Sunshine Coast Community kicks off recognition celebrations

On the 22 June 2019 the Descendants of Australian South Sea Islanders Inc (DASSI) hosted a community event to celebration and acknowledge the upcoming 25th anniversary of the national recognition for Australian South Sea Islanders. It was a wonderful day with cultural singing, dancing, feasting and a historical re-enactment of the blackbirding of South Sea Islanders from their home islands. Joining the celebrations were local Solomon Islander and Vanuatu communities.

It was a great day for people to come together and share the memories and acknowledge, the significance of 25 August 1994 as a monumental day for Australian South Sea Islanders. To help celebrate, DASSI with the support of Sunshine Coast Regional Council developed a pull-up banner exhibition entitled, Australian South Sea Islanders: Celebrating 25 years of national recognition. You can see this exhibition at Nambour Library until 5 July 2019.

The event was held at Muller Park, Bli Bli and attended by approximately 200 people from the Sunshine Coast region.

Imelda Miller - Engagement Officer, State Library of Queensland

Further reading

• Plantation Voices: Contemporary conversations with Australian South Sea Islanders exhibition at State Library of Queensland until 8 September