'Australia's slave trade'

[David48atTD]

.
'Australia's slave trade': The growing drive to uncover secret history of Australian


Solomon Islander men who had just been recruited for labour on plantations in 1918.

Calls are growing for better recognition of Australian South Sea Islanders, many of whose ancestors were forcibly removed from
their Pacific Island homes in a practice known as "blackbirding" to work in appalling conditions on cane fields and cotton farms.

They cleared the land with their hands and machetes, cut cane, and were paid a pittance for their labour.



Descendants' community is thousands strong

The Australian South Sea Islander community estimates there are now more than 70,000 descendants of the original Kanakas living in Australia today.


South Sea Islander labourers in front of grass huts on a Queensland plantation in 1895.


'For most Australians, they don't exist'

The Australian Maritime Museum is putting together an exhibition focusing on the role of Australian South Sea Islanders in the nation's shipping industry.
Curator Dr Stephen Gapps said they had an important role in Australia, and should be acknowledged for it.

"We haven't told these sort of stories before," he said.
"The story of blackbirding is part of the overall Australian maritime history."


All the Story is here

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This story needs to be told. I've never heard of it before, certainly not taught in our schools.

The Italians came, cut cane and have a strong presence now in Northern Queensland, but they came a free men,
chasing jobs*




* The first Italians to arrive in North Queensland landed in Townsville in 1891.
A small number moved into the Johnstone area during the 1890s, although they came as tenant farmers and not labourers.
The first large group of Italian nationals seeking cane cutting contracts arrived c. 1907-08.

[baldrick]

didn't we have a thread about this about 3-4 months ago

[David48atTD]

didn't we have a thread about this about 3-4 months ago

I know what you mean, but my recollection was it was about the statues being taken down/relocated in the USA
and then a part of the thread morphed into some graffiti on James Cook Statue in Nth Qld.

But, if there is an existing topic, please add mine into it.

[sabang]

Well, at least Australia has become an enlightened nation since then.


Now, you've got Somali's, Sudanese & Afghans driving your cabs and buses, while living in government subsidized housing. Ain't progress grand.

[terry57]

The Italians are a hard working decent race of people.

They had fook all when they came to Australia and worked their bolliks off to be successful in their new life. Had many Italians in my street as a kid growing up.

The Coons on the other hand are given everything and have achieved fuk all except to cause continual problems in our society.

Fuk em long time.