Bounty Day Celebrations

I have waited 34 years to come to a Bounty day, So a huge Thankyou to Bernie for allowing us to be honourary members of the Christian family for the day.

When we woke up, we told Teddy that it was Bounty day and that we were dressing up for the celebration, he asked if he could dress up like the wolf in the red riding hood story .

(have a look at the spectators on the hillside looking towards the wharf, Bernie said there was only about a quarter of last years crowd for the 150th year) After the heavens opening up and delivering the rain we have asked for, it miraculously stopped as the march began. (Teddy and friend Telani)We met on the Kingston pier and after the re-enactment of the first landing also on a rainy day 151 years ago, we joined the family and other Norfolkers, so proud of their Pitcairn heritage also, by marching to the cenotaph and pausing to remember and singing God save the Queen. Wreaths were left here in remembrance.
It was here that my children ceased to be clean as they discovered the muddy puddles and banks around the edge of the roadside. (Teddy giving a birthday invite to friend, Mirabelle)
The March continued up past the historic Georgian buildings towards the cemetery where we paused again to remember, the children laid flowers on Family graves while the elders started singing their beautiful Pitcairn hymns.
Everyone then walked to Government house where morning tea was served on the lawn, on sunnier days the Children usually roll down the grassy slopes, we hauled ours home for a rest before the bounty feast.
(A very rare photo of Charles smiling, I just had to include)
Charles drove 'the oldies' there in the old tour bus from Pitcairn settlers village, with Kim proudly showing baby William(now 11 weeks) his first Bounty day.
Teddy wanted to walk along the walls as he had watched the big boys doing during the march. Sienna was very content to play with the gravel on the road.

The rains came down again, but the feast that was assembled by everyone at Devon house was amazing, a mix of traditional Tahitian dishes and lots more.
It reminded me of a Christmas feast(Mary said, it's better) with family, minus the commercialism and stress of buying presents that Christmas sometimes has.
The Kids all ate together then enjoyed the size of Devon house for a boys vs girls game of hide and seek which ended in the deepest corners of the roof recesses, luckily without anyone falling through the ceiling which has happened before in this wonderful old house.
They even had a game of cricket in the rain, great simple pleasures.
My two were exhausted at the end of the day, and I don't think that their 'Bounty clothes' will ever be the same again.

Thank you everyone for sharing your anniversary with us, especially to Mary and Bernie Christian-Bailey for including us at Devon house for the Bounty feast and for seconds, the following night.....yum yum.