Iwi Faul Gu Work (Walk not Work!)

NORFOLK LAENGWIJ BOOK AVAILABLE FREE ON WORLDWIDE WEB ... by Gaye Evans
“Iwi Faul gu work”
Earlier this year Norfolk Island had a visit from Professor Kate Burridge of Monash University. Professor Burridge is a linguist and during her visit she spoke with local Norf’k Laengwij Consultant Gaye Evans. On Kate’s return to Melbourne she put Professor John Hajek in touch with Gaye to work on a Norf’k Laengwij project. John works at the Research Unit for Multilingualism & Cross-Cultural Communication at the University of Melbourne (RUMACCC).



As part of a major early literacy initiative for children around the world, RUMACCC is proud to have launched a series of early readers in many languages. These readers are designed to help children enjoy reading in their mother tongue so that they are better able to learn to read and write in the official languages of their home countries. They preserve, in print, the world’s linguistic and cultural diversity whilst also showing parents and educators how easy it is to prepare enjoyable reading materials ~ starting with pencil and paper and then with a little help from the computer.

The Norf’k project started with the wellknown traditional folk story from South Sulawesi “Chicken Little goes for a walk”. The story has been retold by Murti Bunanta with drawings by Katrina Langford and it is adapted and translated in the Norf’k Laengwij by Gaye Evans and John Hajek into “Iwi Faul gu work”.


Gaye says that this is an exciting project for the Norf’k Laengwij” as these books can be downloaded for free ~ in either colour or black and white, so that children can colour them in themselves ~ from the website http://rumaccc.unimelb.edu.au/reading/index.html”. Gaye believes that “Iwi Faul gu work” is Norfolk Island’s first ebook in the Norf’k Laengwij

A busy week on the Rock ~ Planting, Driving, Finishing and Festivals

So many people, when they hear where we come from, say "what on earth do you do on a tiny island". You ~ who own this place, or who have been here, or who have lived here ~ know beyond all reasonable doubt that we are the busiest little people in the whole wide world! Let me tell you about a little piece of my week.


Norfolk Island's Holistic Living Festival
Well the Festival is over for another year and yet again it was a great success. This year's presenters were Michael Roads, Helen Barnes, Kay Harriman and Gaye Evans. I had to have a tooth extracted last Monday and the pain was exquisite! Thus, I was just slightly more off planet than usual, and didn't really make it to many of the presentations. However, I did manage to be there for the final dinner at Norfolk Blue.

Although a number of people on island came along to various sessions, the group who attended the entire festival had their own celebration and here they are. I didn't get an individual photo of Kay but you can see her in the front row in her aqua dress. Kay Harriman works with colour using her own cards that she's published and her own aromatherapy essences. She's particularly fond of working with animals and there is an immediate reciprocal love. Kay attended the Festival last year and flew in again to enjoy it this year.

Helen Barnes is a frequent visitor to Norfolk Island and is known well. Today she lives and works in both Auckland and Egypt so her time management skills are second to none. If you are looking for a fantastic tour of Ancient Egypt, working with the energies of the pyramids, then Helen is the one to contact.

Michael and Caroline Roads flew in and Michael gave a number of very popular presentations. This is his third visit to Norfolk. He now travels the world giving lectures and presentations so we were very lucky to have him as a presenter. A number of people took the opportunity to hear him and several hope to attend his Retreat on the Sunshine Coast, next March.

This is another group photograph of us at table. We didn't stop talking for very long but I did manage to get in a quick click. Did you notice the energy orb hovering above my head in the top photo? Impressive! I presented a Hot Spots tour where a number of us trailed the island, tuning in to the different energies that Norfolk holds ~ and we surely have a number of them. Elemental; Lemurian; Atlantian; Star Fields; Convict; Whales and Dolphins; Angels ~ we have them all! Great afternoon but of course, we ran out of time. Never mind. Join us next year.


Finishing - Duane has finished his school life. Here is a photo of the last school assembly for Year 12. The Chief Minister, Hon David Buffett AM MLA is giving them a speech about living life, and as I'm not allowed to blog about Duane, this is the only photo I'm uploading. Nonetheless, I wish him well.



Driving - yesterday was such a beautiful day I called in to Dad's and we went for a drive. Of course, the brain was a little slow so I didn't think to take photos until we were almost home. One of Dad's favourite sayings is "It's a pearl of a day". Well it truly was a pearl so let me share some of the day with you


A view looking out over the ocean and the shoreline to Cascade from Prince Philip Drive. It was so lovely. Gosh I love Norfolk!


