ANZ presents
Norfolk Island - its people and customs
Although
Polynesian groups came to Norfolk Island beginning 2,000 years ago followed by
a succession of Dutch, Portuguese and English - it was the arrival
from Pitcairn island of descendants of mutineers from the HMS
Bounty that provided a fresh dimension to life on Norfolk and
to this day, the Islanders consider "Bounty clothing"
their national dress.
 Descendants
of the mutineers maintain and cultivate their distinctive culture
and language, preserving the rich history and natural magnificence
of the Island. Fully 35% of Norfolk islanders trace their lineage
back to the famous mutiny with the remainder almost equally divided
between Australians and New Zealanders.
In 1790 the original
Bounty mutineers settled on Pitcairn island but by 1856 Pitcairn
became overpopulated and the entire population of 193 set sail
for Norfolk Island some 3000 miles to the west.
On June 8, 1856
the people of Pitcairn, numbering 194 (a baby was born on the
voyage) arrived at Norfolk Island to make a new home.
 Each
year on June 8 the people of Norfolk Island celebrate Anniversary
Day (or Bounty Day) with a re-enactment of the landing, a march
to the cemetery to honor their families and a grand community
picnic or feast.
Island dancing,
music, singing, basket weaving, and arts and crafts also remain
very important elements of the Norfolk Island culture. Norfolk
Islanders also have their own unique cuisine. Visitors can sample
many tasty local dishes such as Pilhai (baked kumera), Mudda
(banana dumplings), and Hihi Pie (made with periwinkles).
 The
plaited hats which are worn on Anniversary Day are also worn
year round and are an integral part of the Norfolk identity.
The Island is
home to 1800 permanent residents and with such a large part of
the population Bounty descendants, there are many shared surnames.
Unique to the island is many of the descendants are listed in
the local telephone book by their nicknames for identification
purposes - Lettuce Leaf, Spuddy, Bubby, Diddles, Loppy to name
just a few.
While some things
on Norfolk Island have changed little over the years - cows still
graze under the commonage system and goods from ships are still
brought ashore in lighters, as the Island has no natural harbor-
a wide range of services and most modern comforts are now available
for their growing tourism industry.
Visitors can
choose from a huge array of tours and shows showcasing the history,
culture and spectacular scenery. Around one third of the Island
is devoted to National Parks and reserves offering walking and
mountain bike trails
From a superbly
situated golf course to a gymnasium, tennis, squash, lawn-bowls,
archery, clay and pistol shooting, mini-golf, netball, and skateboarding
facilities are also available. And the waters surrounding the
island are a fisherman's paradise with charters and cruises available.
And as with American
Samoa, the advent of the internet has made a huge difference
in the Islanders' ability to connect to the rest of the world.
 To
learn more about Norfolk Island - the land and its customs visit
their tourism website <http://www.norfolkisland.com.au>. Be sure to click
on the Virtual Island Tour!
[Compiled
from information provided by Community Arts Society of Norfolk
Island, Minister for Culture Norfolk Island and Norfolk Island
Tourism.]
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