CQU’s Division of University Relations’ Community Program will take the Lakes Creek Primary School staff on a cultural heritage tour on Monday April 4.

As a result of interest raised by a similar tour last year, the staff will be treated to an Australian South Sea Island cultural heritage tour of significant local archaeological sites during the school’s pupil fee day.

Archaeologist Trudy White and Co-ordinator of CQU Community Program Glenys Kirkwood will lead the staff through local sites at Kanaka Town before heading to Farnborough and Tanby Road and then to Joskeleigh, where a traditional Lap-lap will be served for lunch by the local ASSI Elders.

Principal Peter Black welcomed the opportunity to source resource material on the Australian South Sea Island population, many of whom are pupils at Lakes Creek Primary.

He said there was plenty of resource information on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island history and culture, but virtually none on Australian South Sea Islanders, which made it difficult for the staff to connect themselves and other pupils into the traditions of those families, thus encouraging assimilation.

Australian South Sea Islanders, ‘blackbirded’ to work in the sugar industry, settled locally in Joskeleigh around the 1900s. They were not formally recognized until July 2000, and were forced to register as ‘other’ on census forms, long after the 1967 referendum that recognized Aborigines as Australians.

Photo top: One of last year's participants looks at one of the gravesites during the heritage tour.

Photo bottom: Cliff Warkill and Jill Landers investigate the cemetary during last year's tour.