Peceli Naviticoko 
A family in Labasa has been praised for their resilience and diversity after delivering a captivating performance of Hindi folk songs during the 146th Girmit celebration.
Apakuki Ratucoka, skilled in both Hindi songs and instruments, credits his evangelism work for his introduction to the music.
Ratucoka says although learning the lyrics was challenging at first, his dedication and practice allowed him to perfect the art.
“I’ve been doing evangelism work for Hindus, and that’s where I learned about playing instruments and singing in Hindi. It was quite hard at first, especially learning the wording, because it was not my mother tongue, so I have to keep learning, but over time I get the right tune and wording.”
Ratucoka adds that his children have also learned about the music, as it’s the only way to express inclusion of ethnicities in society.
He adds that the Girmitiyas coming to Fiji is not by accident; it was God’s plan for Fiji to learn about other cultures and live with other ethnicities, because they have helped build Fiji to where it is today.
Their performance highlighted the cultural richness and enduring spirit of the Girmitiya legacy.
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