Girmityas are descendents of
indentured Indian labourers brought to
Fiji to work on
sugarcane plantations for the prosperity of the
European settlers and save the Fijians from having to work on these plantations and thus to preserve their culture. "Agreement" is the term that has been coined into "Girmit", referring to the "Agreement" of the
British Government with the
Indian labourers as to the length of stay in Fiji and when they would be allowed to go back to India.