The Indians in Fiji are mainly descendants of the 15,132 contract labourers who were brought to Fiji between 1903 and 1916. This represents about 25% out of a total of 60,965 contract labourers who were brought to Fiji between 1879 and 1916. They were forced in to ships from Madras and were mainly recruited in the districts of North Arcot, Madras, Krishna, Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Tanjore, Malabar and Coimbatore. More than half of the labourers from South India were recruited from North Arcot and Madras, but most of those recruited in Madras were originally from North Arcot and Chingleput.
South Indian Languages
The language spoken by the South Indian labourers was only included in the emigration passes issued in 1903. Of the 589 labourers from South India in 1903, the number of people speaking each language is shown below.
In later years more Telugu than Tamil speakers came from South India, as can be seen from subsequent census figures. According to the 1956 census, the number of households speaking each language was as follows:
Although by 1956 Hindustani (Fiji Hindi) was being used in most Fiji households, the numbers still using South Indian languages indicate that there were twice as many Telugus than Tamils. Malayalam was the third most common South Indian language. From 1929 to 1963, the ability to read and write in Telugu or Tamil was accepted as literacy qualification to be a voter for elections to the Legislative Council. In 2005, it was revealed that in the 20 primary schools managed by TISI, out of the 4,940 students, 1,765 took Tamil classes and there were only 489 learning Telugu.
Religious Background of South Indians
The South Indian immigrants were made up of a smaller population of Muslims (1,091 Muslims out of 15,132) and greater proportion of Christians than their North Indian counterparts. The Hindus, who form the majority, belonged to over a hundred different castes.
Life during Indenture
Although South Indians were used to working overseas, most found it difficult to adjust to the Fiji Indian society already established in Fiji. Language was a major problem as they had to learn Hindustani, the language of the plantation. During indenture, there was a high suicide rate amongst South Indians.
Revival of South Indian Culture
At the end of his indenture period Kuppuswami Naidu, an ex-policeman and indentured labourer, took up the cause of the South Indians in Fiji. He gave up worldly pleasures, taking up the life of a sadhu (holy man). He was a devotee of Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maha Rishi, Ramalinga Swamigal and Rama Krishna Paramahamsa. He later became known amongst his colleagues and South Indians in particular, as Sadhu Swami. He conceived the idea of a South Indian Organisation and worked, towards this goal with the help of other South Indians who could understand his feelings and were prepared to provide assistance towards the cause. According to the data published by TISI in 2002, Tamil was learnt by 1,738 students in 17 schools between the grade 1-8 and Telugu by 255 students in 3 schools.
Birth of Sangam
Sadhu Kuppuswami founded the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam (TISI Sangam) after travelling to all parts of Fiji where South Indians were settled, and inspiring them to congregate at the Nadi Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple on Swami Vivekananda's Birthday on 12 January in 1926, where they gave birth to the organisation which is today known as "Sangam". Sadhu Swami was elected the first President of Sangam and he remained its president for his lifetime..
On 26 December 1927, the Madras Maha Sangam, was formed in Suva by Verrappa Muthiah Pillai in Suva and branches were soon established in Levuka and Labasa. In 1937 the Madras Maha Sangam merged with the TISI Sangam.
Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji (MIAF)
