Girmit stories- The inspirational story of Peer Bi

My great grandmother Peer Bi was amongst the girmitya that came to Fiji from India by the ship named Chenab2 and were taken to Navua to work on a sugar cane plantation, whether it was rain or sunshine, she left home early to work on the farms and sometimes would return home late after finishing her task. She faced some very difficult times but somehow she survived while most of her friends did not.

After a few years she moved to Nadi town from Navua, with her husband and her daughter they were running sweets groceries and tailoring shop in main street Nadi. She was the first Muslim Indian to run a sweets, groceries and tailoring shop in main street Nadi town. Later she bought a freehold land in Saunaka Nadi.

Peer Bi was very hardworking, determined and independent woman. She was 120 years old when she passed away at her residence at Saunaka Nadi on 29th of April. We are so proud of our ancestors, our nani (maternal grandmother) Peer Bi. She is the reason we are here today and she is the pride of our family.

– This story and picture were supplied by Sofia Sahinaz.