The Miscellany Volume 54 Number 6 July 2011

On the 2nd day of July, in the year 1767, the HMS Swallow was sailing the Pacific Ocean in the region of 25 degrees S and 130 degrees W. A keen eyed young midshipman by the name of Robert Pitcairn yelled „Land ho‟, and pointed to the faint outline of a small island on the horizon. The British had discovered Pitcairn Island!

Although Robert was not the first person to view the tiny volcanic rock (it was already known to Polynesian settlers as Hitiaurevareva …„the land far away‟) his Commanding Officer Captain Philip Carteret, decided to record the island using his midshipman‟s surname.

Now many of our readers will already be well aware of the above facts. But what you may not be aware of is that the date of the 2nd July is to be celebrated officially as „Pitcairn Day‟. The Island Council has decided to recognise the significance of the date by creating a Public Holiday to be enjoyed by the island community each year.

On Pitcairn, official public holidays that are unique to the island are a rare breed! The Queen‟s birthday, Christmas, ANZAC and Easter are always remembered, but until now, the only other one with special significance has been „ Day‟. When it was decided to celebrate Pitcairn Day, there was a bit of a hiccup in deciding the exact date that young Robert had laid claim to his island. History has a way of causing confusion, and the council minutes recorded that Pitcairn Day was to be celebrated on the 3rd day of July! Further research by island experts decided that the first sighting had actually been made on the 2nd and that the minutes should be „adjusted‟ to show the more accurate date!

But in the meantime, the Pulau School children had realised that this year, the 2nd fell on a Saturday and of course the 3rd was Sunday… days that they already had off...! They were less than impressed with this new „holiday‟ that wasn‟t going to be a holiday at all, and to add insult to injury, they had to put up with several days of intensive marching practice to prepare them for their flag bearing duties at the celebration! They were only slightly less upset when it was explained that their new holiday would not fall on a weekend every year! Rededication of Pitcairn Island Cemetery. By Leslie Jaques.

Sunday 3 July 2011, Pitcairn Day, dawned bright and sunny, and virtually the entire Pitcairn Community gathered for the Cemetery rededication ceremony. The opening Hymn “Ship of Fame”, written by Pitcairner Driver Christian was sung as the children of Pulau School marched into the cemetery proudly carrying Pitcairn‟s Flag. It had been the culmination of years of dedicated hard work by many in the community.

In 1858 some homesick Pitcairner‟s returned from , and as they passed away, they were laid to rest in a new cemetery. Time passed of course and many resting places faded in our memory. But with the help of Births and Deaths registers going back to the 1850‟s and the knowledge and incredible memories of some of our seniors it was possible to find and mark almost every grave.

The research was painstaking, but bronze plaques were made for every unmarked site and those graves where headstones had faded with the sands of time. Those involved in mapping, checking, purchasing, shipping, tidying the cemetery and laying the plaques are too numerous to mention as they numbered almost the entire Pitcairn Community. It was special to come together as a Pitcairn Family to share stories, remember names and discuss Pitcairn Folklore as everyone worked together to prepare the cemetery for this important day.

Mayor Warren talked of the importance of Pitcairn Day, and the fact that this year it was to be celebrated by the rededication of the island cemetery. Pastor Ray Codling held a short ceremony and told a profound story from Genesis about a cemetery in Israel, used in Biblical times, and still in use today. Pitcairn‟s traditional anthem, the hymn “In the Sweet Bye and Bye”, was sung with great gusto and passion by everybody.

After the ceremony many took time to follow the cemetery map and site plan and were able, for the first time, to trace their ancestors back to Grandchildren of the Bounty. They shared many stories and respectful memories of those that had gone before. To all, whether they be on or off the Island, who contributed in so many ways, there is heartfelt thanks from Pitcairners. Past, present and yet to come.

