A trip back to Ambrym Island...

A great image...

Mixed Marriages...interesting information

Many of us, the descendants of those who were "blackbirded" are of mixed heritage... So it's interesting to come across this information Queensland Parliamentary Papers - Chief Protector of Aborigines Annual Reports Mixed Marriages The Aboriginals Protection Act provides that before a native woman can be married to a man other than an aboriginal, the written consent of the Chief Protector must be obtained. In following out the provisions of the Act in this respect, permission has been given to the several marriages set forth hereunder:— Emily, a half-caste woman, to a South Sea Islander. Childers. Rosie, an aboriginal woman about thirty years of age, to a white man. Duaringa. A half-caste girl, nineteen years, to a Tanna man. Bundaberg. A half-caste girl, about seventeen years, to a Rotuma man. Thursday Island. Baill, a native of Murray Island, about twenty-three years of age, to a Dative of Lifu, South Sea Islands. Thursday Island. Mary Ann, a half-caste girl, twenty-two years of age, to a Manila man. Atherton. Millie, an aboriginal woman, to a South Sea Islander. Mackay. Lucy, an aboriginal girl, about twenty-five years of age, to a white man. Springsure. Annie, a half-caste woman, to a white man. Mackay. Nida, a half-caste, to a South Sea Islander. Townsville.

Tonight I am going to the Solomon Islands…and I'm taking you with me ....

Whilst going through my library I came across a story I’ve read before, for about the fifth or sixth time, have not been able to stop reading, and will read again, and again, and again….it reminded me of my own “Putting my feet down on my island home” experience....so very special and very emotional and one significant and life changing event in my life I will never ever forget..

So I’m going to take a few snipets…leaving out family names as there are many descendants still living and prospering today, whom I am proud to say I know well and have much respect for…and I’m happy that they too have been able to experience “Going back home”….

“...When we landed on the runway at Honiara, I was almost sobbing.  My Heart – I can’t explain the feeling, the feeling that had invaded my body as I put my foot down in the Solomon Islands that first time…I had returned!!

I was ushered through Customs and out to see the Malaita people who had heard that I was coming…Every time I wanted to talk a great lump would come in my throat.

We could see the people looking at us, at my family and me.  They were very intrigued.

Then in Honiara we met a man and his wife and their son and daughter, and we had a great talk..

On Friday night we left Guadalcanal to go to the Island of Malaita…

I literally cried, I was so overcome with emotion. Here I was off the Malaita coast, and I was soon to land on the island my grandfather had come from so long ago.  I thought of my Dad.  How would he have felt if he had been able to come with me this morning, if he had seen this island, the land of his father?

I went ashore….and then I walked onto the land, the soil of Malaita.  Oh, Malaita, the land of my father.

The gentleman who had come to meet us said: Come brother, visit your land. Come see your place.

As I walked on Malaita for the first time, I bent down and touched the ground. 

On this day - Blackbirding in Peru

On this day – 2^nd October

Peruvian Blackbirding

The islanders on board of the "General Prim", and other ships were even not allowed to enter Peruvian soil. They were transferred to other ships chartered by the Peruvian government to bring them home. By the time, 2 October 1863, the Adelante (on which the Tongans were put) finally left, many had already died or were dying from contagious diseases. It seems that Captain Escurra of the Adelante (which had been one of the most successful slavers before!) had no intention of taking them home after being paid only $30 per head. Instead he dumped them on uninhabited Cocos Island, (absolutely not on the route to Tahiti), claiming that the 426 kanakas were affected with smallpox and were a danger to his crew. Some 200 were still alive when the whaler Active visited on 21 October. A month later the Peruvian warship Tumbes went to rescue the remaining 38 survivors and brought them to Paita where they were apparently absorbed into the local population.