Glad you liked it. I’m preparing a vlog on the indenture system.

@@ThePaleBlueDot ....Nice looking forward...one love

@@naliniseecharan7630, well said. 🙏🏽🫶🏾

@@ThePaleBlueDot Don't 4get South Africa.

Of course, especially Durban. :)@@tibupanda3648

Yes, indeed. I've been amazed at the response in the Indian Diaspora worldwide to this vlog. People of Indian origin in Trinidad, Surinam, South Africa, Guyana, Mauritius, and other countries have been leaving fascinating comments like your own. I think I may be doing another one this weekend.

@@ThePaleBlueDot Maybe one day you'll make it to our Caribbean island and be blown away by our hospitality too

@@nigelboodhansingh6854 Would love to and perhaps do a wedding or other cultural vlog in the Indian community from there. My great-grandmother on my father's side was from Trinidad during the time of indentured Indian labour.

Hi Nigel, thanks for your most interesting and well described comment posted. I could not have said it better. I was born in Trinidad but have migrated. I do remember all the weddings that I attended while living on the beautiful island. This video brought back so many pleasant memories. Our culture brought to their new lands by our forefathers is still well and alive. Thanks for the blog Pale blue Dot. I enjoyed watching every minute of your video.

Namste Nigel ji, Do you know anything about your native state here in India. I can help you if you want to connect.

Yes! It's very big at Indo-Fijian weddings these days. 😃😃👍🏽😎👌🏽✌🏽

I'm glad you liked it! 😃👍🏽✌🏽

Thank you, Anne-Marie Debidien. One of these days I hope to record a Hindu wedding in Suriname. It would be an amazing experience.

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

Thank you! I intend to show more customs and traditions of Indo-Fijians. :)

@@ThePaleBlueDot really sir, my heart is always eager to see Indians who migrated far away. Love from India.

@@kroy8564 Thank you!

@@kroy8564 they were not migrated,they were taken by British to work as a slave in sugarcane farm in Fiji 🇫🇯 but the poor people were never sent back home to their families

@@anitadc1960 I really miss, my country brother and sisters. Be happy and safe.

Thank you very much! 😃🙏🏽👍🏽👏🏽👍🏽👏🏽🙏🏽

Thanks for watching, Narain. :)

I watch the video which is called londa hua re badnaam by asha bhosle

So glad you enjoyed it. 🫶🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽👍🏽👏🏽😃

It was tons of fun! What amazing people to treat me with so much courtesy even though I had just turned up!

Also better for communities....and more nature friendly

@@charuuppal7043 Absolutely! :)

U guys use bhojpuri 🥺

@@Aryan_Kashyap there is two main islands in Fiji 🇫🇯 the other island call vanua Levu ,people do talk Bohjpuri and the wedding is the same

Thank you, Ramesh. 😃

I hope to post more wedding videos, Bruh Bruh. It's always interesting to hear how Indo-Fijian weddings compare with other parts of the world.

@@ThePaleBlueDot yes 👍 💙

I hope one day to experience Indo-Caribbean weddings to really appreciate the similarities. 😃✌🏽👍🏽👌🏽🙏🏽

Thank you, Christiana. I had a gut feeling this vlog would have a big impact with the Indian diaspora community. I'm already planning to do more weddings, cultural functions, etc. as well as over other aspects of life of all communities in Fiji and the Pacific. There is a 'Girmit Centre' in the neighbouring city of Lautoka. 'Girmit' is a corruption of the word 'agreement' detailing the indenture experience of Indo-Fijians. Once Covid restrictions ease, they'll start having functions there and I will endeavour to do vlogs from there.

​@@ThePaleBlueDottxxx. I always wondered why they referred to the indenture contract as girmit

@@rashikagovindasamy8258 yes, “Girmit” was the Indian version of the English word, “Agreement”. 😃

Thank you! 😃🫶🏽👏🏽👍🏽👌🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽

Yes, totally agree. This family are so nice. They’ve got big hearts. 👍🏽👏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🫶🏽

Absolutely. That’s what I’ve learnt from other comments. I’m amazed at how similar they are.

So glad you liked it. There is more similar content on my channel. 😃

:)

Thank you, Jayraj! :)

@@ThePaleBlueDot My pleasure

Thanks for sharing Guyanese born, grew up in Essex,. In my 20 odd years , never got invited to any of my Mates wedding

Thank you, randy singh. I have been so pleased, even overwhelmed, with the response to the wedding vlog, I will endeavour to show more of such events.

That’s because our ancestors were from the same place in India. God knows some Guyanese, Trinidadian, Fijians and Surmaines are related

@@ThePaleBlueDot I was watching some videos of Independence for Fiji which is from you know 1970

@@mikey1313saveukraine Yes, I think I know the ones. I think they're Pathé News, right?

Thank you for watching. More to come.

We have many hindi temples, as well as mosques, gurudwaras, and churches; despite our population being less than a million.

