Inconvenience shopping

December 12, 2005 8:15 AM

Order now for next Christmas! We’ve already discussed the fascinating story of Pitcairn Island (home of the Bounty mutineers’ descendents) and its recent troubles.
Now you too can help the struggling community re-find its feet by buying online items hand-crafted on Pitcairn by Fletcher Christian and Co’s descendants. Just be aware that shipping could take 3-8 months. (Or try these guys who have a stash of Pitcairn goods in the US.)
posted by penguin pie (9 comments total)

They sure are industrious with the arts and crafts. Or colonial exploitation of the native population. Either way not your average gift shop.
posted by stbalbach at 8:29 AM on December 12, 2005

One of my colleagues sailed around the world for a couple years in the late 60s with her family. They spent a few months on Pitcairn, and since that time they've maintained strong connections with Pitcairners. Every now and then, Pitcairners visit the US for various reasons, and a few times she's had them join her to present a slide lecture and do a talk. They often bring these items to sell. It doesn't seem to be exploitive, and if it is, it's more about the islanders exploiting the world's interest in their story. Anyway, they are great people, so buy stuff from them.
posted by Miko at 8:40 AM on December 12, 2005

...[after reading about the rape charges] Now I'm wondering if the folks I've met were among those charged. I doubt it, since they live on the mainland now...but, yuck anyway. Welll....it's all pretty complicated, both culturally and legally, so there you go. It's a weird world.
posted by Miko at 8:49 AM on December 12, 2005

I bought three sewing baskets and a carved wooden fish from the Pitcairn website a few years ago. One of the craftswomen has a U.S. friend you can send your check to. I guess it took about 4 months, but she made the items to order. According to the postmark, it took less than a month to ship to me in California. I also bought a CD of photos of the island.
posted by Lockjaw at 9:10 AM on December 12, 2005

I would support enforcing British rule in Pitcairn, simply because it is better for children to grow up in a society with laws than a society without. We owe it to them.
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Awesome at 9:56 AM on December 12, 2005

Talk about your pepsi blue. Can I have a free ad, too?
posted by nyxxxx at 2:40 PM on December 12, 2005

Don't get your nyx in a twist, it's hardly a corporate multinational...

Can I have a free ad, too?
We might think about it, if you're as unusual as a community of 40 people descended from infamous mutineers, living on a miniscule island in the middle of nowhere, embroiled in a huge sex scandal and with one of your only sources of income being online handicrafts.
posted by penguin pie at 4:50 AM on December 13, 2005

A pretty good friend of mine (named Christian--one of the direct descendents of Fletcher) grew up on Pitcairn. He said it was a great place for a kid to grow up, but he's glad that his family moved to Sydney when they did (he was about 12).
posted by zardoz at 4:51 AM on December 13, 2005

So, then it's ok if little companies get free ads but not big ones? Great, I'll be posting links for all my commercial websites on metafilter this week.
posted by nyxxxx at 6:42 AM on December 13, 2005