Under the shadows of girmit era

Abstract

From documentations about the plight of Kunti and Naraini (the two indentured women) to writings about indenture system and its similarity to servitude and slavery, one can imagine the lives of women during the Girmit era or the indentured period in Fiji. The end of misery for all, including women, was through the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi, CF. Andrews, W.W. Pearson and Totaram Sanadhya that led to the abolition of the indenture system in Fiji. Post-indenture period saw the emergence of a group of people free from the tentacles of slavery who worked hard to create an identity for themselves and a place in the nation-building process. Women, in all these efforts, played an important role in the post-indenture Fiji. However, a cursory look at the documents and record on Indo-Fijian women in Fiji shows a scant reference to their efforts in the overall success of Indo-Fijians and their role in nation-building. Are the Indo-Fijian women still living in the shadows like they did during the Girmit era in Fiji? The following chapter looks at various sources on Indo-Fijian women and highlights their roles in post-indenture Fiji and why there is a need to recognise these unsung heroines of the likes of Kunti and Naraini.