@@purnimaram3543 Respect Madam thanks for your Quote We have Hindi temples which I am hearing for the first time in my life whereas all the temples in the world are called Hindu temples.

Yes, tradition very alive here in Fiji. Thank you for watching. 😃✌🏽🙏🏽👌🏽👍🏾👏🏽

I love them too! Hopefully, I’ll be attending a lot more in the coming months. Just missed one two weeks ago. Will make a point of vlogging all of them so stay tuned! 😃😃

Thank you, Lab. Glad you enjoyed it! 😃😃

Beautifully put, Charu! Thank you! I aim to put out more vlogs showing weddings, cultural events, etc. I've been so pleased with the overwhelmingly warm response (there have been a few haters but I've deleted their comments) that it's encouraged me to keep going! :)

@@ThePaleBlueDot I do want to add something else here. Since I have studied the indian diaspora, especially Indo-Fijians. Considering that they were brought and kept in such dire circumstances, it was almost impossible to hold on to family values and family life. Very few women were brought, men had to buy their wives. It is a testimony to Indian culture, and the hindu customs, that over a matter of few decades Indo-fijians overturned all that. Kept their values, brought women from hom and established the sanctity of family. No good societies without stable families. Families come with their issues but not having families and the potential of stability that they can provide is not an option. The core has to be maintained. I hope Indo-Fijians ignore bollywood movies that make fun of rituals. Every other movie today shows bride and groom getting cold feet, people running away from the alter, or mandap. These are ways to undermine what the wedding itself stands for. Unilke English and many other languages --in Sanskrit the word for wedding and married life is the same. Vivaah, meaning flow...married life then is a vehicle that carries on through life. Many ups and down, raising children keeps on busy....one wonders why they do it....and yet, grihasthas, those who willingly enter the 'yangna' of married life, are the ones who carry on a society, rituals and traditions. All the things that ultimately make living worth living. Thanks again for doing this.

@@ThePaleBlueDot yes, delete the hate comments. No need for them when you are spreading positivity ......thankyou

@@charuuppal7043 I agree. Thank you.

@@charuuppal7043 I can't wait to cover the next wedding or cultural event. I've already made a trip to the Girmit Centre in Lautoka to ask for a programme of events. Things are a little sluggish because of Covid but they will happen and I should be there to cover them.

Yes, other Guyanese contributors have also said so. 😃👍🏽✌🏽👌🏽. I'll be vlogging on more Indo-Fijian festivals as soon as they occur. It'll be interesting to see how they compare to those in the Indian Diaspora worldwide such as Guyana.

Thanks so much, Prem! 😊 There is so much beauty in the world that I want to show through my channel. 😃

Glad you liked it. 😃😃 There’s another one on my channel which went viral. Have a look.

Glad you like them, Donna! Lots more to come so stay tuned!

Absolutely!🙏🏽🫶🏽👌🏽🙌🏽👏🏽👍🏽

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽✌🏽👍🏽👆🏼👌🏽😃

Wow! Would love to see a wedding out there one day. My great-grandmother was from Trinidad. Ended up as an indentured labourer in Fiji. Long story.

Thank you! I hope to cover more of such fascinating events.

Still happening in Fiji. This is a lovely family. 😃

Thanks, Babita. I had such a great time. The families had such big hearts especially the first wedding I attended. I was like the guest of honour. And the food! Absolutely yummy!

Plse come to Mauritius. Here also it's the same. However, modernisation has its toll the preparation and celebration.

Yes, Indo-Fijians speak Hindi which is Bhojpuri in origin.

I wish KZfaq could give me the ability to give stars for comments! I liked yours so much! Yes, I DID describe it as a rural hamlet without realising it made me sound like I was in the English Cotswolds rather than just off the main road between Lautoka and Nadi. You’re absolutely right! I should have taken off my hat. I think I got caught up in the moment I forgot some of the niceties of the occasion. Yes, the food was amazing and the hospitality even more so. 😃😃

@Seta Waisavu Vinaka, Seta! :)

I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed them, Jace. Terrific fun and the hospitality was amazing.

Wow! Those guys can really play it! 😂😂

Vinaka, Vijay. I'll be investing in more equipment soon to raise my standards even higher. Yes, lots of rain...

Thank you for your informative comment. 😃🙏🏽👏🏽👍🏽🙌🏽👌🏽🫶🏽

I had to google "Tassa"! Now I know! :)

You should visit Fiji one day! 😃🙌🏽🇫🇯👌🏽🫶🏽

They're certainly very welcoming here.

Same as in Trinidad.......

@@supa7287 I hope to cover Trinidad one day. My great-grandmother was from there!

Thank you! :)

Great job by the tassa men

Thank you, XKIMB! Are you from West Papua?

Thank you too for watching, Lance. :)

It's my pleasure, Raj R! 😃😃

Thank you! You too! I see you're a James Bond fan! :)

Thank you! That's the feeling I got from other comments: that there is something very heartfelt about it. The families at both weddings were extremely kind to me.

