Polynesians

The Homesickness Of

Pitcairners Who Went Home

WHEN we came to Papeete many years ago," we were ‘interested to find there a colony of Pitcairn Islanders.

They had voyaged from their isolated native island, a few at a time, in the ancient schooner (owned in community by Pitcairn), the “Vahine Tahiti”, and had settled in the neighbourhood of a little chapel of their faith situated at Manu ho’e, a small district within the boundar ies of the city. They were chiefly younger people who, restless under the restrictions of the life on Pitcairn, had sought the wider horizons and more ample oppor tunities of the outer world.

It was Norfolk Island all over again.

So long as the “Vahine Tahiti” voyaged occasionally to and from Pitcairn, the ex iles were more or less content.

But when the schooner went out of commission, and they found themselves cut off from their birthplace and their relatives there, the outer world and all it contained became dust and ashes to their senses.

Finally—after a long time—a schooner came from Pitcairn. It had been fash ioned by the islanders themselves from a handsome miro tree, which had been a landmark on their island. In shape this vessel resembled the craft in which the Three Wise Men of Gotham put to sea.

She was as broad as she was long and could, apparently, sail sideways with equal facility and speed, as fore-and-aft, A steady south-east trade wind carried her in due time to Papeete; but it was many months before she could find wind and weather which would enable her to return. She made several attempts, only to be blown back by head winds to Papeete, there to await a more propitious season.

At length, a happy combination of wind and favourable weather permitted depar ture. Under the command of the patri arch of Pitcairn Island, Captain McCoy, who had been marooned on Tahiti with the others, the colony sailed away, and since that time there have been no ad venturing expeditions from Pitcairn to foreign lands.

Few people in the world are so afflict ed with nostalgia as are Polynesians when separated from their native island.

Some years ago a colony of natives of Reao were brought to Tahiti. It was not long before they became so low in health from homesickness for their far away atoll, that they had to be returned, to save their lives.

The writer has met in the United States Tahitians who have emigrated there and lived there for many years.

When questioned, if they missed Ta hiti, invariably tears came to their eyes and they say; “Oh, if I could taste agatn breadfruit, fe’i and miti hue! Not a day passes that I do not long for them”.

That is their way of expressing their never-ending nostalgia for their home land.

A. C. R.

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