About Pitcairn

"hominem unius libri timeo" "hominem unius libri timeo" "hominem unius libri timeo"

Pitcairn Island, a lost paradise?

Welcome to Pitcairn Island Page, with its story about the descendents of several of the mutineers from the British merchant ship HMS Bounty. Pitcairn Island, which is located in the South Pacific about 2170 km from Tahiti, is one of the most isolated places on earth. It is also one of the most fascinating, due to its heritage as home to the children of mutineers who settled on the island to avoid capture.

What makes Pitcairn Island unique is not its location, geography or amenities. Physically, the island is unremarkable. Pitcairn is a small volcanic island with approximately 1.75 square miles of land area, located halfway between New Zealand and South America. It has no tourist facilities (except one newly build lodge in 2004), and not even an accessible beach. It is very difficult for boats to land there due to the pounding surf. Travel to Pitcairn is difficult at best, and communication options are limited to the community telephone (very expensive), mail (very slow) and ham radio. There is no television on Pitcairn. The fascination with Pitcairn lies in its unique "Mutiny on the Bounty" heritage. The early settlement of Pitcairn Island is one of the most interesting stories in the history of the South Pacific is home to approximately 50 people who are descended from six 18th century English seamen and their Tahitian wives or consorts. As a result, the culture, customs and language of Pitcairn Island are a unique blend of Europe and Polynesia. The early settlement of Pitcairn Island is one of the most interesting stories in the history of the South Pacific.

Today there are about 50 people living on Pitcairn Island. They live in a communal village style in houses that are a combination of European and Tahitian architecture. The Islanders live in and around Adamstown, the original home of the mutineers. Adamstown is well situated on a northerly slope, 120 to 150 meters above sea level, and coves an area of about 20 hectares. From the Edge, the main road runs for about 800 meters through Adamstown, roughly parallel with the coastline. The houses are scattered along the main road and side road.

Pitcairn's revenue is derived mainly from the sale of postage stamps overseas and from interest and dividends from investments. The Islanders subsist on fishing and farming - the island's fertile volcanic soil supports a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, including taro, coconuts, beans, sugar cane, bananas, yams and citrus fruit. Handicrafts, fruit and vegetables and the famous Pitcairn Island Honey are Pitcairn's only exports, sold mainly to passing ships. Public works are performed by the community. Provisions not grown or manufactured on Pitcairn are brought in by sea, as there are no aircraft landing facilities. The main form of income is the sale of native crafts. The Seventh Day Adventist religion plays a large part in the lives of the islanders. The island is a territory of Great Britain, and is governed from

New Zealand

*Picture on right shows Tom Christian, MBE, sixth generation descendant of Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian during a visit to the Isle of Man. Tom Christian holding the Isle of Man Coat of Arm presented to him by Uli Krentz.

click here to order Pitcairn Honey or contact:

PIPCO
C/- Pitcairn Island Administration
P.O. Box 105 696
Auckland
New Zealand.

or

PIPCO
Box 69
Adamstown
Pitcairn Island
South Pacific Ocean

Tom signing Sven Wahlroos' Book
"Mutiny and Romance in the South Seas"

A "click" on the Flag takes you to the official Pitcairn website!

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