Most grassroots Indo-Fijians these days speak Fiji Hindi – an adaptation of the formal Hindi spoken in India and certain educated circles in Fiji, including Hindu religious devotees. But Biman Prasad – the NFP leader and sidelined deputy prime minister awaiting trial on criminal charges – wants formal Hindi, along with vosa vakaviti spoken by iTaukei, to be compulsory subjects in the nation’s schools.
Grubsheet will leave the argument over this proposal to our readers on the comments page. But let’s make a pitch for the proper teaching of the English language – Fiji’s common language. Because the current standard of spoken and written English is woeful, even in our institutes of higher learning.
To use Professor Prasad’s logic, we shouldn’t be encouraging “Fiji English” – as it is spoken by most people – but the formal English of the birthplace of the language, Britain.
Here’s a lesson on how English should really be spoken from a man who is no longer with us – the British art critic, Brian Sewell, who the late Queen Mother described as being more posh than the royals.
Yes, let’s force this on our school children, along with formal Hindi as spoken in India. Because to Grubsheet, at least, it makes just as much sense.
That sounds like it will really give the kids a leg up in the job market when they leave school.
As long as they can find a job as a translator.
Even Fiji Indian kids born overseas love Fiji Hindi. Mix around and you will see the laughter and funny words they use. Biman will be pocketing thousands by introducing his own people in this program.
Whenever I have listened to Biman, he can neither speak Hindi, nor English particularly well and I dont think he knows many words of the Fijian language either.
Looks like these politicians have their priorities consistent with those parading in or out of court everyday. Totally wrong! In any event most indo Fijians are glued to Hindi drama shows on Sky at all times. No need for formal lessons. Not many bother with substandard local content.
The alleged “Professor” is an idiot. The ass-clown hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about and assumes that he has in-depth knowledge about linguistics to make such demands.
Fiji Hindi is a language of its own and derives its origins from Bihar and Uttar Prdesh; these being the main areas from which the original Indians were kidnapped and brought across to work the cane fields in Fiji. If Biman travels to places such as Trinidad and other countries where Indians were brought in as labourers, he will find the Hindi spoken by the Indians there almost identical to the version spoken in Fiji. And, those Indians are proud of their dialect and their heritage.
Experts who have studied the Fijian language also know that the language is a deep, rich and diverse one with different dialects so the lecherous alleged Professor really needs to take a step back on this one and focus on his lamb chops prices, corruption court case and pacifying his wife who still has thunder clouds around her after she discovered, through public channels, the Professor’s sordid messages to the wife of his former party member.
Perhaps all this is a ruse simply by the alleged Professor to distract the people from the real crisis on their doors as fuel runs out in Fiji and panic slowly sets in.
Bimaan chutiya has always been disconnected with the Indo-Fijian society…when he could get equality for them, he sold them out..what will he achieve with this new debate he is creating…we are all fine with Fiji Hindi so much so that there are Hindi Radio Stations using this language…So ladau professor should shut up and count his days of ending up in Orange uniform..
“A sad reminder of how religion manages to spoil everything” – and that is very true for Fiji.
The reality is, Fijians pretend too much. They have taken up a vulagi religion and vulagi laws with a lot of passion pretending to know everything about it in only a 150 or so years. But the reality is quiet different and that is why Fiji is where it is.
Both have made them from proud cannibals to donkeys now who cannot fit into the modern world.
And pray tell where will this chutiya get the Hindi teachers from. I don’t believe we have more than 5 in Fiji. Or is he going to get his unemployed friends from perhaps India via Sami and Chorwa Ganesh?
My mother tongue is Urdu and many of the Islamic faith would choose Urdu over Hindi.
Speaking Urdu is akin to poetry.
Earlier days of my learning about Fiji had me thinking it was quite harsh that children (both Indo and itaukei) spoke their mother tongue up until school age, after which they were expected to (some would say forced) to learn in English.
Many years later I reflect on this system differently. The children are linked to their mother tongue until aged 5, and can continue to connect with their family in their mother tongue which meets their cultural identity needs. Yet they then have the opportunity to learn English at school and it is this opportunity that will give them the opportunities in life they need to thrive.
This is one of the few systems in Fiji that actually works well, and Biman wants to change it. Likely story!
