A day of appreciation and gratitude at Thanksgiving

Our Norfolk Island Thanksgiving -

  As an audio prelude to a potential holiday experience to Norfolk Island where you can immerse yourself in the remarkable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of our island home, I’d now like to share with you one of our unique island traditions: Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving takes place on the third Wednesday of November each year - that’s been this week of this year - where we celebrate the beauty of cultural fusion and the unwavering spirit of our community.

The story of Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island begins in the late 19th century, blending an American influence with the island's historical timeline. The Pitcairners, had long celebrated the English Harvest Home festival, however, it wasn't until the 1890s that a distinctly American flavour was introduced to these harvest celebrations on Norfolk Island.

The service itself is a blend of traditional elements and local customs - the singing of the Pitcairn-Norfolk hymns with readings from the scripture that focus on themes of gratitude, harvest and community. The service concludes with thanks for the harvest, symbolised by the donated produce adorning the church. This act of blessing serves as a powerful reminder of the island's dependence on the land and sea for sustenance, and the importance of stewardship of these resources. 

The singing of hymns on Norfolk Island is a truly communal experience. Voices from all ages, each with their unique timbre and inflection, would blend together in a beautiful tapestry of sound. The congregation would rise in unison, their voices filling the church with a wave of shared emotion and deep respect for our community. Voices carried the weight of our shared history, echoing the faith that had sustained generations of islanders through times of joy and sorrow.

The hymns weren't just songs; they were living traditions. They had been sung for generations, passed down from one generation to the next, a precious inheritance of faith and music. The melodies, the harmonies, and the lyrics were etched in the hearts and minds of the islanders. Every note was a testament to the enduring spirit of their community and the power of music to bridge the gap between past, present, and future.

More than just a holiday, Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island is an opportunity to give thanks for our island's natural bounty and to reflect on our unique history. For younger generations and visitors alike, it's a living history lesson, providing insight into the island's past and its values.

Our Thanksgiving Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of community, gratitude, shared traditions and heritage.

Untold Norfolk Island Travel Podcast Series - Sponsored by Baunti Tours www.bauntitours.com

Transcript

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Untold Norfolk Island travel podcast series.

My name is Jodie Williams and as a Norfolk Islander & Churchill Fellow, I am your ‘on island’ podcast host.

NORFOLK GRACE

This week, we begin with the heartfelt rendition of our Norfolk Grace as sung by island elder, the late Bubby Evans.
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Travel to a new destination is often an immersion into a heightened sensory world as we forge deeper connections with the people, places, and cultures we encounter. This connection can spark a sense of belonging, leaving us with a profound appreciation for the richness and diversity of the human experience.

As an audio prelude to a potential holiday experience to Norfolk Island where you can immerse yourself in the remarkable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of our island home, I’d now like to share with you one of our unique island traditions: Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving takes place on the third Wednesday of November each year - that’s been this week of this year - where we celebrate the beauty of cultural fusion and the unwavering spirit of our community.

The story of Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island begins in the late 19th century, blending an American influence with the island's historical timeline. The Pitcairners, had long celebrated the English Harvest Home festival, however, it wasn't until the 1890s that a distinctly American flavour was introduced to these harvest celebrations on Norfolk Island.

Isaac Robinson, an American trader who had settled on Norfolk Island as an agent for Burns Philp & Co Ltd., and he played a pivotal role in establishing a Thanksgiving day celebration at the All Saints Church. This idea was likely influenced by the frequent visits of American whalers to the island, who appreciated the opportunity to join in familiar festivities during their stop-overs.

A unique blend of American tradition and local resources created a visually stunning and culturally significant display. The decoration of the church reflected the island's natural beauty and resources. It was a perfect representation of how the Norfolk Island community adapted and embraced this new tradition, making it uniquely their own. From then onwards it has become an integral part of the island's cultural calendar.

Over time, specific decorating traditions emerged and became standardised, such as the tying of corn stalks and sugar cane stems to the pew ends, placing wreaths and flowers on the altar and around the font and fresh homegrown produce adorning the aisles. These practices not only beautified the church but also symbolised the island's gratitude for its fertile land and bountiful harvests.

The Thanksgiving service on Norfolk Island is an annual event that brings together the island community. Unlike regular Sundays when different congregations worship separately, Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when all church communities on the island join together in a single, unified celebration.

Tom Lloyd described:
“On Norfolk Island there is one day when all congregations join together, and that is to celebrate our Thanksgiving Day.”

