An exhibition at the Queensland Museum is shining a light on a relatively unknown part of our nation's history – Australian South Sea Islanders. 'Say Our Name' showcases the work of seven artists sharing histories and lived experiences of a community that continues to thrive, despite a tumultuous past.
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00:00The history of Australian South Sea Islanders through the eyes of their descendants is one
00:07of exploitation, discrimination and resilience.
00:10My great great grandparents were taken from Vanuatu in 1899 and they were brought into
00:16Sydney and they were actually enslaved as domestic servants for an aristocratic family
00:24there.
00:25My great grandmother was taken from Santo Island while she was swimming in the water.
00:32An exhibition at the Queensland Museum is showcasing a community once known as the Forgotten
00:37People.
00:38I've got a large scale installation and it's called Can You See Us Now?
00:44It's kind of referencing that sort of invisibility that we have had and that we currently do
00:50still have in Australia and globally.
00:54The exhibition coincides with the 30th anniversary of the National Recognition for Australian
00:59South Sea Islanders.
01:00I thought it would be a great time to really draw a line in the sand and create awareness
01:07about who we are, where we come from.
01:10Darren Blackman says telling stories through his artwork comes naturally.
01:15It's my heritage, it's in my bloodline.
01:17He created a smoking jacket for the exhibition.
01:20Because culture was forbidden from both my mother and father's heritage, I used the
01:29English language and subvert the text.
01:31An opportunity to honour elders and inform the next generation.
01:36We're informing the wider community about this history that's not spoken about, that
01:41not many Australians know about.
01:43I feel really blessed because I've exhibited internationally quite a bit but to be able
01:47to bring my work home in a very real way for our community to see what I've been doing.
01:51I hope that the community feels like they've been seen and that this is just the start.