Australian South Sea islanders slavery history revealed in Mackay art exhibit
Jasmine Togo-Brisby and her cousin Dylan Mooney have joined forces to pay tribute to their ancestors through art. Read why hundreds of skulls made from brown sugar will be on display in Mackay.
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When Jasmine Togo-Brisby drives past sugar cane, she has a bittersweet feeling.
She is fourth-generation Australian South Sea islander, and is a direct descendant of South Sea islanders who were enslaved and forced to work on sugarcane plantations in Central Queensland between 1847 to 1904.
The practice, also commonly known as black birding, is the inspiration behind her art exhibition opening next Friday.
“My great, great grandmother was abducted and enslaved at eight years old,” Ms Togo-Brisby said.
She said her six-year project ‘Hom Swit Hom’ was a Bislama language version of ‘Home Sweet Home’ and paid respect to her ancestors’ indentured labour.
“It was important to bring this piece home,” she said.
“I spent most of my life driving from Townsville to Mackay to visit relatives.
“For me personally, as an Australian South Sea islander, when I see sugarcane it reminds me of home.”
Ms Togo-Brisby was inspired to create her ‘Bitter sweet’ artwork after she learned about a mass grave of South Sea islanders found on an old sugar cane plantation in Bundaberg in 2013.
She said many Australians were unaware of South Sea islanders history in Australia.
“I hope to have created a space which is ours, allowing on us to acknowledge and celebrate our ancestors,” she said.
“I went into this thinking ‘how can I benefit this for my own people and for other Australians?’.
“So what we are doing here, it is quite monumental for our community.”
Ms Togo-Brisby will launch her new exhibition alongside her cousin Dylan Mooney whose artwork will also recognise past generations of South Sea islanders brought to Australia to work in the cane fields.
The Mackay artist’s new work ‘Boundless’ is a series of portraits made from sugar that make a statement on blackbirding and the unrecognised efforts of South Sea islanders in building this region to what it is today.
“Sugar is an everyday item Australians use or see but many are unaware of Australian South Sea islanders’ contribution to the sugar industry,” Mr Mooney said.
“One of the portraits is of my grandma to celebrate her resilience, as she is well known in the Mackay community.
“I wanted to create a conversation about who we are as South Sea islander people.”
Mr Mooney will also display his 2020-21 poster series ‘Queer, Blak and Here’ which depicts culture and sexuality through contemporary art.
He said his work expressed his identity as a proud, queer Torres Strait Islander and Australian South Sea islander person.
“I created it to encourage Indigenous or LGBTQIA+ people to tell their story and stand up for themselves.”
Covid-19 restrictions mean Ms Togo-Brisby and Mr Mooney’s work will be launched via a livestream event on Artspace Mackay’s Facebook page on Friday, January 28 at 3.30pm until 7.30pm.
Dylan Mooney’s exhibition: ‘Boundless’ will run until March 20 and Jasmine Togo-Brisby’s ‘Hom Swit Hom’ will run until March 27.
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Originally published as Australian South Sea islanders slavery history revealed in Mackay art exhibit
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