Vanessa Warri

No Longer Captives of the Past (English and French Edition): the Story of a Reconciliation on Erromango Vanessa Warri 2nd edition

In November 20, 1839, English missionary the Rev. John Williams of the London Missionary Society was murdered shortly after stepping ashore on Erromango island, now part of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. His killers were local people, determined to stop any more outsiders from coming to exploit them. This book tells the story of the righting of this historical wrong ? the reconciliation between the Williams family and the descendants of his killers, 170 years after Williams' death: in November 2009, members of the extended Williams family travelled to Erromango from as far afield as the UK, Canada and Botswana to reconcile with the people of Erromango, and to jointly lift what the Erromangans have regarded since 1839 as a 'curse' on their island. This is a story of forgiveness and justice, told from the personal perspectives of the people involved on both sides, with profound implications not just for those involved, but also for the nation of Vanuatu and for the wider Pacific islands region. It will resonate with anyone with an interest in the redemptive power of forgiveness. Bilingual edition in English and French.