63-441: Pitkern , also known as Pitcairn-Norfolk or Pitcairnese , is a language spoken on Pitcairn and Norfolk islands. It is a mixture of English and Tahitian , and has been given many classifications by scholars, including cant , patois , and Atlantic creole. Although spoken on Pacific Ocean islands, it has been described as an Atlantic or semi-Atlantic creole due to the lack of connections with other English-based creoles of
126-566: A British overseas territory with a degree of local government. The King of the United Kingdom is represented by a Governor, who also holds office as British High Commissioner to New Zealand and is based in Wellington . The 2010 constitution gives authority for the islands to operate as a representative democracy , with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for matters such as defence and foreign affairs. The Governor and
189-478: A "sparrow", is endemic to Pitcairn Island; formerly common, it was added to the endangered species list in 2008. A small population of humpback whales migrate to the islands annually, to over-winter and breed. The four islands in the Pitcairn group have been identified by BirdLife International as separate Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Pitcairn Island is recognised because it is the only nesting site of
252-531: A British colony on 30 November 1838, at the same time becoming one of the first territories to extend voting rights to women . By the mid-1850s, the Pitcairn community was outgrowing the island; its leaders appealed to the British government for assistance, and were offered Norfolk Island . On 3 May 1856, the entire population of 193 people set sail for Norfolk on board the Morayshire , arriving on 8 June after
315-705: A difficult five-week trip. However, just 18 months later, 17 of the Pitcairn Islanders returned to their home island, and another 27 followed five years later. HMS Thetis visited Pitcairn Island on 18 April 1881 and "found the people very happy and contented, and in perfect health". At that time the population was 96, an increase of six since the visit of Admiral de Horsey in September 1878. Stores had recently been delivered from friends in England, including two whale-boats and Portland cement , which
378-471: A group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four islands— Pitcairn , Henderson , Ducie and Oeno —are scattered across several hundred kilometres of ocean and have a combined land area of about 47 square kilometres (18 square miles). Henderson Island accounts for 86% of the land area, but only Pitcairn Island
441-575: A major role on Pitcairn. Tourism is the focus for building the economy. It focuses on small groups coming by charter vessel and staying at "home stays". About ten times a year, passengers from expedition-type cruise ships come ashore for a day, weather permitting. As of 2019, the government has been operating the MV Silver Supporter as the island's only dedicated passenger/cargo vessel, providing adventure tourism holidays to Pitcairn every week. Tourists stay with local families and experience
504-562: A man's world and once they turned 12, they were eligible," Tosen said. Mothers and grandmothers were resigned to the situation, telling him that their own childhood experience had been the same; they regarded it as just a part of life on Pitcairn. One grandmother wondered what all the fuss was about. Tosen was convinced, however, that the early sexual experience was very damaging to the girls, outright stating, "They can't settle or form solid relationships. They did suffer, no doubt about it." In 2016, Mike Warren , Pitcairn mayor from 2008 to 2013,
567-478: A rich variety of animals in its nearly inaccessible interior, is also capable of supporting a small human population despite its scarce fresh water, but access is difficult, owing to its outer shores being steep limestone cliffs covered by sharp coral. In 1988, this island was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The other islands are at a distance of more than 100 km (62 mi) and are not habitable. Pitcairn Island has no permanent water source; however,
630-476: A temporary assignment on Pitcairn, and began uncovering allegations of sexual abuse. When a 15-year-old girl decided to press rape charges in 1999, criminal proceedings (code-named "Operation Unique") were set in motion. The charges include 21 counts of rape , 41 of indecent assault , and two of gross indecency with a child under 14. Over the following two years, police officers in Australia , New Zealand and
693-408: Is a volcanic remnant primarily formed of tuff , where the north side of the cone has been eroded. Pitcairn is the only permanently inhabited island. Adamstown, the main settlement on the island, lies within the volcanic basin. Pitcairn is accessible only by boat through Bounty Bay, due to the island's steep cliffs. Henderson Island, covering about 86% of the territory's total land area and supporting
