Tristan Islanders
Tragedy for Nightingale—and Tristan da Cunha
The wreck of a bulk cargo ship, which ran aground on a small island near Tristan da Cunha two weeks ago, threatens the incredibly abundant bird life, the neighboring islands, and perhaps the economy of the people who live on Tristan. About 20,000 endangered Rockhopper Penguins are believed to be covered with oil. The story […]
Tristan Priests from Malvern, England
Chris Brown left Tristan da Cunha after a three-year stay, but he still thinks it is “a remarkable place with remarkable people…” If he could, he said, he’d like to go back. Father Brown was the Anglican priest at St. Mary’s Church on the island from 2007 until July 2010. Like Tristan da Cunha administrators, […]
Tristan Islanders Enjoy Excitement
The news on Tristan da Cunha, a peaceful community of less than 300 people, normally focuses on births, deaths, and weddings—and occasional changes in the local structures of authority. The island, which proudly bills itself as the world’s most isolated inhabited community, has no airport, so the arrival of ships provides special excitement for the […]
Tristan Islander Awarded MBE
Governor Andrew Gurr of St. Helena announced last week that Conrad Glass, police officer on Tristan da Cunha for 21 years, has been named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). Mr. Gurr, the Governor of both St. Helena and Tristan, made the announcement at a celebration for the Queen’s […]
Tristan Fishery Applies for Certification
The fishery for rock lobsters in the South Atlantic off the islands of Tristan da Cunha has applied for certification by the Marine Stewardship Council. If the application is approved, the fishery will be certified as sustainable and well-managed. An article last week in the Tristan Times was based on a report by Dr. […]
Tristan da Cunha: Most Remote Spot on Earth
The New York Times last Thursday carried a feature about people who have sought solitude from the stresses of modern life by settling in remote places. A sidebar to the article contained brief portrayals of “Five Destinations for Solitude Seekers.” Those places include the Northern Territory of Australia, Greenland, Pitcairn Island, Svalbard, and Tristan da […]
Tristan Policeman Has Quiet Job
The sole policeman on Tristan da Cunha rarely if ever uses the tools of his office—a truncheon, handcuffs, pepper spray, a jail cell—nor does he make arrests. He hasn’t had to. The Guardian last week included an article about Conrad Glass, Tristan policeman for 22 years, who was in England for a training course on […]
Tristan Islanders Featured on a Major American Radio Program
The Geo Quiz on PRI’s “The World,” an hour long radio newsmagazine show, asked listeners to identify a place that is often called “the most remote inhabited island on earth.” Broadcast weekdays by over 250 radio stations in the U.S., “The World,” for Wednesday, October 28, described the mystery island as being 1700 miles off […]
Recollections of Tristan Islanders [journal article review]
During an oral history interviewing project in September 2006, the Tristan Islanders revealed their suspicions about having their history interpreted by others. Ann Day, a British social historian, describes the project and the reactions of the Islanders to her and to her work in a recent journal article. The project began when a visiting Scottish […]
President Obama and a Tristan Baby
The joyful inauguration of President Obama on Tuesday was celebrated by millions, but it was also a special occasion for this website. Peaceful Societies opened for public use four years ago, on January 20, 2005. The website was never intended to have anything to do with contemporary political or social issues, and it just happened […]
