Last week, we began exploring the shifts in attitudes toward life and education over the years, particularly noting how generational changes have influenced these perspectives. We focused on the baby boomer generation, defined by researchers as those born between 1946 and 1964, and how their upbringing impacted their orientation towards life. This generation emerged from a context of destruction, deprivation, and struggle for survival, which fostered strong bonds within families and communities, leading them to prioritize relationships and spending time with loved ones.
Several readers reached out for clarification regarding the connections drawn between the global struggles after 1945 and the challenges faced by the Girmitiya, especially in Fiji. Let’s examine the Girmitiya’s hardships and how these experiences shaped the perspectives of their offspring in comparison to the baby boomers.
The Girmitiya were brought to Fiji and other locations from India to work in plantations, aimed at making British colonies economically viable. Between 1879 and 1916, around 56,000 Girmitiya arrived in Fiji, responding to a growing demand for laborers. Recruitment practices were highly exploitative and only ceased once colonial officials acknowledged the injustices faced by the Girmitiya after reports surfaced detailing their mistreatment.
Instead of delving into the injustices faced by the Girmitiya, I will focus on the lives of their children, the first-generation offspring who coincided with the baby boomer generation. The labor system halted in 1921, five years after its abolition in 1916, allowing these first-generation Girmitiya to pursue a livelihood as contracted cane farmers, laborers, or artisans. Though their legal constraints were lifted, they still faced an unwelcoming socio-political and economic environment, where companies exploited them in their dealings and access to legal aid was virtually nonexistent.
This exploitation fueled a desire for social change, motivating the next generation to establish schools and advocate for political representation. The children of the Girmitiya mirrored the struggles of the baby boomers, producing many of the country’s leading professionals.
Following World War II, the baby boomers played a crucial role in reconstruction efforts across Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, which had been devastated by the war. U.S. funding was pivotal in these efforts, complemented by local labor as societies worked to recover from the destruction left in the war’s aftermath.
India also figured prominently in this post-war context due to its long independence struggle from Britain, which had intensified during the war, resulting in significant loss of life. The Indian National Army’s efforts aimed to leverage the war to expedite independence, achieved in 1947, but not in the form they had envisioned. This period of Indian independence inspired global movements toward self-determination.
As nations began focusing on rebuilding major infrastructure, a new desire for independence emerged, influencing national conversations. The work ethic cultivated during reconstruction allowed people to aspire towards regulatory changes within their nations, especially as baby boomers engaged in the independence movements alongside their colonial rulers.
Leaders from various countries, including figures like Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, and Nelson Mandela, who were all part of or influenced by the baby boomer generation, emerged to guide their nations towards independence.
Research has shown that the baby boomers are generally driven, goal-oriented, and motivated to work hard to attain their aspirations. Their challenging beginnings instilled a relentless work ethic characterized by perseverance amidst adversity, setting them apart as a distinct generation.
I will conclude this analysis of the baby boomer generation by discussing three additional traits identified in related research in future articles. Meanwhile, enjoy the current rugby seasons and the competitions ahead.