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#1732772110167756-574: Is endemic to Pitcairn and Henderson Islands. Pitcairn is part of the Tuamotu tropical moist forests terrestrial ecoregion. Between 1937 and 1951, Irving Johnson , skipper of the 29-metre (96 ft) brigantine Yankee Five , introduced five Galápagos giant tortoises to Pitcairn. Turpen, also known as Mr Turpen , or Mr. T, is the sole survivor. Turpen usually lives at Tedside by Western Harbour. A protection order makes it an offence should anyone kill, injure, capture, maim, or cause harm or distress to
819-492: Is inhabited. The inhabited islands nearest to the Pitcairn Islands are Mangareva (of French Polynesia ), 688 km to the west, as well as Easter Island , 1,929 km to the east. The Pitcairn Islanders are a biracial ethnic group descended mostly from nine Bounty mutineers and a handful of Tahitian consorts. As of 2023, the territory had only 35 permanent inhabitants. Various forms of evidence show
882-872: Is not standardised. The sentences below are excerpted from a longer dialogue held in 1951 between a teenage speaker of Pitkern and A.W. Moverley, a foreigner who worked as a schoolteacher on Pitcairn during the mid-20th century. The dialogue was recorded by Moverley and later transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet by A.C. Gimson, with translations to English provided by Moverley. Some poetry exists in Pitkern. The poems of Meralda Warren are of particular note. Pitcairn Islands The Pitcairn Islands ( / ˈ p ɪ t k ɛər n / PIT -kairn ; Pitkern : Pitkern Ailen ), officially Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands , are
945-491: Is not very developed because of Pitcairn's small population. The most traditional meal is pota, mash from palm leaves and coconut . Domestic tropical plants are abundantly used. These include basil , breadfruit , sugar cane , coconut , bananas and beans . Meat courses consist mainly of fish and beef . Given that most of the population's ancestry is from the UK, the cuisine is influenced by British cuisine ; for example,
1008-454: Is remarkably productive and its benign climate supports a wide range of tropical and temperate crops. All land allocation for any use including agriculture is under the discretion of the government. If the government deems agricultural production excessive then it may tax the land. If the agricultural land has been deemed not up to the standards of the government it may confiscate and transfer the land without compensation. Fish are plentiful in
1071-425: Is reportedly a favourite of King Charles and formerly Queen Elizabeth . The Pitcairn Islanders, under the "Bounty Products" and "Delectable Bounty" brands, also export dried fruit including bananas, papayas, pineapples, and mangoes to New Zealand. Honey production and all honey-related products are a protected monopoly. All funds and management are under the supervision and discretion of the government. Cuisine
1134-735: The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Harwell, Oxfordshire to monitor vessel activity and to gather the information needed to prosecute unauthorised trawling. In March 2019 the International Dark-Sky Association approved the Pitcairn Islands as a Dark Sky Sanctuary. The sanctuary encompasses all 4 islands in the Pitcairn Islands Group for a total land area of 43.25 km (16 3 ⁄ 4 sq. mi.). The Pitcairn Islands are
1197-480: The Pitcairn reed warbler . Henderson Island is important for its endemic land-birds as well as its breeding seabirds . Oeno's ornithological significance derives principally from its Murphy's petrel colony. Ducie is important for its colonies of Murphy's , herald and Kermadec petrels , and Christmas shearwaters . In March 2015 the British government established one of the largest marine protected areas in
1260-520: The Seventh-day Adventist layman John Tay visited Pitcairn and persuaded most of the islanders to accept his faith. He returned in 1890 on the missionary schooner Pitcairn with an ordained minister to perform baptisms . Since then, the majority of Pitcairn Islanders have been Adventists. The islands of Henderson, Oeno and Ducie were annexed by Britain in 1902: Henderson on 1 July, Oeno on 10 July, and Ducie on 19 December. In 1938,
1323-469: The United Kingdom interviewed every woman who had lived on Pitcairn in the past 20 years, as well as all of the accused men. These interviews revealed stories of girls as young as three being sexually assaulted and as young as 10 being gang-raped. The file was held by Pitcairn's first Public Prosecutor Simon Moore, an Auckland Crown Solicitor appointed to the position by the British government for
