The Forgotten Slavery of the Pacific: Blackbirding and Its Legacy

From the 1860s to the early 1900s, thousands of Pacific Islanders mainly from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea were forcibly taken or tricked into a brutal system called blackbirding.

Men and boys were kidnapped, lured with false promises, or coerced into leaving their homes. They were shipped off to plantations in Queensland, Australia, and other colonies to work under slave-like conditions harvesting sugarcane, cotton, and other crops.

These workers toiled long hours, often with no pay, little food, and harsh punishments. Many died from disease, violence, or exhaustion. Most never returned to their islands, and families were left wondering what happened to their loved ones. The system was legal for decades, protected by colonial governments that prioritized profit over people.

Today, the descendants of those taken still carry the scars of this history. Known as South Sea Islanders, they continue to fight for recognition, justice, and preservation of their heritage. Blackbirding is rarely taught in schools, yet it remains one of the Pacific’s deepest wounds a hidden chapter of slavery that demands remembrance.

Written By: Omotade Kehinde Samson