The South Sea Islanders Hut was the centre of culture and community last Sunday, as the Mackay and District Australian South Sea Islander Association (MADASSIA) and the wider public came together for the 2025 Family Fun Day. The event marked 25 years since the Queensland Government formally recognised Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct ethnic group.
The day featured traditional dances, market stalls, cultural displays, music, food, and children’s activities, offering a vibrant celebration of heritage. Beyond the festivities, the gathering provided a moment of reflection and remembrance, honouring the contributions of past generations while reinforcing the unity and resilience of the community today.
Ms Elizabeth Warren of MADASSIA said the milestone held a deeper meaning for the community.
“It’s really important to our community because it is 25 years since the state government acknowledged our group as a separate ethnic group,” she said.
“It’s also about honouring our grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, and fathers who worked so hard with the government to make this happen. Today is as much about remembering their achievements as it is about celebrating what has been done for us.”
Ms Warren added that the celebration had an educational purpose.
“It’s also about sharing our story so that generations to come, and even the wider public, understand our history. Many people don’t realise the contribution of South Sea Islanders to the sugar industry and the economic development of this region.”
MADASSIA President Dwayne Penola said the anniversary was both a celebration and a call to action.
“The biggest thing for me is getting our young people involved to keep this going,” he said.
“We’re not a community that likes to put our name out in bright lights. We just do our thing and make things happen. But recognition matters… not for the glory, but so that our young people know their story and can keep sharing it.”
Dwayne’s wife, Dorisina Penola, who helps organise events behind the scenes, reflected on the importance of passing history to younger generations.
“A lot of people know about blackbirding, but they don’t always understand what happened afterwards… the policies, the struggles, the deportations. That part of the story often gets lost,” she said.
“For our younger generation, it’s really important they know their family lines and feel proud of their identity. Even if you don’t look like your grandparents, you still carry that history and connection inside you.”
“We don’t tend to celebrate ourselves loudly… But gatherings like this are special because they help keep our traditions alive.”
Cr Namarca Corowa, Mackay’s first Australian South Sea Islander councillor, highlighted the significance of the day coinciding with Father’s Day.
“Our forefathers may not have ever been able to leave us wealth, but they left us resilience, faith, and identity. They showed us that a father’s role is not only to provide, but to guide, protect, and love his family,” Cr Corowa said.
“As the first Australian South Sea Islander Councillor in Mackay’s history, I feel the weight of that legacy. Our community, which once had no recognition, no voice, and no seat at the table, now has representation in the council chambers. Something not even my grandparents would have ever believed was possible.
“And as I always say, that is not my achievement alone, it is the fruit of our forefathers’ labour, our elders’ faith, and a community that refused to be silenced.
The eventful day ended on a note of unity, pride, and a shared commitment to honouring past generations while ensuring that stories and traditions continue into the next generations to come.
Treasurer Melanie Yasserie and Secretary Robin Mann with President Dwayne Penola of the Mackay and District Australian South Sea Islander Association.
2) Lenore Davis, Janette Bickey and Tasha Bickey
3) Elizabeth Warren, Charlene Williams and President Dwayne Penola
4) Dorisina Penola
The 2025 Family Fun Day celebrated 25 years of South Sea Islander recognition and heritage. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara
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