Context brings the brightest minds to your living room with perspective-shifting online lectures.
Pitcairn Island: From Mutiny to Modernity with James Grant-Peterkin
No events are scheduled at this time. Want to be notified when it’s back? Click the blue button to the right and we’ll notify you.
Pitcairn Island is the last remaining British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean and one of the most isolated communities on our planet.
This conversation will chart the history of this enigmatic island, from its discovery by Polynesians to the mutiny on board HMS Bounty, which led to the island being settled by a group of English sailors and their Tahitian partners, under the leadership of Fletcher Christian. Equally unusual are the modern-day challenges affecting this remote population of just 50 people, and their struggle to survive in an increasingly connected world. With no airport and only accessible by the occasional cargo ship, this is living off-grid in its purest form.
Led by an expert on Eastern Polynesia, James Grant-Peterkin, this Conversation will give you an insight into the fascinating history and modern-day realities of this remote island, including how to visit it for yourself. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the truth behind Pitcairn Island.
James Grant-Peterkin is a graduate of Cambridge University and is the British Honorary Consul on Easter Island. He has been studying Polynesian culture, linguistics, and archaeology for over 20 years, most of those while living on Easter Island itself, and is author of the guidebook “A Companion to Easter Island”. He has lectured extensively on Eastern Polynesia, both on cruise ships and at educational institutions worldwide.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
A great story in the the development of the south-west pacific
Guest did not leave comment
Another wonderful talk by James Grant-Peterkin! I highly recommend this or his other talks about Easter Island or Tahiti and French Polynesia. Interesting, thorough, and thoughtfully presented. The stories of Mutiny on the Bounty and the people of Pitcairn are fascinating...worthy of learning about and pondering. Both educational and enjoyable!
This was a very well presented talk with a mass of relevant slides and photographs. We found it both informative and interesting. For anyone interested in the Pacific or in epic journeys this is a "must".
James gave us the wonderful tale of Pitcairn Island and how it became infamous through the Mutiny on the Bounty. Sensitive look at today's Pitcairn and its proud inhabitants.