Blackbirding descendants fight for Australian South Sea Islander recognition | ABC Australia

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For Aunty Doris Leo, advancing the rights of Australian South Sea Islanders has been a lifelong labour.
Now aged in her 80s, her work has taken on a renewed urgency to educate younger Australians about the nation’s shameful blackbirding era before her generation passes on.
“Not a lot of people knew about the history of blackbirding days,” Aunty Doris said.
This week marks 27 years since the Commonwealth Government formally recognised Australian South Sea Islanders (ASSI) as a distinct cultural group.
Recognition was a turning point for South Sea Islander people, a community born out of the legalised slavery of Pacific Islanders from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands in a practice known as blackbirding.
Ms Leo’s brother-in-law, Uncle Butch Leo remembered the meetings held at his family’s property in Nerimbera - just outside of Rockhampton.
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[@tomwerner389]

I went to Katoomba High School in 1984 and my English teacher was a friend and something of a mentor to me. I used to meet him on weekends at the local rifle club and one day he said that when he was at teacher's college in 1960s, he and other teachers were warned by the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NSW, that if they ever mentioned anything about the history of slavery in Australia to their students they'd be immediately dismissed.

[@PopEddie]

We all look like family Australia and Vanuatu 🇻🇺 ❤️ love you all☺️☺️💯

[@amywas1]

As much as we like to maintain romantic notions about bushrangers and the early settlers, the truth is that Australia was a brutal and savage place, much of which has been buried and forgotten. The history of slavery and transportation reaches deep into our past and is deeply connected with the transatlantic slave trade. Blackbirding was it's last gasp here in Australia: the supply ships of human labour coming from England were stopped so the culprits looked to the Pacific in order to continue their insatiable practices of greed and inhumanity at whatever price it took. I wish a lot more people would pause for a moment and reflect on the lives of those poor forgotten souls who suffered under it. What it was to live in a country where human beings were used as beasts of burden, were branded, flogged and starved enduring unimaginable torment. It can make for some very sobering reflection; if you can stomach it.

[@juliawalkerthompson5681]

Please kindly continue posting your much appreciated videos

[@monwell250]

My ancestors came from Tanna Island to work for Pearl and beachdeme. My ancestor Kaio came as a 14yr old boy to the Torres Straits. Billy Namok and descendants also made St Paul's Community home on Moa Island. Tanna family of Halifax are our relations 🙏🏽

[@D-Rizzle653]

My family are from Darnley/St Paul island (Morrison) and Namoks are our family too,

[@haatpraat2993]

I'm UK born of black Jamaican immigrant parents. I never knew this also happened Down Under. It has certainly dented my admiration for Australia.

[@jennyhenry387]

It is right and just that Australian South Sea Islanders are recognised and their story is told and remembered. Their descendants are a blessing for Australia. May they live long and prosper.

[@MIck-M]

Some guy from Scotland emigrated here and began the whole thing. Benjamin Boyd (had to look him up) was a Scottish colonist who wanted cheap labourers to work on his huge pastoral leases in NSW. We focused on this topic a lot throughout the 70's at school.

[@urimoli1441]

Hi can anyone told mi were is the office of the south sea island, iam indigenous from Vanuatu 🇻🇺 ,and now iam in banderberg

[@shivagoundan8886]

I'm Indo-Fijian and we have pretty much the same history. Was this under the CSR aswell?

[@eyahss7031]

Thousands of Islanders, Melanesian, Micronesian and Polynesian.

[@lucasjimmy5919]

I'm a ni-van I recognise those family name

[@grahamjohnbarr]

The TSI's were thought of as part of the SSI's until Marbo. Until Marbo the Australians Aboriginals fought against recognition of TSI's. They were shunned the TSI's.

[@Makeup2456]

My ancestors are from Samoa slaves sent from Samoa to Ireland during black bird. Ironically my name is Kura

[@p0ooLahH]

Please share your story…it would be amazing if you share it to the world who has willing ears to hear your burdens of the past..I’m a research historian so those kind of stories are seldom heard of. Please share it we hardly find anything but we are keen to hear some awesome historical tales of our peoples who struggled from modern slavery.❤

[@beam6229]

Them our people who was in slaved thier in Australia