Collective Values

Illustration of Esha Pillay (left) and Quishile Charan (right). Esha is wearing an orange sweater with thin silver hoop earrings. Her hair is let down and curly. Quishile is wearing a white blouse with multi-coloured hoop earrings. Her hair is tied back in a bun. Behind them are sugarcane fields and a black-reddish-purple night sky with bright stars.

Why are the Bad Fiji Gyals So Bad: Intentions and Goals of the Collective

Girmit has been told under a Western writing of history for generations, and the Bad Fiji Gyals actively dismantle colonial tactics that reinforce our generational silencing. We fight against any monolithic identity that forces different Girmit descendants, communities and experiences to fit into dominant Indo-Fijian narratives without questioning. We do not engage in romanticising our Girmit histories to further marginalise women, queer, trans, gender non-confirming (GNC) and non-binary (NB) ancestors and descendants.

Our collective centers this website primarily as an educational and anti-colonial platform to build ongoing sustainable networks of care and community work. We value transparency about our collective processes and goals, presenting stories with care and consideration and being context-specific with Girmit histories in Fiji. The collective works to be as responsible as possible with our research but as we are growing we know that we will also make mistakes. If any misinformation is shared, or our language is harmful, we will work to amend them and hold ourselves accountable.

The Bad Fiji Gyals have found strength and courage in learning more about our rebellious ancestors and dedicate space to healing and reconciliation for all Fijians (KaiViti/Indigenous and Indo-Fijian) living at home and the diaspora. We acknowledge that reconciliation is active in Fiji today and we hope to contribute our work and commitment to the community and Fiji.

We will not tolerate any sort of harmful, violent and bullying behaviors.

Full land acknowledgements

Viti

We want to acknowledge KaiViti/Indigenous and iTaukei communities across Viti (Fiji) and pay our respects to their elders of the past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their continuing connections to the Vanua, ocean and community. As Indo-Fijians, who are descendants of indentured labourers and Girmit, we recognise our responsibility to stand in solidarity with KaiViti/Indigenous and iTaukei communities in supporting and protecting the Vanua which is at the forefront of the climate crisis. Our collective is dedicated to working across KaiViti/Indigenous and Indo-Fijian communities as part of an ongoing process for reconciliation, collaboration and community work. While our histories and communities are not monolithic nor homogenous, or the same, we work to share and build on historical and continuing solidarities. Here are local organisations in Fiji to support:

Na i Nuinui Children's Charity Trust Fund

Alliance for Future Generations - Fiji

Tennis Fiji Outreach Programs

Aotearoa

I want to acknowledge the Mana Whenua of Tamāki Makaurau, Ngāti Pāoa; Ngāi Tai; Ngāti Whātua; Te Wai-o-Hua/Ngā Oho; Ngāti Te Ata; and Te Kawerau-a-Maki, whose stolen land I live and work from. As tauiwi (non-Māori) Indo-Fijian woman I recognise that I benefit from living on this stolen land in the settler state of New Zealand. As tauiwi I also seek to honour and commit to upholding Māori sovereignty in Aotearoa through our partnership in He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I recognise that my liberation is in solidarity with Tangata Whenua. Important Māori community initiatives to support are below, kia ora!

Support and stand in solidarity with: Ka Tu Au Mangatu - Indigenous Stand Against Corporation

Support: Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae

U.S.

I aim to break down all kinds of supremacy within the communities that I come from and that also means accepting how I benefit from living on stolen land in North America. I pay my respects to the Jalquin, Lisjan, Chochenyo and Karkin peoples (Ohlone communities across the East Bay, California) while knowing that all Indigenous and Black communities continue to face genocide, displacement and police brutality across the U.S. As an Indo-Fijian immigrant, I am in an ongoing process of being responsible in not furthering settler and colonial violence. One step is to learn more about Indigenous and Black communities from where you live and the community organizing/support people are leading. Below are organisations in the East Bay to support:

Pay Your Shuumi Land Tax

Support The East Oakland Collective