The service itself is a blend of traditional elements and local customs - the singing of the Pitcairn-Norfolk hymns with readings from the scripture that focus on themes of gratitude, harvest and community. The service concludes with thanks for the harvest, symbolised by the donated produce adorning the church. This act of blessing serves as a powerful reminder of the island's dependence on the land and sea for sustenance, and the importance of stewardship of these resources.

Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island isn't merely a replication of the American tradition; it's a dynamic blend, resulting in a celebration that’s both familiar and distinctively Norfolk Island. It honours the enduring legacy of the whaling era which took place between the 1790s-1860s.

It was during the height of the American whaling industry that Norfolk Island, being strategically located in the South Pacific, became a vital stopping point for whaling ships. These vessels, often undertook voyages lasting months or even years, required replenishments of essential supplies such as fresh water, wood for repairs, and provisions to sustain their crews. Norfolk Island's convenient location and availability of resources made it a welcome respite for these weary seafarers.

The extended stays of American whaling crews in Norfolk Island fostered a unique cultural exchange. The transient nature of the whaling industry meant that ship captains' wives and female family members often found themselves residing on Norfolk Island for extended periods, sometimes months at a time, while their husbands and male relatives were engaged in dangerous deep-sea voyages.

In the book publication ‘Bounty Chords’, Philip Hayward shares:
During the decades following the Pitcairners’ re-location, the Norfolk community experienced a series of changes, largely as a result of the influences they were exposed to by contact with outsiders. This brought changes to patterns of religious beliefs, song repertoire (particularly hymns) and social customs. One influence arose from Norfolk Island’s position on the south-eastern Pacific whale migration route and its contact with the whalers who exploited this.
From the late 1850s-1890s, whaling ships, mostly from the United States, and particularly New England ports, frequently visited the island. The officers and crew of these often came ashore during such visits. Many of the whaling ships calling during this period also carried their captains’ wives. As Joan Druett has elaborated, “it was quite common for the (captain’s) wives to be left on shore for a few weeks” when whaling ships called at safe and “civilised” islands or ports, and “Norfolk Island, having a mission was popular for this”. Indeed, so many of the whalers operating in the region around Norfolk Island, that several US whalers’ wives were often in temporary residence at any one time. Druett records one instance, in late 1886, when three wives (Mrs Chase, Fisher and Potter) were staying on the island. Fisher recording in her journal that she attended various parties and dances, most notably a lavish ball thrown for Lord Dudley. During their stays, these women communicated much of their culture to the local population, especially their talents at sewing, cooking and music. With regard to the latter skill, they appear to have been prime agents in introducing US hymns. Their musical skills often included harmonium playing, since the (small, portable and easily collapsible) instrument was a regular accessory in the captains’ quarters of whalers in the mid-late 1800s, and were often brought ashore when their (usually) female players spent time away from the ships. On Norfolk Island, at least, these were regularly left on the island when their owners departed, as either gifts for the wives’ hosts and / or recompense for accommodation.

Hayward continues to share: It was in 1956, the centenary of Norfolk Island’s Pitcairn settlement, that community singing of patriotic songs and locally associated hymns played a prominent part in the celebrations and, seemingly in response to this, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation recorded Carty Christian and a small group of other male singers singing three hymns in a room at Government House at Kingston.

In a letter written by the Administrator, Hugh Boyd Norman, to Charles Moses, General Manager of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, gives some insight to the recording sessions:

Frankly, I was surprised at the excellence of the recording. Though I thought it would be good, I did not for one moment imagine it would be as good as it has turned out. If we had had prior warning and the group of men been rehearsed, it would have been a remarkable piece of harmonising. The group we got together at half-an-hour’s notice and without even any preliminary practice made that recording. We are ordering one hundred for sale on the Island as a start.

The recording included versions of The Pitcairn Anthem, Gethsemane and The Ship of Fame.

The Ship of Fame is a livelier sounding song, by virtue of its slightly faster tempo and its setting in the key of G major. Carty sings the six verses solo, with the choir providing the chorus. Christian music researcher, Robin Ryan describes this rendition as “typical sea shanty style, very simple”, distinguished by Christian’s “pleasant timbre and fervent sounding vibrato”. The recording - which represents the usual style of social performance of the piece - is a dramatic use of the call and response structure of each verse, which could be realised through use of different voices in the question and answer passages.

SHIP OF FAME


Our annual Thanksgiving church service is a time of reflection, togetherness, and beautiful hymn singing in All Saints Church.

Built in 1835 during the era of Major Joseph Anderson it was formerly the Commissariat Store from the Second British settlement on Norfolk Island. This is the building where the Pitcairners held their first church service upon their arrival on the island in 1856.