Pitcairn Island Producers Cooperative Honey Orders (Supplied by PIPCO)

Order honey, honey soap and propolis tincture through the Pitcairn Government web site http://www.pn. The web site accepts credit cards; PayPal can be arranged by emailing [email protected]

Pitcairn Honey is special and unique; an ideal Christmas present. Order now or at least by the end of August from the "Pitcairn Island Producers co- operative" in time for the last ship for Christmas. A personalised Christmas message can be included with your order, please include details in "comments" when ordering.

Pitcairn has the most disease free bee populations of anywhere in the world and the honey produced is of an exceptionally high quality. The rich and intense fruitiness of Pitcairn's honey is attributed to the nectar from the Mango, Lata, Passion Flower, Guava and Roseapple flowers that are found in abundance on Pitcairn.

In the 2010 UK Great Taste Awards run by the Guild of Fine Foods, Pitcairn honey won Two Gold Stars out of a possible three. “That's really saying something.”

Reports from the Children of Pulau School

On Sunday morning it was Pitcairn Day. We went down to the cemetery to dedicate the new plaques. Us kids had to march behind Ralph going down to the other side of the cemetery in front of all the people. Ralph was holding the flag. When we got to the other side of the cemetery we had to stand and Rodger got us some chairs. The Mayor and Pastor Ray went and talked about something. Then we sang some songs that were Pitcairn songs. Next we had a prayer and we marched up by the mill. We went home and mowed the lawn and got passion fruit. Next we got dodwenut so I can make more dye for my . When we got home I cracked some. Next I put the cracked nuts in my room and went and had a bath when the power came on. After that we got ready and went down to the square. We had dinner and raffle. We had to pay Dave for some tickets if we want to win a prize. Torika won a prize. Us kids had to go and sing some songs up by the anchor. When we were finished we watched Pitcairn movies. After that we put on karaoke and sang songs. We danced as well. At 9.00 Daddad came down and took us home. KWP

On Sunday I marched down to the graves with the flag. I marched down to Mrs Hilary. At night we had a dinner at the square. I sang The Bounty’s Gone and the one about going fishing down Tedside. RC Henderson Island Rat Eradication by Johnathan Hall RSPB

The Henderson Island Restoration Project has finally kicked off into its operational phase! A partnership between the Pitcairn Island Government and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the project plans to restore this unique World Heritage Site by eradicating the island's introduced rats, as requested by the UN. Introduced rats are having a devastating effect on the island's ecosystem, killing 25,000 petrel chicks every year. Overall seabird numbers have therefore dropped from the order of millions to just 40,000 pairs today, and the endangered Henderson petrel, which nests only on this one island, is being driven inexorably towards extinction.

Over 284 islands around the world, some many times larger than Henderson, have been successfully cleared of rats, and we are confident that the methods pioneered elsewhere can be successfully applied to Henderson. Planning commenced in 2008, with a research expedition taking place in 2009 in order to resolve a few outstanding technical issues. This gave the green light for the operation to proceed, and planning and fundraising started apace. Two helicopters would be required, which would use GPS technology to methodically drop poison bait across the island. The total cost of the operation was estimated to be £1.7m.

A major development then took place earlier this year, when a partnership was formed with two other island eradication projects in the Pacific- one on Palmyra (a US territory), and one in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA, ). One single vessel, the MV Aquila, would load two helicopters in Seattle, USA, and then set sail on a unique voyage of conservation, restoring crucial seabird habitats at every stop by removing the introduced rats which prove so devastating. Given the high costs and logistical complexities of getting the equipment to remote island locations, such a multi-island restoration had been mooted in the Pacific for many years. This is the first time that such a partnership has been achieved however, and not only resulted in the costs being reduced to £1.5m, but also allowed technical expertise to be shared between all three projects.

The Aquila set sail at the end of May, completed the Palmyra Atoll restoration in June, and at the time of writing is now in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. Once operations are completed there, it will return to to pick up further equipment before setting sail for Mangareva and Pitcairn, arriving at Henderson in early August. Aboard will be a crew of 9 people, under Captain Kale Garcia, plus the two Operational Managers (Derek Brown & Nick Torr) and their project team (a further 4 people), and there will also be space for two Pitcairn volunteers on board. The first of the two bait drops will take two-three days, weather-depending, and the Aquila will return to Pitcairn to spend a few days between drops, taking the opportunity to meet the community and provide an update on progress. After completing the second bait drop on Henderson, the Aquila will pass by Pitcairn one last time before sailing on to Mangareva to disembark team members before setting off on the long voyage back to Seattle.

