Two academics hail modern chiefs for accepting descendants of Girmitiyas

Former politician and the Professor of Education at the University of Fiji, Tupeni Baba says it is important for us to recognise the role of modern chiefs like Ro Teimumu Kepa and Ratu Osea Gavidi who have recognised the significance of the people they live with and those that work in their land.

Professor Baba says the “Luvedra na Ratu” idea is gaining momentum and we should talk more about it and encourage the people to see the value of this initiative as this is part of the process of integration.

The Gone Marama Bale Na Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa declared in 2017 that the descendants of the indentured labourers belong to the Vanua of Noco and Rewa and will be forever known with the i Taukei identity or I Cavuti of “Luvedra na Ratu” or (The Children of the Ratu).

While speaking on the topic of the common name Fijian for all citizens during a panel discussion called “51 years of reflections post-independence” organised by the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development, Professor Baba says adoption is part of the iTaukei custom.

Professor Baba says he wants to commend Ro Teimumu.

He adds a lot of land is now empty as the descendants have passed away and this can be used to settle people who have been adopted legally by the clans.

Professor Baba says this will develop goodwill.

The Adjunct Professor in the University of the South Pacific’s School of Law and Social Sciences, Professor Vijay Naidu who was also part of the panel discussion expressed his gratitude to the Turaga na Tui Noco Ratu Isoa Damudamu and the Bose ni Momo ni Yasana ko Ba for accepting the descendants of the girmitiyas.

He has also acknowledged FRIEND Fiji Director Sashi Kiran who was part of the grassroot acceptance movement in 2017.

Naidu says he remembers Ratu Isoa saying that the girmitiyas were buried in their soil after the Syria shipwreck incident and therefore those girmitiyas are part of them.

Naidu says the actions of Ratu Isoa are very powerful and people openly cried when he publicly declared the acceptance.

Professor Naidu says more and more people are now living, working and going to school together and learning about each other.

He says a good thing the government has done is to promote learning of each others languages and cultures.

Meanwhile, Naidu also says the common name Fijian for all Fiji citizens is not something that this government has cooked up.

He says when the late Dr Timoci Bavadra became Prime Minister, he had suggested that we should go for a common name, Fijian.

He says all the Prime Ministers of Fiji including the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara have supported the idea of having Fijian as a common name and the only person who rejected the idea was the late, Laisenia Qarase.