Table of Contents
In what industry did the kanakas work?
The islanders were first introduced into Queensland in 1847 for employment on cotton plantations; in succeeding years they formed the cheap-labour base on which the sugar industry was built. By 1900 more than 60,000 islanders had been recruited in a manner that often amounted to kidnapping.
How did the South Sea Islanders live and work in Australia?
Australian South Sea Islanders provided labour to help build local economies and key industries. They contributed to the development of farming and grazing, as well as the maritime industry, pearling, mining, the railways, domestic services and childcare.
Where do South Sea Islanders come from?
South Sea Islanders are the Australian descendants of Pacific Islanders from more than 80 islands – including the Melanesian archipelagoes of the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Vanuatu – who were kidnapped or recruited between the mid to late 19th century as labourers in the sugarcane fields of Queensland.
Why were Pacific Islanders needed in Queensland?
In 1863 a group of 67 South Sea Islanders were brought to Queensland to perform manual labour in the cotton and sugar industries. They were the first of more than 62,000 Pacific Island men, women and children who were transported to Australia over the next 40 years.
Who started blackbirding?
The blackbirding era began in Fiji on 5 July 1865 when Ben Pease received the first licence to transport 40 labourers from the New Hebrides to Fiji in order to work on cotton plantations.
When did blackbirding stop?
Blackbirding died out only in 1904 as a result of a law, enacted in 1901 by the Australian commonwealth, calling for the deportation of all Kanakas after 1906.
What language do South Sea Islanders speak?
English4
Language: Australian South Sea Islander people predominantly speak English4.
Why is it called blackbirding?
They came from 80 Pacific islands, including most of modern-day Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tuvalu and Kiribati. They were often underpaid and lived and worked in harsh conditions. This trade became known as ‘blackbirding’.