Auckland: Hoyts Sylvia Park on Aug 30; Penthouse Wellington on Aug 31, 6.30 pm
Ninety Minutes of ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness’ can be a life-changing experience
Auckland, August 28, 2024
A long-awaited film, with historic facts, and fearless and forthright commentaries on the infamous period of Indentured Labour in Fiji will be released this weekend.
Called, ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness,’’ the 90-minute documentary will be shown just once at 6.30 pm (screen-time at 7.30 pm) on Friday, August 30, 2024 at Hoyts Cinema (Cinema One), Sylvia Park and in Wellington the following day (August 31) at 6.30 pm at Penthouse Cinema & Café, located at 205 Ohiro Road, Brooklyn.
Girmit Foundation New Zealand is presenting the film in Auckland.
This Reporter has had the privilege of a ringside view of ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness’ since its formative days of conceptualisation to shooting and release. The documentary is a dream come true for Author and Columnist Rajendra Prasad who has for decades cherished the thought that the struggles and sacrifices of generations of ‘Girmityas’ who were brought to Fiji as indentured labourers from India between 1879 and 1920, should not be forgotten but respected and celebrated.
A Powerful Narrative
He has produced this film with his wife Aruna for R & A Prasad Family Trust in association with Tashu Films under the direction of Shyam Upadhyay who is familiar with the region.
‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness,’ is billed as a powerful documentary that brings to light the forgotten history of the Girmityas, offering a poignant reflection on their resilience and the lasting impact on future generations.
It is a fitting visual sequence to Mr Prasad’s book ‘Tears in Paradise’ published in Auckland on August 21, 2004 and promoted by Indian Newslink.
Mr Prasad said, “Please purchase your tickets ($30 plus other fees) and arrive early for a special meet-and-mingle photo session before the screening. Please ensure your presence at an evening of history, culture, and unforgettable storytelling.”
For more than 30 years, Mr Prasad has championed the cause of Girmityas highlighting the suffering, humiliation and harsh life. The documentary draws its inspiration from his critically acclaimed novel ‘Tears in Paradise,’ which serves as a historical and emotional foundation for the film. Mr Upadhyay, deeply moved by the book, felt compelled to translate its harrowing narrative into a visual medium, aiming to amplify the voices of the Girmityas and bring their stories to a wider audience.
Visual sequel to ‘Tears in Paradise’
The film provides a moving account of the struggles and resilience of indentured labourers in Fiji through a combination of in-depth interviews with their descendants and extensive archival research. By highlighting the parallels between the experiences and the atrocities of slavery, the documentary will not only educate but also evoke empathy, giving voice to a marginalised and often overlooked community.
The documentary has been shot in various locations across Fiji, New Zealand, and India, adding a rich, authentic backdrop to its powerful narrative.
Film Credits: Narrator: Michael Heath; Director of Photography: Shamin Kulkarni: Sound Design: Umakant Jagtap; Editor: Arunabha Mukherjee; Writer: Rajendra Prasad; Co-Producers: Rajiv Prasad, Ronil Singh, Shavleen Singh, and Shyam Upadhyay; Director: Shyam Upadhyay
Mr Upadhyay hopes that the film will make waves at various international film festivals, aiming to capture the attention and hearts of audiences worldwide.
“’Girmit: The Fields of Sadness is more than just a documentary; it is a powerful reminder of the human spirit’s endurance in the face of adversity. It seeks to bridge the past with the present, ensuring that the sacrifices and stories of the Girmityas are remembered and honoured,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of ‘Tears in Paradise’ (On August 21, 2004), Mr Prasad hoped that it would change the wrong perception of our history.
“I believe Girmit was not a period of shame but one of the greatest sacrifices made in the history of humanity. The stigma of shame belongs to the British Government, the CSR Company and Australian Government for commissioning heinous crimes against humanity,” he said.
The following are some excerpts from the Book:
The haunting spirits
The sugar industry in Fiji was established with the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors. A majority worked on sugarcane plantations or in the mills owned by the CSR Company. The living and working conditions were atrocious. An overwhelming number of indentured labourers were Hindus and Hinduism asserts that the spirit of those who die in tragic circumstances do not find a resting place. The spirit of the dead become part of that environment. Indenture was a tragic period.
A burning passion
“The pilgrimage to my roots motivated me to understand the hidden mystery that was Girmit. I began to reflect on the Girmityas with compassion and empathy. The tales of atrocities related by my grandfather began to haunt me. The whip marks that he and his compatriots suffered during Girmit became my personal wound. It created a burning passion in me to read, research and write about the enigma surrounding Girmit.
I learnt that 229 Girmityas committed suicide between 1885 and 1919.
Many say this is a grossly understated number since workers who deserted the plantations but not recaptured were not accounted for in the official figures. In 1913 alone, 623 Girmityas deserted and 522 were recaptured. The fate of the 101 persons is not known.
Drowning constituted almost half the deaths. The bodies of Girmityas found floating in rivers or creeks were recorded as accidental deaths and certificates inscribed, ‘drowned while crossing Ba River,’ ‘drowned whilst fording’ or ‘drowned in creek’ were common.
But the river too deep to cross and few Girmityas knew swimming.
(A scene from ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness.’)
The infamy of indenture
My research led me into the infamy of the indenture. The British had created the maze of indenture in Fiji and I realised it was a harsh and cruel environment ridden with horrific violence against the Girmityas. The CSR Company and its overseers (Kulambars) inflicted terror upon our people. The conditions were so horrific that many preferred death.
On August 22, 1910, the Nagaga hospital in Nadroga admitted a female patient. She was unconscious, covered in blood and was inflicted with physical injuries. Hospital attendant Albert Whittaker was aghast to see the severity of her injuries and thought her life was in danger. But the patient lived and remained hospitalised for long.
No one was interested in her until Divisional Medical Officer Dr John Halley, on a routine inspection to the hospital, became suspicious when the hospital attendant showed manifest reluctance in allowing him to examine the patient. Dr Halley was horrified to see the raw open wounds on her body and reported the matter to the Police.
(From ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness.’)
Such incidents abounded during the Girmit in Fiji.
This Reporter’s Note: To know and reflect on these atrocities is the greatest service that humanity can pay to the humiliation that was afflicted upon the Girmityas. To know and claim not to know, and worse, remain indifferent is worse than the perpetrators of evil. There is still time for retribution and expatiation.
