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| Fijians of Indian origin | |
|---|---|
| Group | Fijians of Indian origin |
Fijians of Indian origin are a community descended from migrants brought to Fiji during the 19th and 20th centuries, forming a major component of the population of the Fiji Islands alongside indigenous iTaukei people. They trace origins to regions of British India including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Gujarat, and their history intersects with institutions such as the British Empire, Coolie trade, Indentured labour, Sugarcane industry and events like the Girmit system. Their presence has shaped relations among the Colonial Office, Fiji Labour Party, Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party, Great Council of Chiefs and constitutional developments including the Constitution of Fiji (1997) and the Constitution of Fiji (2013).
The community's origins lie in the Indentured labour migration organized under the British Empire after the Abolition of slavery and coordinated through agents in ports such as Calcutta and Madras, with voyages on ships tied to companies like the Falkland Islands Company and ports like Suva and Levuka. Early leaders and advocates such as Vishnu Deo, James Shankar Singh, A. D. Patel, Manilal Doctor, and Ram Singh engaged with colonial institutions including the Legislative Council of Fiji and courts like the Fiji Court of Appeal to contest issues arising from the Sugar industry and land tenure linked to owners like Colonial Sugar Refining Company. Political crises and coups—most notably the Fiji coups of 1987, the Fiji coup of 2000, and the 2014 Fijian general election fallout—affected migration, citizenship debates, and negotiations involving figures such as Sitiveni Rabuka, Mahendra Chaudhry, Laisenia Qarase, and international actors including the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Census data collected by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics show distribution across urban centers like Suva, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba, and rural areas in the Western Division and Northern Division. Diaspora flows connect communities to countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, and India itself, and interact with migration policy frameworks such as those of the Immigration Department of Australia and statutes like the British Nationality Act 1948. Demographic shifts were influenced by crises involving leaders like Mahendra Chaudhry and events such as the 2000 coup d'état and economic changes tied to corporations like the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
Religious and cultural life features institutions and festivals such as Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Diwali, Holi, Eid al-Fitr, and rites observed at temples like Shiva temples in Suva and mosques in Lautoka. Cultural organizations, schools and trusts such as the Arya Samaj, Sanatan Dharma Sabha, Fiji Muslim League, and community leaders including K. B. Singh and P. K. Singh promoted educational initiatives and cultural preservation, interacting with media outlets like the Fiji Times and arts groups that produced works referencing Indo-Fijian literature, folk traditions related to Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and musical forms influenced by Bollywood cinema and radio stations such as Radio Fiji.
Languages commonly used include varieties of Fiji Hindi, Standard Hindi, Urdu, Tamil language, Telugu language, Gujarati language, and English as promoted in schools such as St. John’s College (Fiji) and universities like the University of the South Pacific. Linguistic change involved interaction with educational policies introduced under colonial administrators and later debated by politicians including A. D. Patel and scholars publishing through institutions like the Fiji Museum and linguists examining creolization, code-switching, and media such as newspapers like The Fiji Times and broadcasts on networks affiliated with Fiji Television Limited.
Political mobilization has included parties and figures such as the National Federation Party, Fiji Labour Party, Mahendra Chaudhry, A. D. Patel, Sidiq Koya, Harish Sharma, and alliances contested in the House of Representatives (Fiji), Senate of Fiji, and at events like the 1987 Fijian general election. Representation issues intersected with institutions like the Great Council of Chiefs, the judiciary including the Fiji Supreme Court, and international responses from bodies such as the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Electoral reforms and disputes referenced statutes and instruments such as the Electoral Commission of Fiji and constitutional amendments leading to debates about communal seats versus common roll systems advocated by leaders including Sitiveni Rabuka and civil society organizations like the Citizens Constitutional Forum.
Economic participation has centered on sectors including the Sugarcane industry dominated historically by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company and later the Fiji Sugar Corporation, urban commerce in Lautoka and Suva, professional work in hospitals like Colonial War Memorial Hospital, and roles in education at schools such as Marist Brothers institutions. Entrepreneurs and business leaders negotiated trade with markets in Australia and New Zealand and engaged with financial institutions like the Reserve Bank of Fiji and chambers of commerce such as the Fiji Chamber of Commerce. Occupational shifts followed mechanization, trade liberalization influenced by policies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and emigration to labor markets regulated by agencies like Immigration New Zealand.
Identity debates have involved writers and activists such as Subramani, Usha Veerasamy, Rajendra Prasad, and organizations including the Fiji Human Rights Commission addressing discrimination, land tenure disputes involving the Native Land Register (Vola ni Kawa Bula), and reconciliation initiatives following the 2000 coup d'état and the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill. Social issues intersect with education debates at the University of the South Pacific, health disparities noted at clinics in Nadi and Suva, and intercommunal initiatives involving faith leaders from Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma, Hindu organizations, and Islamic groups aiming to mitigate tensions exemplified in political crises involving figures such as Mahendra Chaudhry and Laisenia Qarase.
Category:Ethnic groups in Fiji