10. Introduction to Girmit

By the end of the first world war, Britain had accomplished transporting over two million indentured workers to over 19 colonies.  The indentured labour system or indentured service system was slavery reimagined and reinvented.  When you take a vast population who have little to no options, give them the promise of being able to provide for their families and more, and then take them to an unknown land that is already inhabited and force them to work long grueling hours with little nourishment, what else would we call that?  Indentured workers were manipulated and exploited by opportunistic and self-serving colonizers.  Today, the 60,500 Girmityas who were taken to Fiji have descendants there, but also in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, England, and you guessed it, Canada to name a few. Follow us on Instagram Producer: Mat Trewhit @mattrewhit Podcast: @noties1879podcast Angelene: @angelenekp Ashneil: @ashneilprakash