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#17327721101671386-462: The exclusive economic zone , which extends 370 km (230 mi) offshore and comprises 880,000 km (340,000 sq mi). In 1998, the UK's overseas aid agency, the Department for International Development , funded an apiculture programme for Pitcairn which included training for Pitcairn's beekeepers and a detailed analysis of Pitcairn's bees and honey with particular regard to
1449-457: The meat pie . The cuisine of Norfolk Island is very similar to that of the Pitcairn Islands, as Norfolk Islanders trace their origins to Pitcairn. The local cuisine is a blend of British cuisine and Tahitian cuisine . Recipes from Norfolk Island of Pitcairn origin include mudda (green banana dumplings) and kumara pilhi. The island's cuisine also includes foods not found on Pitcairn, such as chopped salads and fruit pies. Tourism plays
1512-651: The English mutineers could communicate with the Tahitian women they brought to the previously uninhabited Pitcairn Island. The Pitkern language was influenced by the diverse English dialects and accents of the crew. Geographically, the mutineers were drawn from as far as the West Indies, with one mutineer being described as speaking a forerunner of a Caribbean patois. One was a Scot from the Isle of Lewis . At least one,
1575-488: The Island Council may enact laws for the " peace, order and good government " of Pitcairn. The Island Council customarily appoints a Mayor of Pitcairn as a day-to-day head of the local administration. Since 2015, same-sex marriage has been legal on Pitcairn Island, although there are no people on the island known to be in such a relationship. The Pitcairn Islands have the smallest population of any democracy in
1638-567: The Pacific. There are fewer than 50 speakers on Pitcairn Island, a number which has been steadily decreasing since 1971. Following the Mutiny on the Bounty on 28 April 1789, the British mutineers stopped at Tahiti and took 18 Polynesians, mostly women, to remote Pitcairn Island and settled there. A pidgin was formed based on English and Tahitian so that the English mutineers could communicate with
1701-645: The Pitcairn population have meant that a serious comparison of the two languages for mutual intelligibility has proven difficult. The exact relationship between these two languages is a point of contention for scholars. Some believe that the difference between Pitkern and Norf'k is negligible, while others believe that Standard English is more present in Norf'k than it is in Pitkern. Pronouns included aklen , commonly spelled uklun 'we/us' (or just 'us', with wi for 'we'); , hami 'you and I' / 'you and us', and yoli 'you (plural)'. Note: Pitkern spelling
1764-592: The Pitcairn population have meant that a serious comparison of the two languages for mutual intelligibility has proven difficult. The exact relationship between these two languages is a point of contention for scholars. Some believe that the difference between Pitkern and Norf'k is negligible, while others believe that Standard English is more present in Norf'k than it is in Pitkern. Pronouns included aklen , commonly spelled uklun 'we/us' (or just 'us', with wi for 'we'); , hami 'you and I' / 'you and us', and yoli 'you (plural)'. Note: Pitkern spelling
1827-640: The Pitcairn valleys, such as Isaac's Valley on the gentle slopes southeast of Adamstown , produces a wide variety of fruits, including bananas (Pitkern: plun ), papaya ( paw paws ), pineapples , mangoes , watermelons , cantaloupes , passionfruit , breadfruit , coconuts , avocadoes , and citrus (including mandarin oranges , grapefruit , lemons and limes ). Vegetables include sweet potatoes (kumura), carrots, sweet corn , tomatoes, taro , yams , peas , and beans . Arrowroot ( Maranta arundinacea ) and sugarcane are grown and harvested to produce arrowroot flour and molasses , respectively. Pitcairn Island
1890-532: The Spanish Crown, arriving on 26 January 1606. He named them La Encarnación (" The Incarnation ") and San Juan Bautista ("Saint John the Baptist "), respectively. However, some sources express doubt about exactly which of the islands were visited and named by Queirós, suggesting that La Encarnación may actually have been Henderson Island, and San Juan Bautista may have been Pitcairn Island. Pitcairn Island
1953-416: The Tahitian women they brought to the previously uninhabited Pitcairn Island. The Pitkern language was influenced by the diverse English dialects and accents of the crew. Geographically, the mutineers were drawn from as far as the West Indies, with one mutineer being described as speaking a forerunner of a Caribbean patois. One was a Scot from the Isle of Lewis . At least one, the leader Fletcher Christian ,
