This week marked 142 years since the British took Indians to Fiji to work as labourers on sugar plantations.
Now the Kiwi community says it's time the New Zealand Government recognised them as Pasifika people.
At the moment they're recorded in official research by their ethnicity, whereas many would rather be recorded by their nationality.
For the Fijian-Indian community in Auckland, traditions are important. They're gathering as they would in Fiji to celebrate the Hindu festival of Navaratri.
But 142 years have passed since their ancestors were taken to Fiji to work on sugar plantations and some traditions have changed.
"The music has evolved over time, religious practices, weddings have evolved over time. While we've maintained Indian roots, there has been a Pacific flavour that has gone into it," says Krish Naidu, president of the Fiji Girmit Foundation New Zealand.
Over the last century there have been four coups in Fiji spurred by tensions between ethnic Fijians and Indian Fijians.
Many Fijian-Indians left the main island as a result of the conflicts. And the latest census data shows there are an estimated 15,000 Indo-Fijians in New Zealand.
But the Ministry for Pacific Peoples doesn't acknowledge them as Pasifika.
"Our Rotuman brothers and sisters, our indigenous brothers and sisters, while they are part of the Pacific classification, Fijian-Indians are lumped under Asia," Naidu says.
Naidu says there are real-life implications in not being recognised as Pasifika.
"As Fijian-Indians we are missing out on that research, on data collection."
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples has a COVID-19 fund for communities in need of support and language funds that Indo-Fijians aren't eligible for.
Government funding is also available for the health and education needs of Pasifika people.
"They should be entitled to the entitlements and the Pacific framework in New Zealand Aotearoa," says Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon.
The Race Relations Commissioner says it's important the government correctly classifies the community.
"I think Fijian-Indian people actually know who they are, they say they're Pacific people. They are only not recognised in New Zealand as Pacific people," Foon says.
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples says it acknowledges the concerns of the Fijian-Indian communities.
In a statement it wrote: "The Ministry is looking into this matter, working with the Office of Ethnic Communities. It is not in a position to provide further comment."
The Minister, Aupito William Sio, declined an interview. His office informed Newshub he is still awaiting advice from the Ministry.
But for the Fijian-Indian community the solution is clear.
"It is a Ministry of Pacific People and therefore should include people who have biological Indian traits," Naidu says.
And who have lived in the Pacific Islands for up to seven generations.