The original design of this building perfectly supports an architecturally balanced space for acoustic rejoicing. It has a long and tall “shoe-box” shaped room which holds a generous cubic-air volume ~This is a key acoustic design feature especially when a large group of people are singing without amplification.

As a child walking into the All Saints church on Thanksgiving morning, I would feel enveloped in a warm, comforting space. I remember the scents of a sweet fragrance of the polished timber pews, with subtle aromas of freshly cut flowers, arranged beautifully wherever there was a space for a vase, along with the loveliness of the tall corn stalks and sugar cane stems tied to the end of the pews. The sound of the organ being played as you entered, was sonorous with a rich, warm tone that filled the space with welcoming refrains as everyone began to settle in their family pews. 

The singing of hymns on Norfolk Island is a truly communal experience. Voices from all ages, each with their unique timbre and inflection, would blend together in a beautiful tapestry of sound. The congregation would rise in unison, their voices filling the church with a wave of shared emotion and deep respect for our community. Voices carried the weight of our shared history, echoing the faith that had sustained generations of islanders through times of joy and sorrow. There was a tangible sense of presence and meaning, a connection to something greater than oneself.

The hymns weren't just songs; they were living traditions. They had been sung for generations, passed down from one generation to the next, a precious inheritance of faith and music. The melodies, the harmonies, and the lyrics were etched in the hearts and minds of the islanders. Every note was a testament to the enduring spirit of their community and the power of music to bridge the gap between past, present, and future.

I COME TO THE GARDEN

Growing up on Norfolk Island, attending church was an integral part of our community life. Dressing up for the occasion was a sign of respect, a subtle yet powerful demonstration of reverence for the service and our community. It's a part of the island's unspoken teaching of values as passed down through generations. The careful choice of attire reflected a deeper understanding of the event’s significance and contributes to a shared atmosphere of solemnity and respect.

My lifelong love of our Pitcairn-Norfolk hymn repertoire was instilled from my childhood, connecting our community’s ancestral threads through music. The hymns themselves are repositories of history, reflecting the island's journey and struggles, and singing together creates a powerful sense of unity and shared identity within the community. The act of raising voices in unison fosters a feeling of togetherness and mutual support, transcending individual differences. 

My childhood voice was a thin, tiny voice amidst a church-filled resonance of seasoned altos, tenors, sopranos, baritones flavoured with masculine and feminine timbres. I was fully aware that I had big shoes ahead of me, to fill in contribution to my community.

I can still hear my family elders singing our favourite hymns with much heartfelt conviction, their voices blending seamlessly with each other reminding me of their unwavering faith and unwavering love that they carried  throughout their lives. Their voices were so much more than just sound; they were testament to the beauty of tradition, and the enduring strength of family bonds - voices of resilience, hope, and the unwavering spirit of our  island community.

These memories continue to inspire me. They remind me of the importance of community and the power of music. Memories of hope, love, gratitude, emotions that transcended generations and connected us all in a profound way. The warmth and joy of those Thanksgiving services shaped my own sense of gratitude and continue to inspire me to embrace the blessings in my life always, with an open heart.

Following the church service, the Norfolk Island Thanksgiving celebration usually continues with family and friends gathering for a feast. Dishes were lovingly made and with recipes indicative of our unique culinary heritage using seasonal flavours of our local produce with traditional cooking practices. This shared meal was always delightful ending to the day. Tables would be covered in a delightful variety of dishes including fish, meat, chicken, pilhi, mudda, anna, fritters, vegetables, an assortment of pies, breads, and an array of desserts and fresh seasonal fruits.  Island recipes are simple in method and delicious in taste.  There is never any shortage of food and leftovers become the ‘snitch-et’ meals for following days.

As is customary for our special meal celebrations, before we all begin the feast, we join together in singing our Norfolk Grace.
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For many visitors, who don't typically celebrate Thanksgiving, our Norfolk Island celebration provides a unique holiday experience and is a key event in the island's calendar. 

More than just a holiday, Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island is an opportunity to give thanks for our island's natural bounty and to reflect on our unique history. For younger generations and visitors alike, it's a living history lesson, providing insight into the island's past and its values.

Our Thanksgiving Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of community, gratitude, shared traditions and heritage. 

There are other historical commemorative days  unique to the island which are celebrated each year, such as Anniversary Day (or Bounty Day) which is celebrated in June, Foundation Day is celebrated in March, ANZAC Day is an important day of Remembrance for Norfolk Islanders and our A&H Show is celebrated in October. 

We look forward to welcoming you!

Thanks so much for joining me this week with another episode of the Untold Norfolk Island Travel podcast series.