Riya Mala 
Syria Shipwreck. [Picture: Supplied]
For decades, the victims of the tragic Syria shipwreck were lost to history, their names unrecorded, their identities largely unknown. Now, renewed academic efforts are working to bring those forgotten lives back into Fiji’s historical record.
Associate Professor at the University of the South Pacific, Margaret Mishra, says identifying the victims is a crucial step in preserving Girmit history and restoring dignity to those who perished in the disaster.
She explains that reconstructing the Syrian passenger list has been a difficult task, as no complete official record of the victims exists.
Mishra adds that instead, researchers have had to painstakingly piece together fragmented arrival and departure records to help descendants trace possible family connections and better understand who was aboard the ill-fated vessel.
Prof Mishra also acknowledged the vital role of iTaukei communities, including villages such as Nasilai, in rescuing survivors after the wreck, emphasising that the Syria tragedy is not only Indo-Fijian history, but a shared chapter in Fiji’s national story.
She is now calling on young people to delve into Fiji’s archives, urging them to uncover untold stories that continue to shape the nation’s identity and deepen understanding of its past.
