Island Happenings
Dear reader,
It has been over three months now since I stepped ashore on Penrhyn Island, and what a marvellous time it has been. It was a funny thing, a rather unconventional, or perhaps auspicious arrival to a tiny island, knowing nothing of the place except that it would have to be my home for the next four months. I felt a strong sense of trepidation as I stepped ashore that strange Friday afternoon, “I hope they’re a friendly bunch”, I thought to myself.
Well, friendly, or any other complimentary adjective, would be a terrible understatement for the people of Penrhyn. Despite entering abruptly into an isolated and tightly-knit community, never once have I felt like an outsider, or been made to feel so. Nor is there any outsider-admiration; of course, my arrival helped to endear me to the people here, but I don’t believe I am perceived as being any different. The people of Penrhyn know, perhaps better than anybody, that we are all brothers and sisters on this earth.
This treatment has been helped by two factors. The first being my status as something of a shipwrecked sailor, and the second, my involvement with island activities. The people of Penrhyn are not new to looking after stranded sailors, and there are often stories told about the odd Japanese fishing boat that has been wrecked on the island, the most recent of which was in the last 15 years. The crew were all evacuated off the ship and taken in by different families, where they stayed until a flight could be charted to take them off the island. In the same manner, I have been housed, fed, and even clothed. Early on I was given a rice cooker, a bucket of rice and strict instructions to simply ask anytime I needed fish. In this manner I have been eating plenty of both, “You will never pay for fish on Penrhyn, Mahuta”, is what I’m often told. My wardrobe has also been taken care of; my pants have been patched, and shirts have been lent, gifted and sewn for me.
Perhaps you may wonder, and you could be forgiven for doing so, how on earth one staves off the boredom in such a small place. Alas, boredom! No chance here. The people are experts at maintaining a strict calendar of activities throughout the year, all of which are centred around the church. I have taken a rather zealous approach to my involvement in these activities. During the Christmas and New Year period it was easy, everything was new and exciting and I was caught up in a whirlwind of church, singing, camping, eating and exploring. Things have now settled down and I’m still as busy as ever. Work has re-commenced on the reverend's new house and I’m part of the building team. I started my first day on the job site as the assistant to the plaster mixer, I've now graduated to independent plaster mixer! Work starts at nine and finishes about four, with a top notch kai kai (lunch) prepared by the mamas each day. Twice during the working week we have church at 6am and every night practice is on. You see, on Gospel Day later this month, the two teams in Omoka, ‘Old Town’ and ‘ New Town’, will be going head to head in singing, drumming and traditional dancing. The girls must learn their new dance routines, the young men their drumming, and everyone else the new songs that have been composed especially for the event. So, five nights a week from 8 until 10 I sit with my group, New Town, and we sing the night away. On the weekends I have Saturday to do some writing, reading or bicycling, then Sunday is perhaps the busiest day. Church is three times and Sunday school is twice, often there is also an entire village biblical debate, or a parade for the boys brigade, girls brigade and girl guides. I have been down to the airport for the arrival of every plane, along with much of the village and the mamas who sit together and sing after a prayer is said for the returning family members. One day I even got to accompany the Pappa in the bridge of the last supply ship as we piloted it through the pass. Mixing concrete. Filleting fish. Ironing my shirt for Sunday. Swimming with the kids. Sailing my new little dinghy on the lagoon. Singing in Sunday school. Attending two funerals. Even sitting through a three hour Penrhyn Māori church service. It’s all part of the fun here. There’s also time to just sit, chat and drink a coconut under the shade of a tree. During all this I have been observing and writing, so stay tuned in the next few days for some more detail on the ever fascinating Penrhyn Life.
Sadly, all this will come to an end early next month. My departure is dependent on the arrival of the next cargo ship bringing food to the island, which includes my supplies for the next leg, so I hope to be leaving a few days after the ship does. This will also mark the end of the cyclone season and the continuation of my journey. I have received the spare parts I needed, as well as a swathe of new charts for the western Pacific. I hope to relaunch Maiwar in the next few days and get back into the rowing that I enjoy so much. I really do wonder if there’s anywhere in the Pacific quite so special as Penrhyn, well, that I’m just going to have to find out for myself.
