Blackbirding: Australia's Shame
"Slavery was not born of racism, rather, racism was the consequence of slavery."- Eric Williams
How many of you are familiar with the term blackbirding? The term is largely forgotten and one has to do a bit of research in order to find out about its origin and usage. Blackbirding", is a racist expression for the forcible enslavement of Pacific islanders from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, to work as indentured labourers on the sugar cane fields in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia and the Samoan Islands. The people of the South Pacific Islanders were scammed through trickery to work on sugar plantations primarily in Australia. It is safe to say that while many of us are familiar with the TransAtlantic Slave Trade which took place in the Caribbean and the Americas, only few of us are aware of the Pacific Slave Trade which was responsible for the displacement of thousands of South Pacific Islanders. Unlike other areas, where sugar labourers came from Africa and Asia, in Australia, these workers were part of the Pacific Passage. This particular type of slavery was carried out to supply cheap labour for the sugar plantations on Pacific plantations in New Caledonia, Fiji, Australia and the Samoan Islands. The captured Pacific Islanders were frequently deceived about the length of time for which they were “contracted” and the nature of their “contract”. The islanders were simply loaded onto slave ships at gunpoint. The captured islanders were collectively known as Kanakas, which means Person or Man in Hawaiian. These workers were essentially treated as slaves, but officially they were referred to as “indentured labourers”. Australia’s economy to a great extent was developed through the sweat, blood and tears of these enslaved people who were forcibly taken from their islands to work on sugar plantations, cotton farms, engaged in pearling, to labour on cattle stations and worked as household servants in Australia. The Pacific Islands were the source of labour for Australian sugar and cotton, including people from New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. Pacific Islanders also provided labour to Fiji, parts of Samoa as well as Peru. Some historical accounts stated that over 800 voyages were undertaken covering more than 80 islands. Some estimates say that upwards of a third of labourers are believed to have died on the sugar plantations; their deaths resulted from factors such as a lack of immunity to common European diseases and exhaustion. It should be noted that children were also taken during this period of enslavement. Children were kidnapped along with adults, and parts of Polynesia and the Micronesian islands had their male population significantly depleted. In 1872 the British Parliament introduced the Pacific Islanders’ Protection Act which outlawed “blackbirding”. Yet, the practice still continued until the early 20thcentury. The Act did provide for agents on British recruiting vessels, leading to stricter licensing procedure, and patrol of British-controlled islands. It is clear that the descendants of those who were exploited by Australia during the blackbirding period should now ask the government of Australia to pay reparations for these crimes against humanity. Australia needs to do the right thing. In the words of William Morris, no one is good enough to be another’s master.
@WayneCamo
#blackbirding #Australia #slavery #PacificIslanders #UN #reparations #sugarplantations #indenturedlabourers #Polynesia
How many of you are familiar with the term blackbirding? The term is largely forgotten and one has to do a bit of research in order to find out about its origin and usage. Blackbirding", is a racist expression for the forcible enslavement of Pacific islanders from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, to work as indentured labourers on the sugar cane fields in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia and the Samoan Islands. The people of the South Pacific Islanders were scammed through trickery to work on sugar plantations primarily in Australia. It is safe to say that while many of us are familiar with the TransAtlantic Slave Trade which took place in the Caribbean and the Americas, only few of us are aware of the Pacific Slave Trade which was responsible for the displacement of thousands of South Pacific Islanders. Unlike other areas, where sugar labourers came from Africa and Asia, in Australia, these workers were part of the Pacific Passage. This particular type of slavery was carried out to supply cheap labour for the sugar plantations on Pacific plantations in New Caledonia, Fiji, Australia and the Samoan Islands. The captured Pacific Islanders were frequently deceived about the length of time for which they were “contracted” and the nature of their “contract”. The islanders were simply loaded onto slave ships at gunpoint. The captured islanders were collectively known as Kanakas, which means Person or Man in Hawaiian. These workers were essentially treated as slaves, but officially they were referred to as “indentured labourers”. Australia’s economy to a great extent was developed through the sweat, blood and tears of these enslaved people who were forcibly taken from their islands to work on sugar plantations, cotton farms, engaged in pearling, to labour on cattle stations and worked as household servants in Australia. The Pacific Islands were the source of labour for Australian sugar and cotton, including people from New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. Pacific Islanders also provided labour to Fiji, parts of Samoa as well as Peru. Some historical accounts stated that over 800 voyages were undertaken covering more than 80 islands. Some estimates say that upwards of a third of labourers are believed to have died on the sugar plantations; their deaths resulted from factors such as a lack of immunity to common European diseases and exhaustion. It should be noted that children were also taken during this period of enslavement. Children were kidnapped along with adults, and parts of Polynesia and the Micronesian islands had their male population significantly depleted. In 1872 the British Parliament introduced the Pacific Islanders’ Protection Act which outlawed “blackbirding”. Yet, the practice still continued until the early 20thcentury. The Act did provide for agents on British recruiting vessels, leading to stricter licensing procedure, and patrol of British-controlled islands. It is clear that the descendants of those who were exploited by Australia during the blackbirding period should now ask the government of Australia to pay reparations for these crimes against humanity. Australia needs to do the right thing. In the words of William Morris, no one is good enough to be another’s master.
Wayne Campbell is
an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as
they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com@WayneCamo
#blackbirding #Australia #slavery #PacificIslanders #UN #reparations #sugarplantations #indenturedlabourers #Polynesia
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