Norfolk Island “Thanksgiving Day” November 2023

This week the Norfolk Island community celebrated Thanksgiving Day on Wednesday. This special event is connected with the links to the American whalers which dates to the generations on Pitcairn Island. It is also a celebration of the English Harvest Home festival, that took place around the end of November.

“Thanksgiving Day” is observed on the last Wednesday in November every year on Norfolk Island. It was a Public Holiday on Wednesday, 29 November, locals gathered at the Norfolk Island churches, attending the “Thanksgiving Day Services”. Everyone enjoyed a morning of hymns, the organ playing, and singing wonderful hymns which link to America and the whaling historic links to Norfolk Island.

The churches isles were decorated with corn along with fresh vegetables and fruits, it was a great sight to see. The sale of produce and baking was held in the Church courtyard after the service. It was a lovely day, and everyone enjoyed time saying hello to friends. Everyone enjoys the fresh sweet corn and so many other freshly harvested vegetables and fruits along with baking treats.

When researching the history of “Thanksgiving Day on Norfolk Island” I learnt that the first Thanksgiving on Norfolk Island was possibly held by the Pitcairn Islanders in the upper room in the Soldiers Barracks. Later the Pitcairn Islanders built a church in Kingston in 1870 named All Saints Church. This church was destroyed in a major storm. The following “Thanksgiving Day” service was held in the courtroom which was filled with seats. Then after the completion of converting the Commissariat Store into the All Saints Church in 1874, services have been held here ever since.

Thanksgiving Day is not observed on the mainland Australia, however, Norfolk Islanders, which is an Australian external territory, do celebrate this special holiday. Norfolk Island is one of the few countries outside of America and Canada who annually celebrates “Thanksgiving Day”.

The Thanksgiving Day tradition continues strongly to this day. The day is spent with family and friends, the public holiday is observed with many businesses closing for the day. Picnics are held, eating sweet pies and foods linking to treats introduced by the American Whalers. On Thanksgiving Day, many families swim at Emily Bay and sports club have fun events such as trophy bowls and rounds of golf. There was also a cricket match on Tuesday afternoon at the old historic sports ground downtown at Kingston.

There have been lovely photos and videos posted on Facebook from the service held at 10am at All Saints Church at Kingston and Uniting Church on Cascade Road. The SDA church on New Cascade Road, held their service in the afternoon at 2pm. Here are a few photographs from Facebook taken at the Uniting Church by Gaelene Nobbs-Quintal and photographs shared by Laurie Carleton from the All Saints Church service. I was not at this year’s Thanksgiving church services so thank Gaelene, Laurie and others for sharing your lovely images.

I enjoyed a few local produce on Thanksgiving Day, lovely sweetcorn, local peaches and nectarines, and local roast pork and tatties for dinner. Even though it was overcast in the afternoon I also enjoyed a swim in the Kingston Lagoon.

It is only a month to Christmas, everyone will enjoy a day relaxing on our beautiful Norfolk Island and the bounty of fresh food shared with good friends and family.

Happy Thanksgiving Day Everyone.

Betty Matthews

1 December 2023