Meanwhile the other half of the project team are already on Henderson. The avicultural team, consisting of Dr. Richard Cuthbert (RSPB), Dr. Mike Brooke (University of Cambridge), Gavin Harrison (Senior Keeper for Birds at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland), Alve Henricson, Pawl Warren and Sue O'Keefe were dropped off on Henderson on 8 July, where they have one month to establish a captive population of Henderson Island rails (there is a small chance that the rails may be affected by the poison, so a captive population will be held safe for the duration of the operation). Pawl and Sue will be swapping with two other Pitcairn field assistants, David and Ariel Brown, when the operational vessel arrives at Henderson. The project is going to be a milestone for the Pacific, and will be of global significance as the largest tropical or sub-tropical island to be cleared of rodents to-date. It also means that 3 of the 4 will have had their introduced rats removed!

If you would like further details, or to view a short video showing the effects of rat predation on Henderson, please visit the RSPB's project page: www.rspb.org.uk/hendersonisland. Donations are still required to cover the costs of the operation (£1.44m of the £1.5m cost has now been raised) and can be made at www.rspb.org.uk/supporthendersonisland.

New Pitcairn Islands stamp release!

On the 20th day of July 2011, the „Rare Birds of Henderson‟ stamps were released onto the market. The five individual stamps feature the endemic bird species, and include the Henderson Petrel, which is being driven towards extinction by rats predating on newly born chicks. Details of the rat eradication project are outlined in the update above from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Help save the birds of Henderson Island. The RSPB is seeking help with funding and the Pitcairn Islands Philatelic Bureau has agreed to donate $NZ 1.00 for every Henderson Bird set of stamps or First Day Cover purchased. To purchase stamps and covers, please contact The Pitcairn Islands Philatelic Bureau, PO Box 27404 Marion Square, Wellington. Or Email [email protected]

Machinery Maintenance on Pitcairn

The thundering waves and roaring gusts of winter wind send foam and salt spray flying high over the cliffs of Pitcairn Island. Not only do the bananas and coconut trees suffer, but also the salty air combines with the high humidity to cause rapid corrosion to large, very expensive, items of machinery.

Pauline has the job of waging war on the constant decay. Ears protected by muffs, she clangs and bangs with her hammer, chipping away the rust flakes before scraping and sanding ready for a thick layer of grey paint. The tractors, front end loader, mobile crane, rock-crusher, hydraulic excavators, grader blades, rotary slasher, cement mixer truck, sugar cane crusher, dredge bucket, winch motors and even the lengths of unused steel held in storage, all have their lives extended by her constant attention.

The cost of replacing any of these machines is prohibitive, and in these times of budget cut backs, highly unlikely! During this month, there has been an effort to rearrange the storage facilities on the island, so that each machine can be parked under cover and so be protected from the corrosive effects of the elements.

This is not as simple as it sounds! For instance the mobile crane is essential for unloading the containers and freight from the longboats. But to garage it near Bounty Bay would expose it to the very worse effects of the salt spray. Big and clumsy to manoeuvre, it becomes dangerous to drive it along the steep clay tracks, so slippery after a shower of rain. It must be housed as far from the sea as possible, but still be near to the concreted main road where it can be driven with some safety. A suitable site is found, but there are not enough building materials to completely construct such a large shed. To save money, and yet still complete the job, unused buildings and some other dilapidated buildings are dismantled, so that the tin and wood can be recycled.

