New Zealand’s most isolated community

Press, 8 December 1987, Page 15

New Zealand’s most isolated community

For the 60 residents of Pitt Island — New Zealand’s most isolated community — two major events of 1986 were the visit of the supply ship, which calls twice yearly, and a wedding, an even rarer happening. Both these occasions were captured in Bill Saunders’ documentary, “The Pitt Islanders,” a “slice-of-life” look at the people who live on the smaller of the two inhabited islands in the Chathams group. The documentary, screening tonight at 9 on One, is the second in a three-part series that focuses on aspects of contemporary New Zealand society. Pitt Island, is 23km south-east of Chatham Island. Due to their isolation, the Pitt Islanders maintain a way of life that is more typical of rural New Zealand 40 or 50 years ago. There are no sealed roads, no shops, and no telephone connections out, except for a radio link with the Chathams. There is only a tiny church, a school, and a dozen scattered houses.

The 60 residents are nearly all descended from the first European settlers, Frederick and Mary Hunt, who arrived there in 1842. Their great-great-granddaughter, Eva Lanauze, is now the unofficial head of the island. As well as keeping a firm, motherly hand on events on the island, she looks after her family, works on the farm, helps with the crayfishing, and — as a trained nurse — takes care of medical emergencies.

She also masterminded the organisation of her daughter’s wedding, which provides one of the focal points for this profile. Preparations for the wedding involved the whole island. Weddings on Pitt Island are somewhat different from those on the mainland 900 km away. For one thing, no one knows how many guests there will be. "It really depends on the weather,” says Bill Saunders, “and anyone

who arrives is welcome.” The other event for which the whole island stops work is the arrival of the Holmdale, which brings six-monthly supplies and picks up the wool clip. Everyone helps with the laborious task of offloading the cargo on to a surfboat or barge, and bringing it to shore.

This link with the outside world is due to end soon and uncertainty over a replacement is one of the threats to the islanders’ way of life. Pitt Islanders take life as it comes, and they have learned to survive in their remote outpost. This documentary reflects their simpler way of life, from a bygone era. “It has a gentle, nostalgic flavour,” says Saunders. “It shows an aspect of almost pioneer life which has mostly disappeared from the mainland. “There’s a warm, caring, family feeling. Pitt Islanders tend to have large families and the kids are refreshingly open and quite different from city children. Their rela tionship with each other is their life.”