Language is an important discussion. It’s certainly more important than what the Sunday Times had on page one last week: “Up close and personal with Oprah.”
That’s feeble Fred Wesley for you. He has the news sense of a donkey!
Even members of the public like me, who do not have a background in journalism, have a better sense of news than the editor of what I believe is the largest newspaper in Fiji and the Pacific.
People are having a field day on social media making a mockery of the newspaper. It sums up the pathetic state of media, legal fraternity and politics in Fiji.
With headlines like that of the Sunday Times, one is convinced that Fiji has truly gone to the dogs.
Not a fan of Biman, but I support the continuation of the current Hindi teaching in Fiji schools. I am proud of my Fiji-Hindi but there are no text books available to support teaching this language. There is so many regional and cultural variations so what is the Fiji Hindi to be taught in schools? Will we gain see the discriminations of the Girmitiya era?
Read the Sunday times letter on this.
E Baimaan, tum maha Bard C_ _ _ d hai re. Tum apan ghare auratiya se shud Hindi me baat karat ho ke Fiji hindi me ? Tor Baap aur Mai kabhi shud hindi me kabhi baat karin rahe. Bada aya hai shud hindi sab ke sikhaye! Chuutiya kahin ke. Tor paas dimag nahin re sala tor moord me sab tatti bhara. Lund na Professor hai tum. Apan degree ketna me kharida raha.
Ee sub john hum likha hai tum shud hindi me sakhta likhe? Maadar C_ _ _ D.
I obviously have no idea what this means but I have allowed the comment because Alvin has a real name. If it is offensive, can someone please let me know so I can throw him into the boiling oil with the samosas and pakoras? 😉
It is not offensive at all. It is the whole truth. Haha.
On behalf of the rest of us, Alvin you’ve nailed it mate.
Not offensive at all GD but simply the truth. Does this dope actually speak to his wife in Sanskrit at home or to the baigan seller in the market?
This double crossing cretin from the back blocks of Labasa, claiming some sort of formal qualification from a ‘university’ known for its internal back slapping and favours expected and duly delivered, dares take the Bhojpuri/Bihari based local lingo off a proud race of Girtmiteers when he has already sold their right to equal recognition as Fijians ?
Perhaps those coming for him in the shower blocks in Naboro will understand when he screams NO in ‘formal Hindi’.
The sooner he gets locked up the earlier we can celebrate.
Biman Prasad – don’t mix religion with language. Up to his signature Hindu vs M………antics again.
Fiji Hindi is merely conversational Hindi..it has no script.
Shudh (original) Hindi has a script derived from the “mother of all Indo-European” languages, Sanskrit.
Hindu texts such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata etc are written in Hindi, and also explained in conversational Fiji Hindi at religious gatherings.
BTW I vivdly recall, as a former news reporter with the FBC back in the day, when I covered the visit to Fiji by the late Prime Minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi in 1981, whereby she acknowledged and recognised conversational Fiji Hindi as another dialect of Hindi having evolved in the sugar cane field’s by our Girmityas, the indentured labourer’s.
She did that in her speech during the welcoming ceremony accorded to her by the high chief’s of Fiji at the National Stadium in Suva.
We treasure our Fiji bhaat (Fiji Hindi language) which is now also spoken by a great number of iTaukei..just as a great number of Indo-Fijians converse in the iTaukei language..especially in the West.
Both shudh Hindi and iTaukei ought to be taught in schools.
In many respects we are fortunate to be able to speak three languages.
Be that as it may, English, our main language of communication, both spoken and written, should never be discounted.
You are an idiot reporter to not understand language stands on its own grammar and Fiji Hindi has a rich heritage of its own including Fijian and English into its Hindi Urdu and regional roots. Part of the Hinduvta Brahman by boat idiocracy.
*Part of the Hinduvta Brahman by boat*
From a chamar professor no less. We’ve been down this road before. The issue will die down much as the chamar thingamagic in his big pants.
One can guarantee this idiot chamar professor is trying to stay relevant and get back in the “news” that he and his media cronies control by $1.7m grants. I have the means of total editorial control of the Viti Times toilet paper.
Easy for chamar to appear in the toilet paper controlled by the NFP lackey who doubles up as chamaars defense attorney. Neither of the two can string together coherent shudh hindi to save their asses from the lovo!
