Indians in Fiji - The Name Debate

The Name Debate

Indians are defined by the constitution of Fiji as anybody who can trace, through either the male or the female line, their ancestry back to anywhere on the Indian subcontinent and all Government documents use this name,however, most Fijian indians have lost touch with the country or land their ancestors originated from or feel no connection with it, with the exception of Gujarati and Punjabi descent people who keep their caste traditions and direct contact, as well as keeping a separate identity and culture from the Fijian indian people or diaspora. However, a number of names have been proposed to distinguish Fiji-born citizens of Indian origin both from the indigenous inhabitants of Fiji and from India-born immigrants. Among the more popular proposals are Fiji Indian, Indian Fijian, and Indo-Fijian. All three labels have proved culturally and politically controversial, and finding a label of identification for the Indian community in Fiji has fuelled a debate that has continued for many decades. Other proposed names have been Fijian Indian and Fiji Born Indian.