Longest-Living Girmitya Descendant, Gangamma, Receives National Recognition

Members of the public who turned up at the Lautoka Girmit Centre yesterday were impressed as 109-year-old Gangamma was honoured by the President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere with a medal and Certificate of Recognition.

Ms Gangamma was the oldest of the Girmitya descendants who were honoured at the 145th Girmit Remembrance celebration yesterday in Lautoka.

She lives at Solovi, Nadi, and has six children, 36 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren

“I am very happy to be here,” she said.

“If I am alive next year, I will come again. I am not aware of the year my parents arrived here they settled at Koronubu (Ba) When we first came in , we were greeted by a European man who looked after the family at that time when we first settled here,” she said,

“I have little memory of what happened then but I remember we did sugarcane farming.

“To the future generation: live a life of love, peace and harmony.

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