Reclaiming the "Origin Story": Shana Chandra on Banjara and the Legacy of Girmit

Debut novelist Shana Chandra explores her Girmitiya ancestry in Banjara, breaking generations of silence surrounding the indenture system and the resilience of Indo-Fijian women.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 7:19 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

The Indenture System: By the Numbers

The "Girmit" (a derivation of the word "agreement") was a massive geopolitical project that fundamentally reshaped the Pacific.

Scale of Migration: Between 1879 and 1916, approximately 60,965 Indian men, women, and children were transported to Fiji to work on sugarcane plantations.

The Hereford: One of the most prominent ships used for these voyages was the Hereford. In Chandra’s research, she discovered her own great-grandmother boarded the Hereford at just eight years old, traveling with only her father and siblings.

The "Indo-Fijian" Identity in NZ: According to the 2023 Census, approximately 23,808 people in New Zealand identify as Fijian Indian, representing a significant and growing demographic with a unique cultural heritage distinct from both India and indigenous Fiji.

Breaking the Silence of Shame