fiji in 95% indian from Uttar Pradesh
NOT CORRECT...some 5,000 are from Bihar and 15,000 are from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala,. There are some from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kolkata, Haryana, and Punjab. The total number was approximately 60,500...so do your calculations.
@@SatishRai galat India se log fiji Suriname Mauritius Guyana Trinidad sugar farming ke liye gaye the picknic manne Nahi aur Sugar farming India mai UTTAR PRADESH mai hota hai Telgana Punjab mai Nahi 🤣🤣🤣
@@SatishRai Although they hailed from various regions in India, the vast majority of Indo-Fijians trace their origins to the area of modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The major home districts of Fiji's North Indian labourers were Basti, Gonda, Faizabad, Sultanpur and Azamgarh, in the present-day Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh and the present-day Bhojpur region of Bihar.[9] Others (in a smaller quantity) originated in the Tamil and Telugu regions of the Madras Presidency, and free immigrants came from Gujarat and Sindh. Fiji's British colonial rulers brought Indian people to the Colony of Fiji as indentured servants between 1879 and 1916 to work on Fiji's sugar-cane plantations.
@@Akashkumar-hs2nd I have done my PHD on Fiji girmityas. So do not try to teach me about Fiji Girmit and girmityas.
@@SatishRai i m not Try teach you brother I m just tell u Fact but you not like known true its ok it's not my problem i want debate with u