In-Depth Notes on "My Twenty-One Years in the Fiji Islands by Totaram Sanadhya"

Page 5

Contents

  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes on Translators
  • Notes on Translation
  • Introduction to My Twenty-One Years in the Fiji Islands
  • The Book and its Authors
  • How to Read this Book
  • Girmit Reality as Described in My 21 Years
  • The Accuracy of the Arguments
  • Who Should Read this Book?
  • My Twenty-One Years in the Fiji Islands
  • The Fiji Islands
  • Assignment to Different Estates
  • Conditions on the Estates
  • Outrages (atyachar) Against the Kabuli Pathans
  • Hard Labour
  • Disgust for Black People
  • Outrages (atyachar) of the Merchants
  • Two Hundred Indians Were Cheated !
  • Marriage Laws in Fiji
  • White Barristers and Lawyers
  • White Barrister Digested 1,925 Pounds
  • The Calling of a Barrister Prom India
  • The Fiji Islands
  • Fiji’s Original Inhabitants
  • An Account of the Life of the Indians Dwelling in Fiji
  • The Opinion of Some Unbiased People
  • Government Organization
  • Agriculture and Trade
  • The Immigration Department
  • The Appointment of a Commission
  • My Own Ram Story
  • Touring Australia
  • How Can it be Necessary for Indians to Come to Fiji Now?
  • Travel to My Own Country
  • Conclusion
  • The Opinion of Dinbandhu Andrews about the Coolie System
  • What is the Duty of the Government?
  • Who Should Read This Book?
  • Appendix: Fiji Indians and the Law, 1912
    • A. Criminal Law and Life in the Lines
    • B. Civil Law - Indians and Europeans ‘Civil Society’
    • C. Indians in Civil Court
    • D. Indian Perceptions of the Courts and Government - 1912 and beyond
  • Description of one court action…

Page 5

Acknowledgements

  • Thanked Jone Naucabalavu of the Fiji Museum and volunteer Bryan Hornett for retyping.
  • Acknowledged permission from Benarsidas Chaturvedi for translations.
  • Expressed gratitude for archival research support.
  • Exchanged thanks with Surendra Prasad of Lautoka for manuscript.

Page 9

Notes on the Translators

  • Discussed work of Uttra Kumari Singh and John Dunham Kelly in translating and background research.
  • Kelly pursued Indo-Fijian history and culture. Singh contributed educational and writing capacities, including at Radio Fiji.
  • Translation challenges detailed regarding Hindi syntax and idioms, adding footnotes for clarification.

Page 13

Introduction to My Twenty-One Years in the Fiji Islands

  • Unique perspective as the only firsthand account of indenture from an Indian viewpoint.
  • Describes the arrival of 60,537 Indians in Fiji from 1879-1916 and their impact.
  • Provides insight into the experiences of girmitiyas and colonization.

Page 17

The Book and its Authors

  • Details date of Sanadhya’s arrival (28 May 1893) and his later return to advocate against indenture.
  • Documented efforts and recognition among the Indian community in Fiji prior to his departure.
  • Important contributions mentioned, including the fight for the rights of Indians in Fiji, and his correspondence with Indian leaders.

Page 26

How to Read this Book

  • Advocated a thoughtful engagement with the text, considering audience, authorship, and underlying presuppositions.
  • Emphasized its polemic nature aimed at inspiring action.

Page 30

Girmit Reality as Described in My 21 Years

  • Illustrated common experiences of deception by recruiters and the harsh realities of plantation life.
  • Provided common themes including ill-treatment, loss of caste, and hardships faced by the girmitiyas.

Page 43

Outrages (atyachar) Against the Kabuli Pathans

  • Narration of cheating and brutality against Kabuli Pathans, illustrating general oppression of Indian laborers in Fiji.

Page 51

Hard Labour

  • Detailed the extreme conditions of plantation work underskilled overseers.

Page 68

Marriage Laws in Fiji

  • Analyzed issues of registration and legal recognition of marriages among Indians.

Page 77

Marriage and Relationships in Fiji

  • Outlined how caste dynamics influenced personal relationships, often leading to violence and conflict.

Page 101

Conclusion and Recommendations

  • Provided a summation of the call for abolition of the indenture system and emphasized Indian community resilience.
  • Highlighted the importance of continuing advocacy for the rights of those in similar oppressive systems.

Page 139

The Haunted Line and Its Significance

  • A poignant recounting of the personal struggles faced in the coolie lines and the resilience shown through spirituality.
  • Reflected on social relationships between men and women in the lines amid the backdrop of colonial oppression.