‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness’ in Wellington, Hamilton, Auckland and Christchurch
Venkat Raman
Auckland, February 21, 2025
A well-acclaimed film on the plight and torment of Girmityas of Fiji will make another around across cinemas in New Zealand from this weekend.
‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness’ will be screened in Wellington, Hamilton, Auckland and Christchurch as per the following schedule:
Wellington – Saturday, 22nd February 2025, 6:00 PM – Penthouse Cinema Brooklyn
More Details : https://www.penthousecinema.co.nz/movie/girmit-the-fields-of-sadness
Hamilton – Friday, 28th February 2025, 6:00 PM – Hoyts Metro
Book Tickets : https://events.humanitix.com/girmit-special-screening-hemilton/tickets
Auckland – Saturday, 1st March 2025, 7:00 PM – Hoyts Sylvia Park
Book Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/girmit-special-screening/tickets
Christchurch – Sunday, 2nd March 2025, 4:00 PM – Hoyts Riccarton
Book Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/girmit-special-screening-christchurch/tickets
The Background
After two years in the making by Producer-Writer Rajendra Prasad and Director Shaym Upadhyay, we can reveal that the film was first shot in the offices of Indian Newslink in Glendowie Auckland, which served as the creative platform for its spread across Auckland, Wellington and beyond.
Mr Prasad, who passionately pursued the Project, was unfortunately hospitalised, keeping him away when the film debuted in Auckland (Hoyts Cinema, Sylvia Park) on August 30, 2024 and in Wellington (Penthouse Cinema & Café, Brooklyn) the following day.
He looks forward to welcoming guests at the screening in Wellington or Auckland over the next two weeks. Girmit is an inseparable part of his life. On August 21, 2004, Indian Newslink helped him launch his book, ‘Tears in Paradise,’ which describes the tragic, humiliating, and discriminatory lives led by his ancestors as told to him by his grandfather in his hometown of Ba in Fiji.
Those memories have remained strong and the urge to recall them in visual format led to the production of ‘Girmit: The Fields of Sadness,’ a 90-minute documentary. It 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.
The following is from our Archives:
A Powerful Narrative
He 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.
Mr Prasad said, “Please purchase your tickets and 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 the 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 does not find a resting place. The spirit of the dead becomes 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 to 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 were 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 the creek’ were common.
But the river was too deep to cross, and few Girmityas knew swimming.
The infamy of indenture
My research led me to 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 of 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.
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.
