Anniversary (Bounty)Day on Norfolk Island

Well Anniversary (Bounty) Day is over for another year. But what a day it was.

The day dawned cold, overcast and windy. A friend said he was ‘in town’ about 5.30am and it was absolutely freezing. I wasn’t there quite that early but it was still quite fresh.

We all assembled down on ‘town pier’, the young, the not so young, all dressed in our Bounty gear, and what a sight it was. The sea ‘kar doo’ to launch a boat, but it didn’t matter. Mr & Mrs Steward and Captain Denham met the landing party, and the march from Kingston Pier began. It is wonderful to see all the visitors and the residents who don’t march lining the road, taking pictures and videos, and cheering everyone along.

First stop was the Cenotaph where the National Anthem was sung and wreaths were laid with help from some of our young school children, to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice at war. We then moved off again to walk down Quality Row to the cemetery, and the crowd followed us, snapping cameras all the way with friends in the crowd calling out greetings. At the cemetery the hymns ‘In the Sweet Bye and Bye’ and ‘Let the Lower Lights be Burning’ were sung, two of my favorite hymns. The prayer of John Adams was read, the Pitcairn Anthem sung, and wreaths were placed on ancestor’s graves by descendants of the Pitcairn Islanders.

From the cemetery it was just a short walk across the golf course to Government House where we had morning tea as hosts of the Administrator, the Hon. Owen Walsh, and Ms Walsh. There we caught up with friends and family we had missed earlier and waiting anxiously for the announcement of the ‘best dressed family’ trophy. The Administrator thanked all those involved with the day’s celebrations, and announced the Young family as the winners for 2010. While they are only a small family group the win was well deserved, and very well received by all present.

From Government House we all headed back toward the pier. The ‘kids’ had fun rolling down the hill, something that has been done by kids and some adults for decades.

The number of those walking in period costume was huge. I asked friends to ‘guestimate’ how many, and numbers ranged from 300 – 500. All I can say was there were plenty of salan (people) involved. Many enjoyed lunch in the compound, with grace being sung at 12.30pm, while others headed off to their own special places. Some went to Munnas and to the Salt House, some to the old hospital, and some like me to private homes, to share sweet wetls (food), laughter and good times with friends and family. By the end of the day, all agreed that another great day was had by all.

So now Bounty Day 2010 is over for another year. Let’s hope we always have this amazing celebration, and all who make the effort to dress up, to involve their children, and to cook our traditional foods for the picnic lunch will continue to do so.

See you all in 2011 for the 155th Anniversary Bounty Day.

By Jan Christian