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2016-426: The earliest settlers of the Pitcairn Islands were Polynesians who occupied Pitcairn and Henderson for several centuries until the islands were abandoned: Henderson most likely before the 16th century and Pitcairn in the 17th or early 18th century. The islands were uninhabited when they were discovered by Europeans. Portuguese sailor Pedro Fernandes de Queirós came upon Ducie and Henderson Islands while sailing for
2079-662: The failure of captain James Cook to locate the island in July 1773. In 1790, nine of the mutineers from the British naval vessel HMS Bounty , along with the native Tahitian men and women who were with them (six men, 11 women, and a baby girl), settled on Pitcairn Island and set fire to the Bounty . The inhabitants of the island were well aware of the Bounty ' s location, which is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay , but
2142-653: The first to visit the island, when the crew spent ten hours on Pitcairn in February 1808. Whalers subsequently became regular visitors to the island. The last recorded whaler to visit was the James Arnold in 1888. A report of Folger's discovery was forwarded to the Admiralty , mentioning the mutineers and giving a more precise location of the island: 25°02′S 130°00′W / 25.033°S 130.000°W / -25.033; -130.000 . However, this
2205-558: The island has three seasonal semi-permanent springs. Includes reef flat and lagoon of the atolls. Pitcairn is located just south of the Tropic of Capricorn and experiences year-round warm weather. About nine plant species are thought to be endemic to Pitcairn. These include tapau, formerly an important timber resource, and the giant nehe fern . Some, such as red berry ( Coprosma rapensis var. Benefica ), are perilously close to extinction. The plant species Glochidion pitcairnense
2268-628: The island's culture while contributing to the local economy. Providing accommodation is a growing source of revenue, and some families have invested in private self-contained units adjacent to their homes for tourists to rent. Pitkern Pitkern , also known as Pitcairn-Norfolk or Pitcairnese , is a language spoken on Pitcairn and Norfolk islands. It is a mixture of English and Tahitian , and has been given many classifications by scholars, including cant , patois , and Atlantic creole. Although spoken on Pacific Ocean islands, it has been described as an Atlantic or semi-Atlantic creole due to
2331-428: The island's mayor at the time. In 2004, the islanders had about 20 firearms among them, which they surrendered ahead of the sexual assault trials . After the six men lost their final appeal, the British government set up a prison on the island at Bob's Valley. The men began serving their sentences in late 2006. By 2010, all had served their sentences or been granted home detention status. The Pitcairn Islands form
2394-427: The lack of connections with other English-based creoles of the Pacific. There are fewer than 50 speakers on Pitcairn Island, a number which has been steadily decreasing since 1971. Following the Mutiny on the Bounty on 28 April 1789, the British mutineers stopped at Tahiti and took 18 Polynesians, mostly women, to remote Pitcairn Island and settled there. A pidgin was formed based on English and Tahitian so that
2457-497: The language started to be used in church and school. In 1856, 194 residents of Pitcairn Island moved to Norfolk Island, where many residents continued to use Pitkern in their households. After 1914, the Australian government tried to end the use of Pitkern/Norf'k by restricting its use in public spaces. Norf'k is descended predominantly from Pitkern. When the residents of Pitcairn Island moved to Norfolk Island, they brought
2520-435: The language started to be used in church and school. In 1856, 194 residents of Pitcairn Island moved to Norfolk Island, where many residents continued to use Pitkern in their households. After 1914, the Australian government tried to end the use of Pitkern/Norf'k by restricting its use in public spaces. Norf'k is descended predominantly from Pitkern. When the residents of Pitcairn Island moved to Norfolk Island, they brought
2583-406: The language with them. The language developed and changed over time. The relative ease of travel from English-speaking countries such as Australia , New Zealand or Papua New Guinea to Norfolk Island, particularly when compared with that of travel to the Pitcairn Islands, has meant that Norf'k has been exposed to much greater contact with English relative to Pitkern. The difficulties in accessing
