Tommy Tanna

The film deals with the history and contemporary social impacts of blackbirding – the kidnapping and enslavement of South Sea Islander people to work on cane farms in Australia. Between 1863 and 1904, 62,000 South Sea Islander people were taken from over 80 different islands to work on farms in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Their story is largely unknown and unrecognised by most Australians.

The film aims to educate the people of Australia and the world about the circumstances of South Sea Islander people being brought to Australia, providing for a broader understanding and an acknowledgement of the impacts of colonialism and slavery in Australia.

Through the truth telling it provides an opportunity for South Sea Islander people to heal, reunite with family and feel a sense of belonging and recognition in our country.

In their words, the Australian South Sea Islander Community are “the forgotten people”. This film raises awareness of Australia’s involvement in the global slave trade and highlights the trauma still felt in communities both in Australia and the South Sea Islands. Our hope is that this facilitates conversations at the individual, community and systemic levels resulting in: Individuals and communities gaining a sense of closure as their story is acknowledged; Challenging and expanding our collective understanding of our history; The development of curriculum resources to include the Australian South Sea Islander story in our history teachings; Discussion around the continued exploitation of foreign workers in Australia and globally; Acknowledgement from State and Federal governments of Australia’s history of blackbirding and the contribution of South Sea Islanders to the success of modern Australia; Raising awareness and funds for partner organizations providing community support (TBC)

We are early in the process of seeking partnerships for the film, particularly with South Sea Islander organisations. These relationships will be key to the ongoing development of the project and the impact campaign, both in identifying key story and characters, but also in identifying the key impact goals and what’s needed to achieve them.

We hope that viewers will undertake further independent research into the history of blackbirding in Australia; have conversations with friends and family (particularly children) about their learnings from the film and about the broader history of Australia’s involvement in the slave trade; have conversations with friends and family about the continuing exploitation of foreign workers in Australia and globally; engage directly with partner organisations (TBC) in support of campaigns that increase the welfare of the South Sea Islander community; engage directly with local/state/federal members regarding a formal acknowledgement of Australia’s history of Blackbirding; engage directly with local/state/federal members regarding the removal of statues/place names commemorating the perpetrators of blackbirding in Australia; and seek positive engagements with the South Sea Islander and other marginalised communities.