The islander migration

'The migration started way back after the war. People in the islands thought that the industries within the islands did not provide enough for the expansion and future generations of the Torres Strait Islanders. So they decided to migrate to the mainland and learn other skills - despite the fact that none of them spoke more than twenty words of English. But despite that, they found their way to the mainland and took jobs and stayed. Some of them returned to the islands, only to bring their families out. The only advantage I had over my predecessors was that I had a bit more knowledge about English language.'

Keywords: employment, James Cook University, language, Mabo, Edward Koiki, migration, pearling industry, Queensland, Torres Strait Islanders, World War 2, 1945-

Eddie Mabo, James Cook University Lectures, 1973.
Author: Graham, Trevor
Source: Mabo, Edward Koiki