Additionally, the nutty professor should declare his real agenda–other than appeasement, and vote buying bleating. He must plan a “grant” to his special labasian buddy’s institute to teach these courses.
You sold us out you bastards as a minority people and now want to espouse our language? Epitome of a demonstrable fkwit ever there was one.
Wait until your action or lack thereof finally make the Indos second class citizens, just as the father of all bastards and Naga Snake tried to in his short-lived 1990 racist document.
If this chor chamàar gooos chamari professor feels so passionate about the language of the very people he has repeatedly betrayed, then why does he not lead by example and speak it in parliament
Rotten bastards are all not forgetting the treacherous ex-FFP Indo mp’s who sold out for the proverbial 30 pieces. Chamaars, all of you bastards.
We hope you like all the Fiji-Hindi words used here for you parliament chamaars benefit.
Doob marro sab!
How did this guy ever become a Professor and you have to wonder about the idiots who voted for this dimwit. His recent crap about formal Hindi demonstrates how disconnected and how ill-informed he is with the Fiji Indian community.
Secondly, me suspects this lunatic is well connected with the Hindutva, the BJP morons, and RSS of India. If you thought the hate campaign by Baimaan and NFP towards Muslims and Aiyaz was a shocker, then you’re in for a lot worse to happen if Baimaan succeeds in this fu*kery.
Vote this MF out and kick his ass out of politics for good. This sexual predator does not represent the Indo Fijian community nor should this sexual harasser ever be back in Parliament.
I hope those girls who were his victims in university days eventually speak out one day. We need to start a #MeToo movement against Baimaan.
“Predator Baimaan” is a more fitting and appropriate title as opposed to Professor Baimaan.
#PredatorBaimaan
As I’ve said all along, Biman and his ilk don’t believe in democracy. They were just out to remove Aiyaz..he’s bowing down to the VHP in saffron draped scarf speaks for itself. By the way, the VHP has been designated a terrorist organization by the US.
Do your research. Fiji Hindi is a unique language of our Girmitiyas with grammar and context from its evolution as a Koine plantation language. Linguistic academic work exists since 1950s. This is a BJP Baimaan Jhoothah Prasad Hindutva style attack on our language and Girmitiya legacy. Kaise Baat.
Most indo-fijians aspire to migrate to NZ, Australia, USA and Canada. Hindi is of no value in the employment sectors in these countries unless it is in international relations.
Even with Fijian hindi we can converse fluently with indians from india, pakistanis, napalese, afghanis and butanese.
Even in India many states do not speak hindi nor is it their official language eg Maharashtra (mumbai), Goa, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Bengal ect. Hindi is official language of 12 out of 28 states. In south, people dont even understand hindi!
Professor and hair brain ideas😶🌫️. OR is it being divisive?
The effort should be on enhancing spoken and written English, the standards of which are deteriorating.
Biman is a Dickhead with his dumb ideas.
When all the citizens of Fiji become totally proficient in the English language, then and only then we should think of introducing the vernacular be taught at our schools. Even then, it should be optional and not compulsory to take on. The students and their parents decide, not Biman or the politicians.
One just has to watch the TV news in the evening and listen for oneself the poor standard of spoken English. The same with the newspaper reporters. Heaps of errors in the written format too.
Can Biman tell us what language do all the PALM workers get their instructions in Australia or the RSE workers in NZ. It is definitely not hindi or i-taukei. The same when our students go study there, it is in English. We read and fill all official forms and applications in English, not hindi or i-taukei.
Bimaan first go learn to present ur own case properly and understand your own situation tab Jayeke Hindi class lena makachodo bimaan
The notion that the Indian language is even being discussed here, as an official language of Fiji is so wrong and PC leaning, it’s comical and farcical. There should only be itaukei and English (working language more or less) taught and made official languages of the country. Then we wonder why there is so much racial tension in Fiji. The immigrants refuse to integrate, learn the indigenous language and culture, and somehow over the years, have hoodwinked everyone into thinking it’s politically correct to include an immigrant and alien language in the political and national discourse. Protecting the itaukei culture and language should be paramount for any right minded government. There is only one mother country of the itaukei. The immigrants, have their own “mother” countries where their language and cultures are kept alive. This false narrative that the Indian language is even considered an official language is careless and inaccurate.