Would you like to live in a self supporting Christian community – one that has a thriving economy, non-existent unemployment, and where serious crime is unknown? You might say, “Yes, but there is no place.” Ah…but that is not so. There is such a place. It is called Tristan da Cunha Island.
Now, there are some things you should know about Tristan (for short) before you pack your bags and rent a U-Haul truck. The first thing is – don’t bother with the truck. The only accessible route is by boat. Pack plenty of Dramamine as it is a seven day journey of 1500 miles from the nearest port at Cape Town, South Africa. “Oh,” but you say, “I’ll fly then.” No, that won’t work – there is no airstrip on the island. Another thing you should know is that no outsiders are allowed to buy land or settle on the island. Don’t fret though – visitors are welcomed and many of the women supplement their families income by selling homemade souvenirs to the tourists.
The 266 residents that live on the 8 mile wide island have descended from 15 ancestors, 8 of which were male and 7 female. The males were European and the females were of mixed race and African. These 266 people make up 80 families. An inhabitant of the island will have one of only seven surnames.
By the map you can see that Tristan da Cunha (in the red square) lies in the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and South America and is a British Territory. If the island residents tire of shopping in Cape Town, they can head west 2090 miles and patronize one of the South American cities. In reality, most of what the residents need are brought in by fishing vessels a few times a year.
There is only one road on the island and it is little more than a winding dirt path. It is flanked with bungalow style cottages, potato patches, and friendly roaming cows. Every family on the island farms. The adults also have other jobs – usually a government job involving the fishing industry.
Although very remote, Tristan is blessed with modern amenities of modern plumbing and electricity. Once I read that, I thought about planning a trip, but then I found out there are no motels. Camping might be a option for some folks, but not for me. It rains 17-26 days of the month – not suitable for a fair weather camper that enjoys eating eggs in the morning sunlight.
Medical treatment can be an issue. There is a hospital on the island that is serviced by a resident doctor and five nurses. It has labor and delivery capabilities as well as an emergency room. But serious conditions must be taken to Cape Town or the UK.
Life for the Tristan da Cunha inhabitants is an exercise in patience and planning. There is a grocery store, but orders must be placed months in advance so the supplies can be loaded onto scheduled fishing vessels and brought to the island. Many times these vessels are delayed because of weather conditions.
The island’s motto is “Our faith is our strength.” I have no doubt these folks possess an adequate amount of both. It would be inspiring, interesting, and intriguing to meet these folks, but I’d prefer to do it in Spearfish, SD.
Until next month, “Keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin.’