A rather unique family reunion was held recently on Vanuatu, an island in the Pacific, some 1,090 miles (1,750 kilometres) east of northern Australia. Descendants of the Reverend John Williams came from Canada, the UK, and even from Botswana. For many of them, it was the first time they had met each other. They all traveled to Vanuatu to attend a reconciliation ceremony, which had been in the planning for about two years. The ceremony was held on the 170th anniversary of the killing of their ancestor, John Williams, who was killed and then eaten by island natives on the 20th November, 1839.
Vanuatu villagers whose ancestors killed and ate Scottish missionary Reverend John Williams have now apologized to the man's descendants at a ceremony on the anniversary of his death. People on Erromango killed Presbyterian missionary Reverend John Williams and his companion, James Harris. Some local people felt Erromango has since been cursed because of the killings. The apology and the ceremony were held in order to break the curse.
Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu anthropologist and member of parliament, said, "The meaning for the people of Erramango is huge, especially the descendants of those who killed the missionary, because they had felt for so long that they have carried some sort of a curse for having done this and this was the first opportunity after 170 years for them to actually make amends with representatives of the person that was killed."
You can read more at http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200912/s2770481.htm.
