Mutton Bird Island.
I went to Mutton Bird Island with some of my family for five weeks. We had to drive down to Bluff to catch a boat called "The Awesome". That took us out past Stewart Island then we had to get on a smaller boat to get on to Mutton Bird Island. You need to go on the smaller boat so that "The Awesome" doesn't get stuck on the rocks.
We stayed in a little cabin that my dad and his dad built when Dad was a teenager. When we got there we had to clean it out and fix some things that were broken. We had to put some new tin on the roof and cover up a hole in our floor with a wooden plank so that we didn't fall through.
We hunted for Mutton Birds and when we found them we caught them in our hands. We wore gloves so they didn't hurt us if they bit us. We took them to Dad to check them because he would tell us if they were okay to kill or if not, we had to let them go.
We had to wear boots so that it didn't matter if we got muddy. Mutton Birds like to come out in the rain so we were outside in the rain a lot. To kill the birds you have to bang them against your boot or the ground or crush their brain with your thumb.
When they are dead we pluck them, wax them to take off any feathers or fluff, my dad cuts off their heads and then we gut them. We save the hearts for eating and the fat for making ointment for my dad. Then we salt them to preserve them. It is not good if you have cuts on your hands and you get salt in them! Ouch!
When we get a bucket full (about 20-23 birds) we can sell it for $300.00. My sisters and I got about $100.00 each and the rest of the money paid for our trip.
I think our trip was awesome because I got to spend so much time with some of my family and learn so many traditions from my dad.
This is a baby mutton bird.
This is a Korie (Cape Pigeon) sitting on my Dad's head.
