From Girmit to Permit

Welcome to our monthly seminars that provide a platform for wider debate around equality, migration, resilience, identity, culture and heritage.

This seminar is on the theme of 'From Girmit to Permit' and will held online via Zoom on Thursday 18 April 2024, 5.00pm to 6.30pm.

Keynote speakers:

Prof. Keshav Singhal MBE CBE will speak about the Girmitya project in Wales and Sue Tranka Chief Nursing Officer, Wales and Judge Ray Singh will share their memories and experiences of what it means to be a Girmitya descendent.

The story of Girmityas is also a story of triumph of human will and resilience over adversity, tyranny and gives a message of hope.

The term "Girmitya" is derived from the word "Agreement" (often pronounced "girmit" or "girmitiya") and is associated with the indentured labour system that brought 1.6 million Indian labourers to various colonial countries during the 19th and early 20th centuries following the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

Under this system, Indian labourers were recruited from regions in India, primarily from places like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They were required to sign a labour contract, which was often referred to as the "Girmit" or "Agreement." This contract bound them to work for a specified period (typically five years or more) under conditions that were often harsh and exploitative.

Most of them unable to return to their native land, continued working and settled in their adoptive lands, mostly Fiji, South Africa, Eastern Africa (namely Mauritius, Seychelles, Réunion, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda), Malaysia, Singapore, and the Caribbean (namely Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname).

The first transportation of indentured labourers took place on 18th January 1826 at the behest of sugar plantation owners in colonial territories who hoped for cheap labour that could be exploited under similar conditions as slavery but with a veneer of respectability provided by an agreement. By 1838, 25000 Indian labourers had been shipped to Mauritius.

Please contact wahproject@rcahmw.gov.uk if you would like further information. Telephone: 01970 621 234

This talk will be delivered in English.

Tickets will be limited and must be booked in advance.

All talks will be recorded, becoming available in due course on the Royal Commission’s YouTube channel.