Thank you, Nike.

I know. They're very addictive! 😂😂

Glad you enjoyed it, Saras! :)

It certainly was! It made for a very lively occasion!

They’re a really nice couple. 😃🙌🏽👌🏽🫶🏽👍🏽🙏🏽👏🏽

That's the beauty of weddings! 😎👍🏽😃

Thank you, Yung ming! :)

Yes, the kids called me uncle! 😂 Made me feel old! 😂

@@ThePaleBlueDot Haha You should do a fiji Indian wedding here in USA.

@@renumishra701 would love to!

Cheers, Alipate. :)

Thank you, Nisha Sook. In the future, I'll be posting lots more of the same to show how beautiful Fiji is and what an amazing world we live in. :)

@@ThePaleBlueDot tnx looking forward to it

Because we share the same culture our indentured ancestors brought from India so many years ago.

@@savitriragbir947 Well said. I will be attending lots more such events as soon as Covid eases up.

Hope you enjoyed it. 😃

Thank you! 🙏 😊

Yes, a common experience. 😃

Glad you enjoyed it, Jag. :)

Thank you! 🙏🏽

Proud brothers and sisters of the Indian diaspora. 🙏🏽🫶🏽👏🏽😃👍🏽

Glad you liked it. 😃👍🏽

Thank you! Cheers!

Thank you! 😃👌🏽🫶🏽👍🏽

Thank you! Cheers!

Thank you, Kuldeep!

Thank you. 🙏🏽 😃🫶🏽👏🏽

Thank you, Raj. 😃👍🏽👌🏽 😎 I could have a few more wedding videos coming up soon (I prefer weddings like the one in this vlog where people are so humble and hospitable). I've got so many stories to convey about Fiji. I just need to build up a bigger subscription base before I really launch myself. Eventually, I want to focus on Fiji and the rest of the Pacific (Pasifika). I will have to go back to Italy for a few months to tie up some legal issues regarding my apartment there but rest assured I will be vlogging from Italy ('A Fijian in Matera' will make for some interesting stories!). And possibly Colombia before returning to Fiji. But there are many, many more stories to come!

My pleasure, Upendra. I hope to cover many more weddings.

Thanks!😃

Thank you!

Sure! I'll get around to it at some point. :)

So glad you enjoyed it, Avanish. 😃 Take care.

Yes, that's what I've been told. I would love to cover a wedding in Surinam one of these days.

Thank you! I hope you’re following me too! 😎🙏🏽🇫🇯👍🏽

Ofcourse ! I have subscribed you and no doubt I am your new follower. We don't see much of fiji in villagers and streets. I'm a fiji born and bred, residing abroad. Keep up the good work my friend 👏

@@harbanshurst3302 Thanks! I will do! Lots of history here! 😃

Tastes better with fingers!

It was delicious!

There’s more dancing in my latest wedding vlog which I’ll upload in about two days! 😃

Thank you! 🙏🏽🙏🏽😃

They’re the best ones!

🫶🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🫶🏽

Yes, correct. 😃🙏🏽

Yes, of course. :)

Nice guy!

I wish I was around to cover it, Rohan! :)

@@ThePaleBlueDot it was a great Fijian wedding! Even though I'm Fijian, I'm very happy I was happy to marry my wife in lautoka. I am from Canada, and about 40 people from Canada flew over. We rented a Villa and was in Fiji for about a month

@@rohannaicker3743 Sounds like you had a great time! Good for you!

Glad you liked it. Thank you! 🙏🏽 😃

Vinaka Simione! :)

You welcome

Definitely Fijian, Tuka. I used the Indo-Fijian tag merely for convenience. Yes, my hat! My signature! Makes me look like Indiana Jones!

😄 but no one seem to care or mind as they probably know and understand you’re not from around 😁which is normal ! Kinda getting used to see you with that hat too (like a trademark) 😄👍🏽 keep it on buddy 👊🏽

@@tukstuimaba I now feel the hat is an integral part of me! :)

Thank you, Nirvana. 👌👌I’ve always been intrigued by how Indian diaspora communities celebrate cultural festivals in other parts of the world. 😃😃

@@ThePaleBlueDoti now i known for sure, that some of my indian relatives (nana and nanie) were dropped off in Fujii before reaching the shores of Guyana. They look so much like us indo Guyanese ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@@nirvanabhagwandin6327 Fascinating. My great-grandmother on my father's side was from Trinidad (in your neighborhood) before ending up in Fiji. She was part of that movement of people during the days of indentured labour.

@@ThePaleBlueDot Guyana , Trinidad, Jamaica to a lesser extent, have maintained their culture and triditions. At least you know where your roots are.😁

I just see this video and i thought it was guyana my country function and culture everything guyanese style. Happy new year

Yes, couldn’t resist. 😃