On Sunday, October 16, 2022, at A1 Event Centre, Papatoetoe at 11 am
Thakur Ranjit Singh
Auckland, October 14, 2022
Fiji Indians in general and Fiji Indian Seniors in particular, feel that they miss out on most resources available because they appear to be a fragmented community.
This weakness leads them to feel discriminated against when funding resources are allocated, as they lack a united voice. To improve this image, and as a positive initiative, Fiji Indian Seniors are organising the first-ever event where its Seniors scattered around Auckland will come together to celebrate themselves in collaboration and cooperation.
Distinct Ancestry
Fiji Indians have been coming to New Zealand since early 1960 when they came here to cut gorse (scrub) to clear the land for farming. Some stayed back and others came in larger numbers since the 1987 coup when (the then Prime Minister) David Lange allowed free entry and others through the skills category like this author.
While there have been no separate record keeping of Fiji Indians, it is estimated that of the 300,000 Indians claimed to be in New Zealand, at least 40% are Pacifica Indians from Fiji, hence they number at least 80,000 if not 100,000, and are not Indians in the real sense of the word.
The problem of getting correct numbers is because of conflicting, confusing and muddled-up identities, where they are either classed as Indians, Asians, South Asians or others.
They claim that they are none of these but a distinct ancestry of Fiji Indians who rose from cane farms in Fiji over fourteen decades ago.
It is because of this identity confusion that the community is having talks with the New Zealand government in general, and its Census team in particular to ensure that they are properly recorded in the next census as Fiji Indians who claim to be Pacifica people.
They make up the second largest Pacifica people in Aotearoa after Samoans but have no separate category as Fiji Indians to identify their ancestry or ethnicity as a category in any form, despite their large numbers.
Eluding unity
While individually Fiji Indians in Aotearoa have done well, they have failed to unite under one banner. There are multitudes of Mandirs, (Temples) Mandalis (religious groups), pocket seniors and other groups, but rarely showed unity among themselves. Many are educated academics, lawyers, doctors and professionals in high positions. We have had Governor-General, District Court Judges, and a Member of Parliament and many are in high government positions.
There are many successful businesses and millionaires who are doing very well.
Yes, the community did and performed very well individually, but collectively, they have never been united as one people or never had any leadership or organisation which could unite them under one banner.
The Girmit Foundation of New Zealand
This was until 2012 when some six visionary Fiji Indian leaders got together and initiated the Fiji Girmit Foundation New Zealand, which after ten years of its existence, made its presence felt, and is taking the argument of their identity forward and their recognition as Pacifica people.
The term Girmit itself denotes them as Fiji Indians without mentioning any race, as their forebears came as Indentured Indian labourers 143 years ago.
The Foundation has taken a leadership position to unite Fiji Indians in New Zealand and has ably done that with the unity of Fiji Indian Seniors in collecting them to mark the International Day of Senior people.
National Senior Citizens Day was marked on August 21 and in 2021 Fiji Indians Seniors planned to come together at Shri Ram Mandir. However, they were halted by the lockdown a week before the event although all arrangements had been finalised. Since then, even after clearance from Covid, this initiative was placed on the back burner and was forgotten.
It would have remained so, had it not been for the Fiji Girmit Foundation, the Waitakere Seniors Association and three other Fiji Indian Seniors, who came together to complete the unfinished business and mark the International Day of Elders.
Service to Older Persons
The International Day for Older Persons, with emphasis on elder abuse awareness, is marked on October 1 every year with the underlying theme of Building Strong Support for Elders.
Fiji Indian Seniors have organised this jointly with the intention of a three-pronged approach, namely (1) Celebrating the International Day for Seniors, (2) Marking Fiji Day and (3) Holding discussions on establishing an umbrella body, uniting as one group of Fiji Seniors, to get noticed and recognised. The name Girmit gives us the meaning of representing Fiji Indians, without throwing any racial overtones.
Hence, it is hoped that the Fiji Girmit Foundation New Zealand, with the Auckland Fiji Indian Senior Citizens Association, South Auckland Senior Citizens Association and Waitakere Senior Association, has taken a step to unite Fiji Indians in Auckland. Some other Seniors from West and South Auckland were invited but they opted out. However, their members individually have been invited to attend and others may come on board later.
The International Day for Elders to be held on Sunday, October 16, 2022, is meant as a day for the Elders, by the elder and of the elders where they will mix and mingle, share information, experiences and talks on health and mental wellbeing.
Indeed, it is meant as a historical day on which Fiji Indians and their Elders will put a stamp on their unity and identity and seek resources that they have been missing on by pledging to work in cooperation and collaboration.
Happy International Day for Elder Persons.
Thakur Ranjit Singh is a journalist and media commentator. He is a community worker, passionate about improving the well-being of his people who are fighting for their true identity and resources. He runs his Blog called, Fiji Pundit.
