“Girmitiyas” were Indian indentured labourers who left India in the mid to late 19th century to work in British colonies, where many eventually settled. The term “Girmit” is a mispronunciation of “Agreement,” referring to the contract under which they migrated. This website focuses on over 60,500 labourers transported to Fiji between 1879 and 1916 to work on plantations.
I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where I live and work. I pay my respects to Elders past and present. I celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community.
Girmit.org acknowledges the National Archives of Fiji as the custodians of the original Girmitiya immigration records. Many of these records have been digitised and made freely accessible online through the National Library of Australia’s Trove collection.
Girmit.org is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Indian indentured labourers, known as “Girmitiyas,” and helping their descendants discover and reconnect with their ancestral history. Through our searchable Girmitiya records database, visitors can search historical records by name, family details, ship, place of origin, and other information recorded on the original immigration passes. Where available, links are provided to the digitised original records for further research.
The British and other European colonial powers started the Indian indenture system in 1838 as a cheap source of labour for their colonies after African slavery was abolished in 1833. Under this system, some 1.2 million Indians were displaced from India to the colonies between 1838 and 1916. Indian indentured emigration to Fiji began in 1879. It was started by Sir Arthur Gordon, the first substantive governor of the colony (1875-80), to meet the labour shortage caused by the Fijians’ prohibition of commercial employment and by the increasing uncertainty and cost of the Polynesian labour trade.
The above image is a screenshot from the BBC documentary “Coolies”
As you likely know, the National Library of Australia (NLA) has released records of over 60,500 immigration passes for indentured labourers who arrived in Fiji through the Indentured System. Additionally, the NLA has made available a registry documenting the deaths of Indian Immigrants during the years 1879 to 1972. Regrettably, certain pages have suffered deterioration…
Girmitiya Kantraki Bhojpuri Song | Raj Mohan | NeoBihar & Champaran Talkies This video has been produced by Neetu Chandra, featuring Raj Mohan, NeoBihar.
Rajendra Prasad’s Tears in Paradise is now available at Amazon as an ebook for your Kindle or Kindle App on your iOS or Android devices. I was very impressed with the Kindle edition of this book – the most convenient part is that I can flip to any page and read any bit as and…
An employer often complains, that the women suckle their infants, too long and that they could be left in the lines much sooner than is usually done. These gentlemen forget that these people have no other means of providing suitable nourishment for their children – Dr Hirsche, Chief Medical Officer, Fiji On 10 April 1913,…
The initial number of women in the Colonies were less. It was also considered that if the labourers had a family living in the colonies they would be more likely to stay on. Women, however, were not treated well; apart from living in appalling conditions, they were expected to return to work on the farms…
I have taken screenshots from the BBC Documentary, Coolies: How Britain Reinvented Slavery. The full documentary is available under the History tab on this website. The screenshots are part of the interview undertaken by Dr Brij V Lal who visited Late Mr Deo who was an indentured labourer who arrived in Fiji under the Indian…
This website has been created to pay tribute to these Girmitiyas and to provide information to anyone who shares similar interests and sentiments towards this very sensitive and important part of our history.