This is simply a view looking back into the island because Dad was fascinated by the number of houses that have been built everywhere. Of course whilst he was growing up the population counted about 500 people and in those days, houses were hidden in among the trees. A delightful story by Graeme Cock is that when he first came here as a fireman, his boss took him for a drive and he said "Where are the people". All buildings were sheltered in among the green. Today of course, you build to be seen!


Still driving down the road from Mt Pitt but looking over the treetops to the top of Philip Island's Jackie Jackie. Great story there about a convict! Google it. I bet MCB of Devonhouse Recollection has written about it.


Driving back down the road from Mt Pitt and it is such a graceful drive

and finally...

Planting - I called out to the farm to see how things were progressing. I'm such an incredible help as you all know. Fall on floor laughing holding sides!


Here is a photo of Rosco eating snow peas. Oh no. My mistake. Here is a photo of Rosco working hard, picking snow peas!


A photo of some of the vegetables loaded onto the back of the truck for delivery to the hotels. They are fresh. They are green. They are delicious. It doesn't look it in the photo but the truck was stacked to the max.


Palm trees are planted between the rows of vegetables and sometimes, the ground has to be turned and prepared for the next season so here is Dids on the tractor, doing his thing.


Maybe in a few months, this area will be running wild with watermelons. Hmm. Summer is a comen in, loud now sings cuckoo! Is there ANYTHING better than summer and watermelon. Nope. There aint.

Please note that I've actually attached labels to this post. Smart huh.

Mr and Mrs Geoff Gatehouse's Wedding

Last Saturday on a glorious Norfolk Island afternoon, out at Truck's Bedrock in the sunshine on the edge of a towering cliff, we watched Sophie become Mrs Geoffrey Gatehouse. It was a beautiful wedding and the guests looked gloriously glammorous. Rather than rave on I'll let the photos speak for themselves...
Isn't she just beautiful!

Mr and Mrs Geoff Gatehouse

Wesley James looking absolutely spiffing

Donald and Thomas

Mrs Gate looking absolutely divine in shot Shantung silk - with a touch of vintage Vogue

George and Bonnie (and their wedding anniversary is looming)

I simply had to take a shot of the back of Sophie's dress, because as you can see, it is gorgeous

A group shot. It was so lovely because Sophie's attendants were her parents and brother and Geoff's attendants were his parents and brother. You just can't get better than that!

Signing the Register. God I wish I'd gotten a shot of Midge walking out of her stilettoes

The Gatehouse family as it was then

Christy Wilson and Mardi Pye. Don't they look divine!

Sophie walking to Geoff across the lawn with her parents and brother

Geoff, George, Bon, Tim and Bill - what a good looking lot they are. All Quintal's you know.

Brothers Geoff and Tim

and with their parents

Farewell to a Norfolk Island Icon - Laurie Pop

Well what an absolute shock to everyone who heard that Pop had passed on. I don't think anyone on Norfolk would have believed in a million years that, that would happen, and only then perhaps did many understand what an incredible life Pop had led and how many people he had touched. Not just people on Norfolk either. People from all over the place. Pop on his motor bike, telling us all exactly what had happened, where and when. I think we all thought that his funeral would be huge, but even though we expected it, it was that and more. I've scanned most of his funeral sheet because who can imagine anyone else handing them out other than Pop. They haven't scanned well, but it will give those off the rock, a small moment, to reflect. God Bless You Lau. Thanks fe uklun.

PINK mugs. Very exciting news

Linda the clever one has produced another one of my paintings on a Norfolk Island souvenir mug. It's so exciting to see the frangipani's coming to life in this way but more especially, to know that this is a souvenir made totally, wholly, on Norfolk Island.

Okay, I'm bragging, but it looks really great and when it's put beside one of the coasters. Viola! Yu betchy Brudda.

Yeah I know. My photography has washed out most of the colours. It's a really vibrant pink and I've already sold one and it isn't even in the shop yet. Hah.

Famil at Soul Gallery

Well another great idea coming out of the collective consciousness of Soul Gallery, and we opened last Wednesday night so that those in the accommodation trade could call in and have a look. It was a wonderful night, and especially so for us. Now these photos are all over the place, so the sequence leaves alot to be desired, but you must admit, there's a heckova lot to look at.

Now check these out people. I've produced three little books! Hah. Great Authoress Moi! One is about the men going out to Philip, and it's written in Norf'k. The next one is about what you can see around Norfolk Island's shores and it is also written in Norf'k. The last has some lovely photos of just what you can see as you drive around and it's in English. Selling for a mere $16.50 it's a wonderful bargain. Step right up ...da de da da dee!

