Page 34 - Fiji Traveller 9

Journey to the roots

By Rowena Singh brought to Fiji during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
After each performance, Freeman found herself meeting
Nadia Freeman, also known by her artistic moniker 'Miss more artists exploring Girmit culture and history through multiple
Leading', is a writer, poet, and electronic music producer. Her mediums. This led to Freeman collaborating with Shivani Karan,
performance piece 'The Girmit' is her first creative exploration Seema Singh and Padma Naidu to curate ‘Hidden Inheritance’,
into the untold histories of the Fijian Indian diaspora, using an exhibit that explores the themes of Fijian Indian diaspora
electronic music. and inter-generational trauma through textiles, paintings, virtual
“My curiosity about my heritage made me start researching reality, photography and performance art.
Girmit history,” says Freeman who began looking at the
history of Fijian Indians in early 2022. The archives she found The Girmit Project: A storytelling experience
and the stories she read, led to a deep desire to build more 'The Girmit' is more than just music; it is an emotional and
awareness about her ancestors and their legacy. This led to the cultural exploration of the Girmityas' experiences—marked
development of The Girmit Project, a powerful mix of electronic by deception, hardship, and hope. Freeman uses objects tied
music and poetry that brings to life the often-overlooked history to this history, like sugar cane and conch shells, to create live
of indentured Indian laborers—known as Girmityas—who were soundscapes that help her audience connect with the story.

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