How a Unique Culture Developed…
Watch this documentary…
“The Forgotten Girmitiyas – Fiji’s Indentured Labourers.” This documentary does a fantastic job of explaining the indentured system in a Fijian context, the experiences of those who were a product of the system and how culture was hence affected by their experience. Through the film, you will begin to see the factors that shaped a unique culture from the roots of what individuals brought from India.
“Early migrants coming to Fiji were carriers of Indian culture only in a limited sense. Most were young and illiterate whose connections with India ended the day their ship left port. Once in Fiji, social groups based on caste disappeared for the most part; and because of a shortage of women, migrants were compelled to marry across religious lines. In addition, communal kinship patterns found in the traditional Indian village gave way to more individualism due to the breakdown in social structure and heightened demands for personal survival.”
Fiji Guide
Despite a diverse cultural background, Fijians of Indian Descent are generally united through the common communal experience, the use of Fiji Hindi as their lingua franca, family organisation, cuisine and interests in sports and Indian media.
Ready for some theory?
Cultural Evolutionary Theory
Have a read of this article assessing a theory explaining how culture evolves and why it is important.
After understanding the theory, do you agree that this is the case for the situation of Indo-Fijians?
Are there any nuances in the situation that do not line up with this theoretical assumption?
If this is something that interests you, get ready to learn more about this reality in the sections “Cultural Comparisons” and “Cross-Cultural Encounters”