In such an isolated place as Pitcairn Island, it is a very brave man who declares that something stored at the back of the shed is „just rubbish…throw it away‟! Collected over many years, the sheds and garages are bulging with an incredible assortment of treasured items, and while at the moment they are just providing sleeping accommodation for cockroaches and spiders, who knows when the day will come for them to be „essential‟ for some construction or expedition! Pitcairn Island’s Art & Culture, Trade and Tourism. (By Heather Menzies)

On Friday 10th June, the British High Commission in held an event to showcase products from Pitcairn Island. Timed to coincide with Te Papa‟s Maori & Pacific Textile Symposium, where Pitcairn artist, , was the keynote speaker.

Held at „Homewood‟, the event included two of Merald‟s very popular tapa works featuring scenes of Pitcairn‟s unique British and Polynesian history. At Te Papa and Homewood, Meralda told her story of how she became interested in Tapa making and explained the process involved in producing her works.

Pitcairn Islands Tourism Coordinator, Heather Menzies, was also invited to participate in the expo to represent Pitcairn‟s developing tourism industry.

“ It provided an incredibly valuable opportunity to build both New Zealand and International business and travel trade relations. The response, interest and goodwill were immediate and our involvement has continued to generate a steady stream of enquiries, partnership proposals and support for the island‟s tourism industry. Over 160 people were invited to attend the expo, representing a cross-section of people from the business sector, travel industry, food and beverage outlets, art galleries, stamp societies and media. It was such a success that a further event is proposed for Auckland, via the Pitcairn Island‟s Office.”

The Pitcairn Philatelic Bureau provided an excellent display of current and archived issues, impressive coin collections and gift items. Traditional Pitcairn food, prepared by Pitcairners resident in New Zealand, was also showcased.

Other handicrafts and Pitcairn products on display (and for sale) generated over $3000 worth of sales and orders.

“THE PITCAIRN BEAT” The “Pitcairn Beat” is intended to give feedback and identify issues on the island from a Community Policing perspective.

Over the last two months I have received a number of complaints about some of the language used or directed at others. Section 3 of Summary Offences Ordinance states and I quote “any person who uses profane or abusive language in any public place shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars”. Most people have their own standards of what language they think is appropriate or not. However, if a person is upset by language they have heard or had directed at them, then that is when the problems start. If that person complains to the Police then the Police are required to look into the matter. I guess the message is to be aware of where you are and who you are with. Then temper the language to suit.

The Sea Scouts have been learning about the weather and how it relates to Island life. They have made some rain gauges and will monitor and record the results. We also attempted to make an anemometer (measures wind speed) and weather vane. Sadly, paper cups, straws, staples and sellotape just don‟t cope with the breezes here. The Scouts and the younger children also took part in a “treasure hunt”. They were required to use a compass to locate the clues. This was run alongside the Children‟s Holiday program and I thank the adults that assisted me.

There is now 31 days until the famed “fisherwoman” is back. She, who strikes fear into the hearts of all nanwe, has gone nine months without throwing a line in. Countless counselling sessions and expensive rehab have failed to quell the passion. That passion is the overwhelming urge to wrench every nanwe out of the waters of Pitcairn. So be warned if you want some fish you better get it this month because after September the fish stocks will be slashed.

I hope its a month where the vegetables flourish, the fruit ripen and the fish jump straight onto your hooks. All the best, Russ Sea Scouts

Russell TORR,Sergeant,Pitcairn Island Police. Do you have an issue for your Community Police Officer? Please feel free to call in at McCoys or alternately email [email protected]

JUNE 2011 Weather by Betty Total Rainfall 65.8mm Greatest Daily Rainfall 12.2 mm 1st Days of Rain 10 Av Humidity 66% Av Pressure 1016.9 Max Temp 24C 2nd Min Temperature 15 C 28th Mean Temperature 17.2 C Sunshine Hours 184.1

Bradley

Diary for July 2011 rd 3 PITCAIRN DAY Celebration Lea Brown‟s birthday 7th MV Braveheart 8th Community Singalong 10 th MV Braveheart 14 SV Le Mameju Bakery 16th School Holidays begin 28 th Bradley Christian‟s birthday 29th ‟s Birthday

www.visitpitcairn.pn Website for tourist information Links for purchasing handcrafts and souvenirs