ATTAMARIPshort story

▪ The St Helena Island Community ▪ www.sthelenacommunity.com.auJuly 2019

AttamaripAdministration No. 2619

A stranger in a strange land

Attamarip was taken from his native island of Malicolo to work on Sugar Plantations in Beenleigh. After two years he was jailed for ‘Unlawful wounding’ of South Sea Islander and was sent to St Helena for two years.

Within 6 months he was the focus of many doctors. The Island doctor feared Attamarip would “fall into a state of idiocy unless returned home and should be sent back at the very first opportunity.” The Visiting Health Officer disagreed, feeling that he was in good health, but that it was “possible that he may suffer from Nostalgia commonly called Homesickness, a disease I believe to be common among South Sea Islanders.”

He added "I believe the majority of South Sea Islanders should be branded and returned to their islands instead of being kept in our gaols – the branding to prevent their being recruited again.”

Attamarip was released in October 1884 after only 6 months on the island and was sent directly back to his homeland.

Report from Visiting Health Officer to Visiting Justice, 1884. Colonial Secretary’s correspondence.

Consider: Ethics and Forced labourRead the story of ‘Edward Rogers and The Hopeful Crew’ to understand both sides of the South Sea Islander sugar plantation labour history.

Attamarip spoke ‘Pidgeon English’ and did not completely understand his court trial. How would this add to his confusion and despondency?

One Medial Doctor thought he suffered from ‘idiocy’ while the other thought it was ‘homesickness.’ What symptoms would imagine for either of these? Why did one doctor say it was ‘common?’

Find out what being ‘branded’ means. Why was a Medical Officer offering this as a solution? Was it a good solution?

Give reasons why you think Attamarip was released early and sent home.