I have always held the view that in Fiji, Indo-Fijians invested heavily in the education of their children and built schools, while I-Taukei, the indigenous people, invested heavily in churches.
Indo-Fijians perceived education as the ultimate liberation from discriminatory policies and practices of the Government.
In the Colonial era, the Government wanted Indians to be the hewers of wood and drawers of water, carrying out menial jobs, serving the interests of the masters. Indians provided a variety of services, including cooking, cleaning, gardening, general housekeeping and keeping their masters and madams cool with hand-held fans, long before ceiling fans came into being.
The I-Taukeis were herded at this time, living strictly within the confines of their communes, under a Buli (village chief) and engaged in subsistence farming. Their liberty, freedom and rights were curtailed.
With I-Taukei locked in a cleverly devised colonial construction and chiefs posted as the gatekeepers with lucrative pay and perks, the Colonial Masters had effectively neutralised the people from posing any challenge to their dominance.
They objected to the education of Indians, fearing the rise of a ‘babu’ class that would challenge their rule.
However, the Christian missionaries made some inroads and education became an obsession among Indians.
Education has been the most powerful medium for liberating people not only from oppression but also from their mindset.
Liberated minds
There is no slavery greater than the slavery of the mind, caught inextricably in the human mind. The indenture system enslaved the bodies, not minds of our forebears. They were impoverished but built primary schools in the rural areas for the benefit of their children.
Doctors, lawyers, judges, teachers, accountants, engineers and scientists emerged from a community that was consigned to the dustbin of humanity.
Understandably, Indo-Fijians, armed with education, gradually occupied the feared domain of their masters, as they felt challenged and threatened.
Today, the rich crop of educated Indo-Fijians are serving in institutions and places across the world with distinction.
By their scholarship and enterprise, they also vindicated their community and demonstrated to the world that investing in education, liberating the mind and making the right choices, without malice, jealousy or hatred towards others can contribute to success.
However, the Indo-Fijian community is not totally liberated.
Politically, they remain at the whim of those who have armed themselves with racism to subdue a community’s advance socially and economically.
It has caused widespread distress to Indo-Fijians but has not benefitted those that should have benefitted, namely the I-Taukei.
Instead, the spoils of the nation have gone into the hands of I-Taukei aristocracy who have clung to the weapon of racism, as the tortoise to its shell.
Christian State
From common rhetoric and a demand of the past that Fiji be declared a Christian state, one would presume that the claimants, the nationalists and the I-Taukei aristocracy being devout Christians, would embrace tolerance and forgiveness.
Sadly, it was quite the contrary where most of the bible-welding Christians, including their shepherds, had showed anger, malice, hatred and violence against those that they called pagans.
The pulpit from whence the word of God is preached was blatantly used to preach malice and hatred towards them.
Yet, the foundation of Christianity is love and Jesus Christ showed His love for humanity and laid his life on the cross. Indeed, to be a Christian without love is worse than being a pagan and is tantamount to desecration of values upon which Christianity is founded.
Investment by I-Taukei in building churches has been high. Needlessly investing in ostentatious churches is indicative of spiritual immaturity, if not bankruptcy. God does not reside in the temples but in the hearts of people.
Rajendra Prasad is a thinker, author and Columnist. Readers may respond with their opinions to editor@indiannewslink.co.nz. A related story appears under Fijilink in this issue.