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2646-404: The language with them. The language developed and changed over time. The relative ease of travel from English-speaking countries such as Australia , New Zealand or Papua New Guinea to Norfolk Island, particularly when compared with that of travel to the Pitcairn Islands, has meant that Norf'k has been exposed to much greater contact with English relative to Pitkern. The difficulties in accessing
2709-444: The leader Fletcher Christian , was a well-educated man, which at the time made a major difference in speech. Both Geordie and West Country dialects have obvious links to some Pitkern phrases and words, such as whettles , meaning food, from victuals . The first children born on Pitcairn Island mainly spoke a mixture of non-standard varieties of English and the contact language. In the 1830s, Pitkern's local prestige increased, and
2772-399: The matter before the Island Council (the legislative body which doubles as the island's court), but was rebuffed. One councillor told him, "Look, the age of consent has always been 12 and it doesn't hurt them." A study of island records confirmed anecdotal evidence that most girls bore their first child between the ages of 12 and 15. "I think the girls were conditioned to accept that it was
2835-410: The newly invented marine chronometer , charted the island at 25°02′S 133°21′W / 25.033°S 133.350°W / -25.033; -133.350 , and although the latitude was reasonably accurate, his recorded longitude was incorrect by about 3°, putting his coordinates 330 km (210 mi) to the west of the actual island. This made Pitcairn difficult to find, as highlighted by
2898-457: The presence or absence of disease. Pitcairn has one of the best examples of disease-free bee populations anywhere in the world and the honey produced was and remains exceptionally high in quality. Pitcairn bees are also a placid variety and, within a short time, beekeepers are able to work with them wearing minimal protection. As a result, Pitcairn exports honey to New Zealand and to the United Kingdom. In London, Fortnum & Mason sells it and it
2961-454: The purposes of the investigation. Australian Seventh-day Adventist pastor Neville Tosen, who spent two years on Pitcairn around the turn of the millennium, said that on his arrival, he had been taken aback by the conduct of the children, but he had not immediately realised what was happening. "I noticed worrying signs such as inexplicable mood swings," he said. "It took me three months to realise they were being abused." Tosen tried to bring
3024-559: The seas around Pitcairn. Spiny lobster and a large variety of fish are caught for meals and for trading aboard passing ships. Almost every day someone will go fishing, whether it is from the rocks, from a longboat, or diving with a spear gun. There are numerous types of fish around the island. Fish such as nanwee, white fish, moi, and opapa are caught in shallow water, while snapper, big eye, and cod are caught in deep water, and yellow tail and wahoo are caught by trawling. Manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver and zinc have been discovered within
3087-524: The ship's Bible as their guide for a new and peaceful society. Young eventually died of an asthmatic infection. Ducie Island was rediscovered in 1791 by Royal Navy captain Edward Edwards aboard HMS Pandora , while searching for the Bounty mutineers. He named it after Francis Reynolds-Moreton, 3rd Baron Ducie , also a captain in the Royal Navy. The Pitcairn islanders reported it
3150-456: The southeasternmost extension of the geological archipelago of the Tuamotus of French Polynesia , and consist of four islands: Pitcairn Island , Oeno Island (atoll with five islets, one of which is Sandy Island), Henderson Island and Ducie Island (atoll with four islets). The Pitcairn Islands were formed by a centre of upwelling magma called the Pitcairn hotspot . Pitcairn Island
3213-407: The three islands, along with Pitcairn, were incorporated into a single administrative unit called the "Pitcairn Group of Islands". The population peaked at 233 in 1937. It has since decreased owing to emigration, primarily to Australia and New Zealand. Three cases of imprisonment for raping underage girls were reported in the 1950s. In 1999, Gail Cox, a police officer from Kent , UK , served on
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#17327721101673276-451: The tortoise. The birds of Pitcairn fall into several groups. These include seabirds, wading birds and a small number of resident land-bird species. Of 20 breeding species, Henderson Island has 16, including the unique flightless Henderson crake ; Oeno hosts 12; Ducie 13 and Pitcairn six species. Birds breeding on Pitcairn include the fairy tern , common noddy and red-tailed tropicbird . The Pitcairn reed warbler , known by Pitcairners as
