Teacher Information

Below you can explore how Episode 2 of Blue Water Empire could be used as the foundation for a lesson in your classroom.

The info pack contains background information about the Torres Strait Islander peoples and their country to support you in viewing this episode and exploring the topics featured in this episode with your students. You will also find additional links to help you plan your classroom activities, as well as tips on setting classroom guidelines to ensure a supportive classroom environment during your investigation of this fascinating topic.

Information about the Blue Water Empire series:

Blue Water Empire is a 3-part dramatised-documentary series, giving a unique insight into the history of the Torres Strait Islands. Traversing the pre-colonial era through to contemporary times, this compelling history is centred on the key stories told by the men and women of the region, exploring how Torres Strait Islander peoples have sustained their cultural heritage throughout the impact of 200 years of European colonisation.

The series documents and reveals the impact of past and present government policies and gives insight into the social and economic paternalism that has affected the lives of Torres Strait Islander peoples - leading them to fight back or unite in strike action.

You can watch this episode on ClickView if your school has an account. You will need that login to access this clip.

The second episode of Blue Water Empire is available to purchase here.

NOTE: This series has been given an M rating. You will need to follow your school protocols for screening an M film when viewing this series. This episode contains some brief scenes of violence that may upset some younger viewers; consider briefing students about the inclusion and content of these scenes before viewing with the class.

Episode 2 - Short Synopsis:

In this episode, the pearling boom brings thousands of strangers to the region and has a profound economic and cultural impact on the Torres Strait. Missionaries introduce Christianity, which influences the spiritual lives of many Torres Strait Islanders, affecting traditional language, dance and tradition. Finally, we are introduced to the role of Torres Strait Islander peoples in serving Australia in World War 2.

Episode 2 - Themes:

This episode incorporates the following events, topics and themes: The pearling boom and multicultural Thursday Island, the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion, the Impact of Christianity on traditional culture, colonial power and control over Torres Strait Islander lives, and resistance: the Great Maritime Strike of 1936.

The themes of this episode can be distilled into three distinct categories:

SEA: European vessels frequent Torres Strait waters. Torres Strait Islander peoples slowly begin to lose control over their sea. The old canoe trade lapses though it does not disappear entirely. More and more Torres Strait Islander peoples come to rely on lugger boats, not just for an income from pearling, but also for hunting and travel.
TRADE: A transition is taking place from traditional trade to resource exploitation by non-Islander entrepreneurs. The pearl-shell, trochus and trepang industries bring hundreds of outsiders to the islands and shift the economic base from traditional barter to a modern market economy determined by global demand.
POWER: As the trade shifts so does authority. Cultural leaders lose power to those who participate in, and derive their wealth from, the ‘new’ industries. Missionaries build churches and undermine traditional Island power structures and culture replacing them with a new hierarchy and authority. The Queensland Government gradually asserts control over most aspects of Torres Strait Islander life and limiting the peoples’ freedom.

Episode 2 - Characters:

DABAD: A traditional leader on Erub. He had heard of the missionaries and welcomed the London Missionary Society to his island in 1871.
REVEREND SAMUEL MACFARLANE: A cleric with the London Missionary Society, he caused a diplomatic incident in New Caledonia and was deported by French authorities. MacFarlane brought dozens of South Sea missionaries into the Torres Strait. Many were unsuitable for the work and brutalised the Torres Strait Islander peoples. MacFarlane was blamed for the 1875 measles epidemic which devastated Indigenous populations in the Torres Strait and New Guinea.
MUARA (LIFU) WACANDO (played by Lilah Billy): Of South Sea Islander and Torres Strait Islander descent, she rescued a man from shark attack at Mer. During the Princess Charlotte Bay Cyclone, her husband perished but Moara saved several people from drowning for which she received a bravery award. She remarried and had a large family.
TANU NONA (played by Aaron Fa’Aoso): His father was Samoan but Ugarie, his mother, came from the snake clan (thabu awgadh) on Saibai Island. He went to Badu Island and, through unrelenting ambition and hard work, built a famous pearling dynasty. He and his family respected their connections to Saibai and the snake clan.
PROTECTOR JOHN McLEAN (played by Roy Billing): A Queensland official based on Thursday Island, his experience in New Guinea worked against him. His autocratic style led to the Maritime Strike which was, in effect, a successful, popular insurrection against McLean and his policies.

Episode 2 - Useful links:

In the production of Blue Water Empire, our partners at Bunya and Lone StarProductions consulted extensively with Torres Strait Islander communities and cultural experts. To assist in the creation of your lessons, Bunya Productions, and Cool Australia recommend the use of the following resources:

Timeline of significant times and events in the Torres Strait, some of which are covered in the Blue Water Empire series: Torres Strait Timeline.
Queensland Historical Arts - Pearling: https://www.qhatlas.com.au/content/pearling
Australian War Memorial - "One ilan man": the Torres Strait Light Infantry: https://www.awm.gov.au/about/our-work/publications/wartime/12/ilan-man
Gab Titui Cultural Centre: https://www.gabtitui.gov.au

Classroom ground rules:

You may already have a set of ground rules for discussion within your class. We recommend that you remind students of these ground rules before commencing your lesson.

If you haven’t established a set of ground rules, it may be worth doing before beginning this documentary. Some of the content in Blue Water Empire can be confronting or sensitive, and ground rules help to develop mutual respect and understanding between the members of your classroom community.

Ground rules might include:

Own your contributions: Use “I think” rather than “you should”
Be respectful: each person has their own beliefs and values
Value diversity: each person has their own world views, experiences and opinions
Listen politely: each person has a right to contribute without pressure or intimidation
Act with honour and courage: be brave in sharing experiences, ideas and opinions
Appreciate privacy: each person has the right to uphold their privacy
Act responsibly: share feedback with thoughtful consideration and a positive attitude towards others.

Take it further:

Consider developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) at your school. A RAP is a formal statement of commitment to reconciliation. A school or early learning service can develop a RAP using the Narragunnawali platform to register existing initiatives or to begin a new journey. Find out more here: https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/raps/what-is-a-rap

Blue Water Empire - Episode 2

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