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South Sea Islanders
Australian descendants of Pacific Islanders / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about usage in Australia. For other uses, see Pacific Islander.
For a general context to this article, see White Australia policy.
South Sea Islanders, formerly referred to as Kanakas, are the Australian descendants of Pacific Islanders from more than 80 islands – including the Oceanian archipelagoes of the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Gilbert Islands, and New Ireland – who were kidnapped or recruited between the mid to late 19th century as labourers in the sugarcane fields of Queensland. Some were kidnapped or tricked (or "blackbirded") into long-term indentured service. At its height, the recruiting accounted for over half the adult male population of some islands.
Quick Facts Regions with significant populations, Languages ...
![]() Flag of the South Sea Islanders | |
![]() South Sea Islander labourers on a Queensland pineapple plantation, 1890s | |
Regions with significant populations | |
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Mackay · Bundaberg · Townsville · Brisbane · Gold Coast · Sydney | |
Languages | |
Australian English · | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Austronesian peoples |
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