This is one of the beautiful paintings of Tihoti, our gorgeous Tahitian. The vibrant colours and energy is simply stunning in real life and I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't take photos because they simply don't do his paintings justice.

Tihoti's fish. This is also reproduced as a greeting card and with matboard so that it can be framed and hung on the wall.

I've decided that a long table can comfortably sit under the window, so with some pushing and pulling I've set up a display of the wares we're offering to visitors. I might have to borrow Did's camera again. His takes much better photos than mine. (I hate admitting that!)

Miki! This is just for you. Don't I look FANTASTIC! You really didn't have to do that but as you can see, I LOVE it. The jewellry which matches to perfection, I brought in Tanzania and have never worn because they didn't go with anything. Received alot of comments. I said to John "Do I look like the African Queen?" He said "You surely do. Wasn't that a river boat? A large river boat". Ha ha ha. He'll get his!

In case you missed it above, here's another look.

Linda has made me another mug from my aqua frangipani and you can see the coasters that make up a set. Then she broke her mug maker. What can one say. There are no words. The new part is flying in on the big silver bird and she's then going to do one from my pink frangipani. Can't wait to see that one. Such fun. And such an ego trip having my name everywhere. When I was little I would write on EVERYTHING. The pine timber walls of our home and Mum would say, The names of fools are written everywhere".
But it didn't deter me. I just answered back and so are the names of fame" Now who told me that I wonder. Probably Mum.

I'm just giving you another shot of it because there was something not quite right with the camera. It certainly wasn't me! These are the mugs with little cards, also featuring frangipani's from my paintings. It's all about me Kiddies.

...and the rest of us. This is in a corner of Maeve and Beck and Pauline's room. They really have a little piece of the South Seas in their room. Looks fantastic with different stories happening. Call in and look around. We'de love to see you.

Some of Lou's photos printed onto gallery stretched canvas. They are wonderful gifts for special people ~ weddings, birthdays, 21st. Or just for being you!

These are some coasters that I've had made from my original paintings, that match the mugs I blogged about earlier. Why does blogging sound like bragging? I have no idea.

Cristina Rose and Robin both admire Nat and Yoyo's wall. Did you know that Nat and Yoyo now have a beautiful son and we're expecting them home on Sunday.

Duncan and Gaewyn from Endeavour Lodge call in and have a look around. Pauline and Lou chat as they check out the goodies.

Sunday morning at the Olive

It would have been a wonderful thing had I been able to show you the magnificent Greek Salad with Smoked Salmon. Yum. The very thought makes my mouth water. Anyway. It would have been lovely to show you a picture but unfortunately it's holding up the camera! So a nice little pic of Dids and Naomi on Sunday morning.

Trimming Olive Trees

I received a letter from the Administration telling me that the olive trees down at the cottage had grown over onto the roadside and the big tour buses which carries our visitors around the island, were having to go over onto the other side of the road, which was dangerous to the public. I managed to refrain from telling them that on a tiny island measuring five miles by three any drongo can see one of those huge buses coming and can quickly get off the road, and that in the tiny little lanes of Ireland where the beautiful hawthorn hedges grow right down, round and up again, there are humungous trans contintental trucks roaring through at a rate of......anyway, I didn't say it. And we spent a delightful Sunday afternoon doing busy things.

Now this is Sharyn and Ollie. Whilst the rest of us were working our little fingers to the bone, she took off!

I'm working like a pack horse, trying to keep up with Mitchell who's cutting away like a lumberjack.

This is me again and I'm looking weary and blistered. Does anyone care?

Duane is d e finately helping. He and I ~ well, me really ~ had a little shouting match to get him to do it proper like, but the sweet child is still talking to me. He understands all about stress. He's really working hard though and I do appreciate it.

Maybe a little showing off to Sarah, just quietly telling her that he's the only one who is really working. Hah

You wouldn't believe the afternoon tea that Sarah brought down for us. Chelsea buns and Cornflake cookies with lemonade. A real picnic. We all had a simply marvellous time

The job that I had been dreading for ages was done from whaoh to go ~ is that really how you spell whoah? ~ in one hour. Including afternoon tea! Oh yes. And did I mention in passing. Carmen walked from where she and Sarah are living, and just managed to miss the work but arrive in time for tea! Can't say anything though. She spent all morning painting the Physiotherapy Unit at the Hospital!

Mitchell has turned the corner having completed Collins Head Road, and is now trimming back the trees along Allendale Drive. What a trooper. Thank you Mitch.