DANCES TABOO

NZ Truth, Issue 1197, 8 November 1928, Page 6

DANCES TABOO

Puritans' Paradise A Spotless Spot

"Oh, we're allowed to dance all right—we just don't^want to." In this way does a native son of Pitcairn Island answer the horrorstricken query of a jazz-mad age: "How, do you manage- to stagger along .without the heebie-jeebies?"

THE same answer applies to cigarette-" smoking, partaking of the cup that cheers— immoderately— passing time at the "flicks" and a host of other recre-. ations without ' which modern' youth would feel lost, indeed.

There should be a blind rush of grandfathers to . the Pitcafirh district when one mentions that the ladies there— all except a few daring spiritswear long hair," and that their skirts are made with intent to conceal, not to accentuate. Last August, two tall, bronzed . fellows, accompanied by the sister of one of them/ stepped . off the ■ mail boat, which had brought them from Pitcairn Island, into a bewildering new woi ; ld. " Never before had any of the small party used a telephone, seen a tramcar or listened to a football crowd. Theatres and dances of even the mildest description were entirely taboo.

On their wild lones; the three fared focth into darkest Wellington, here partly to see the world and partly to coin a few odd shekels, which will be spent, on their return, for the benefit of the community at large.

For Pitcairn Island is a Socialistic — as well as a social — paradise,, "one for all and all for one" being the viewpoint taken by the natives.

The people are raised on the Bible, and their marriage service is taken, just. as it stands, from that book.

There is a magistrate — also a native —but no gaol lias yet been necessary; nor has any hospital been required for the little settlement of two hundred people, who privately tend their few sick. The High Panjandrum That the system "works" is shown clearly enough by the fact that the population is rapidly increasing—so much so, that years ago arrangements had to be made for some of the families to be shifted to' Norfolk Island and Tahiti.

There is no poisonous insect or dangerous animal to be found m the ten miles of wooded country which make up the isle.

Roading is done by the natives themselves, and the beauty of Pitcairn Island is broken only by the cluster of wooden houses, each surrounded by a garden m which .flowers of the tropics have been trained to English law and order.

The biggest building on the island is the wooden church, but its bells don't ring out on a Sunday morning, for a few years back something — or someone — hit the island, and the entire community turned to the Seventh Day Adventist creed.

Surely that is the best example of conversion m bulk of which any modern missionary can boast?

But a native minister, trained and educated on, the isle, now holds the pulpit. The natives,; though friendly and courteous, are quite satisfied with their own'; ways and ;and a permit from the High : Gommissi'pner of Fiji — -who is, the great High drum of the islands— is necessary if one wishes even to visit the settlement.

How does- one get about on the island? , Says "Truth's" native informant: "WV waik on- "bur own legs." There are a few horses,' a few goats, a fair assemblage of chickens, [ arid a small assortment of dogs and cats. Respectable Island The cow has never been introduced, and, if any inhabitant wants milk m his tea, he must either get it from a cocoanut or await the arrival of the ships which sometimes bring a few tins of condensed milk tto the v island.

Sugai>cane grows m abundance, but their refined sugar, is also obtained from the ships, m company with the kerosene .which does all the lighting for Pitcairn's winter evenings.

Cats, dogs, and inhabitants on Pitcairn have an historic and sensational descent, .which conti-asts oddly with the respectable island life of to-day.

After the famous mutiny of the "Bounty," two of the crew, Christian and Young, made the longest open-boat voyage on record, picked up the prettiest wives to be found

m all Tahiti, and. took the island for their kingdom. i . ■ . ■■• ■ . ■ -.

■ Time has worked a few of its wonders, and the descendants ' of the adventurous twain, besides being probably the most sober and God-fearing little community m the wide world, are almost white m color, with nothing but fine dark eyes, an un-English softness and Slurring with their speech, and crisp, curly black hair, to tell of the little ladies who so 'abruptly bade Tahiti good-bye.