Slavery in the European Australian Pearling Industry
UnMonumental
The European Australian Pearling Industry began in the 1850’s, stretching from Gutharraguda1 Shark Bay to the Northern Territory Border, and still operates today.
Aboriginal people were kidnapped from pastoral stations, and sold to European pearlers for around 5 pounds each to be enslaved as pearl divers. An estimated 1,000 people from Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Timor were also captured and enslaved. Additionally, underpaid labour was exploited from China and Japan.
Enslaved pearl divers faced the risk of pneumonia, decompression sickness, malnutrition, crocodile and shark attack. By some estimates, the fatality rate was 50%.
REFERENCES
http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p72701/pdf/article125.pdf
www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AILRev/2007/4.html
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-09/slavery-in-australian-pearling/10217488
Gutharraguda is the name for Shark Bay in the Malgana language.