The BMRG and Australian South Sea Islander project Island Footprints was broadcast on ABC Radio National's Hindsight program on Sunday 17 October, 2004 at 2pm [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/history/hindsight/stories/s1218032.htm].

Island Footprints

Over a forty year period from the mid 19th century, nearly sixty thousand men were brought to Australia from the islands in the Western Pacific-their labour would provide the backbone for the establishment of the sugar industry in Queensland. This is a story about survival, family, faith, and the South Sea Islanders' long struggle for recognition.

This project was produced as a one hour radio documentary produced for ABC Radio National's Hindsight program, and was also re-formatted into short segments for ABC Wide Bay and Soundbank distribution nationally.

The objectives for this project

The program was intended to be a voice for Australian South Sea Islanders (ASSI) from the Wide Bay/Burnett region to share their stories and memories. They are a distinct group of descendants of Pacific Island labourers brought to Queensland in the 19th century primarily to work in the cane fields but unlike tropical cane-fields of the far north, the unique story of this region had not yet been told. Listeners will gain an intimate glimpse into the experiences of a people whose lives helped shape the development of South-East Queensland.

Recognition for Australian South Sea Islanders (ASSI) has been a long time coming - it was not until 1994 that the Federal Government recognized them as a distinct ethnic group with their own history and culture and not until September 2000 that the Queensland government made a formal statement of recognition.

For Islanders, formal recognition carried the promise that their history would be recorded and preserved to raise understanding of the contribution generations of Islanders have made. Yet there is still much to be learnt and understood about ASSI culture and heritage.

This project will help to ensure that the stories of South Sea Islanders in the Wide Bay/Burnett region are recorded and shared before they are lost. This is becoming particularly important as much ASSI history and knowledge of culture continues to be lost with the passing of generations of Islanders.

The Bundaberg Media Research Group of Central Queensland University has been working closely with the Wide Bay/Burnett ASSI community to find ways to reverse this trend.

This project aimed to capture a record of memories which will add to a more complete account of the history of a multicultural nation. Such a record encourages respect for diversity, and builds greater awareness and appreciation of a rich culture and heritage.

project managers: Phillip Roe and Helen Ester

executive producers: Karl Neuenfeldt , Helen Ester and Seth Keen

research and radio consultant: Carole Colville

interviewers: Carole Colville and Karl Neuenfeldt

research and production assistants: Deirdre Fagan-Pagliano , Lionel Evans and Jonathan Pagliano

cultural advisor: Matt Negus (Bundaberg and District South Sea Islanders Action Group Inc.)

post-production team: Karl Neuenfeldt , Carole Colville , Jonathan Pagliano