Art exhibit in Wellington gives uncomfortable colour to Fiji's Girmit era women's plight

A new art exhibition exploring the plight of women who arrived to Fiji during the Indian indenture era (girmit) has been launched in New Zealand's capital.

Porirua-based artist, Seema Singh - a descendent of Indian indentured labourers - has created a collection of paintings uncovering the lives of the Girmit era women.

Her work sheds light on the resilience and strength of women who made up some of more than 60,000 Indians (who are know as Girmitiyas) brought to Fiji by the British colonisers between 1879 to 1916, to work on sugarcane, banana and rubber plantations.

The free event, 'Exploring the Lives of the Girmit Women of Fiji', is open until 26 May at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Gallery on Queen's Wharf in Wellington]. The exhibit is set to move around the country.

Hailing from Nadi in Fiji, Singh always considered herself Fijian until she moved to Porirua, Wellington in 2007.

"When I moved to New Zealand I had this identity crisis," she said.

"I was from Fiji but I felt that I was Indian as well, and I was not recognised as Pasifika. I always felt very odd and uncomfortable. I was Fiji-Indian."

When researching her heritage, she discovered countless stories of girmitiya women and their plight, and thus embarked on a decade-long journey to reconcile her cultural identity, nationality and ethnicity.

"I wanted to ground myself and figure out who I am, " she said.

The 145th anniversary of Girmit - a corrupt form of the English word "agreement" - has been marked in New Zealand and Fiji in May.

Despite 14 May being a dedicated public holiday in Fiji last year, many Fijian-Indians who migrated to New Zealand are only just learning about the history of Girmit.

Singh's work highlights the journey of 14 May in 1879, when a ship named The Leonidas docked in Fiji with 463 Indian indentured labourers who were sent to the Pacific island nation to work in sugarcane plantations.

Indians were, according to experts "deceitfully" recruited and brought over to Fiji by the British, bound on a five-year contract. It is still debated today whether girmit was an extension of slavery.

"They (Britian) re-named the slavery system as the indenture system," according to Singh., adding "They wanted to continue using Indian people [as labourers] on plantations".

Singh said she dedicated just under a year to researching girmit women's stories and discovered many women came to Fiji under false pretences.

There were around 35 women for every 100 men, and women were exposed to many issues like prostitution, rape, and murder, she said.

"These were everyday realities for these women. There are so many stories. I just cry. People don't know how hard the lives of the girmit women were.

"They didn't have a voice. As a result of their sacrifices I am able to have a voice."

She said women who were raped, "some became mothers so they could not go to work", and were "whipped" for doing so.

Many second and third generation girmitiyas have not shared these stories because "it is too painful".

Singh hopes the portrayal of the "painful past" through her exhibition will lead to important cultural shifts within the Pacific community, and eventually the global community.

"This journey of our ancestors have made us a unique group of people," she said.

"We cannot forget our girmitiya ancestors who suffered and fought for their future generations so we could have an equitable life with the rest of the world."

Are Indo-Fijians Pacific people?

There are ongoing efforts by the Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ to officially recognise Fijians of Indian as Pacific people.

The organisation's president Krish Naidu said it was time for the NZ government to decide: "Are Fijian-Indians also part of the Ministry for Pacific people (MPP)?"

"What is the role of MPP; can we [Indo-Fijians] access support [and] resources?

"It needs a clear answer and hopefully the current government gives a clear answer."

'Proud Pacific Islander'

Singh said younger generations of Indo-Fijians born in New Zealand were struggling to navigate their cultural identity.

"If we don't talk about us being Pasifika, younger generations will be more and more confused, just like I was confused when I came to NZ, and not having the same chances as other people born in the Pacific," she said.

Identity is a deeply personal subject, which at times can be "uncomfortable", she said.

"I don't consider myself as Asian. I am proud to call myself a Pacific Islander."

Many Indo-Fijians have never been to India and were born and raised in Fiji. She said most descendants of girmitiyas would also consider themselves to be Fijian-born Pasifika.

"Opportunities like scholarships and grants should be given to anyone born in the Pacific. [For Indo-Fijians], Fiji is their home. Their girmit ancestors are buried in Fiji.

"I love to wear my saris or Indian dresses to work - I am proud of that. But inside I am a Fijian. I am a Pacific Islander," she said.

At least a dozen Indo-Fijians RNZ Pacific spoke with at the exhibition said they considered themselves to be a "Pacific islander".

New Zealand's Minister for Pacific People, Dr Shane Reti, has been approached for comment on whether the NZ government will heed calls to officially acknowledge Fijians of Indian descent as Pacific people.

More information on the exhibition here.