3339-534: The whaler Oeno . In 1832, having tried and failed to petition the British government and the London Missionary Society , Joshua Hill , an American adventurer, arrived. He reported that by March 1833, he had founded a Temperance Society to combat drunkenness, a " Maundy Thursday Society ", a monthly prayer meeting, a juvenile society, a Peace Society and a school. Traditionally, Pitcairn Islanders consider that their islands officially became
3402-630: The world around the Pitcairn Islands. The reserve covers the islands' entire exclusive economic zone —834,334 square kilometres (322,138 sq mi). The intention is to protect some of the world's most pristine ocean habitat from illegal fishing activities. A satellite "watchroom" dubbed Project Eyes on the Seas has been established by the Satellite Applications Catapult and the Pew Charitable Trusts at
3465-833: The world. The United Nations Committee on Decolonization includes the Pitcairn Islands on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories . The Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory ; defence is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and the British Armed Forces . The Royal Navy maintains two offshore patrol vessels in the Indo-Pacific region, HMS Tamar and HMS Spey . Either may be periodically employed for sovereignty protection and other duties around Pitcairn and her associated islands. The fertile soil of
3528-408: The wreckage gained significant attention in 1957 when documented by National Geographic explorer Luis Marden . Although the settlers survived by farming and fishing, the initial period of settlement was marked by serious tensions among them. Alcoholism , murder , disease and other ills took the lives of most mutineers and Tahitian men. John Adams and Ned Young turned to the scriptures , using
3591-410: Was a well-educated man, which at the time made a major difference in speech. Both Geordie and West Country dialects have obvious links to some Pitkern phrases and words, such as whettles , meaning food, from victuals . The first children born on Pitcairn Island mainly spoke a mixture of non-standard varieties of English and the contact language. In the 1830s, Pitkern's local prestige increased, and
3654-463: Was convicted and sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for possession of child pornography. In 2004, charges were laid against seven men living on Pitcairn and six living abroad. This accounted for nearly a third of the male population, and half of the island's adult males. After extensive trials, most of the men were convicted, some on multiple counts of sexual assaults on children. On 25 October 2004, six men were convicted, including Steve Christian ,
3717-706: Was granted amnesty for his part in the mutiny. Henderson Island was rediscovered on 17 January 1819 by British Captain James Henderson of the British East India Company ship Hercules . Captain Henry King, sailing on Elizabeth , landed on 2 March to find the king's colours already flying. His crew scratched the name of their ship into a tree. Oeno Island was discovered on 26 January 1824 by American captain George Worth aboard
3780-498: Was not known to Sir Thomas Staines , who commanded a Royal Navy flotilla of two ships, HMS Briton and HMS Tagus , which found the island at 25°04′S 130°25′W / 25.067°S 130.417°W / -25.067; -130.417 (by meridian observation) on 17 September 1814. Staines sent a party ashore and wrote a detailed report for the Admiralty. By that time, only one mutineer, John Adams, remained alive. He
3843-473: Was not until 27 December 1795 that the first ship since the Bounty was seen from the island, but it did not approach the land and they could not make out the nationality. A second ship appeared in 1801, but made no attempt to communicate with them. A third came sufficiently near to see their house, but did not try to send a boat on shore. Finally, the American sealing ship Topaz , under Mayhew Folger , became
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#17327721101673906-558: Was sighted on 3 July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow , commanded by Captain Philip Carteret . The island was named after midshipman Robert Pitcairn , a 15-year-old crew member who was the first to sight the island. Robert Pitcairn was a son of British Marine Major John Pitcairn , who was later killed at the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill in the American War of Independence . Carteret, who sailed without
3969-404: Was used to make the reservoir watertight. HMS Thetis gave the islanders 200 lb (91 kg) of ship's biscuits , 100 lb (45 kg) of candles, and 100 lb of soap and clothing to the value of £31, donated by the ship's company . An American trading ship called Venus had in 1882 bestowed a supply of cotton seed , to provide the islanders with a crop for future trade. In 1886,
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