Stories from Banaba

[Stacey King]

[Stacey King]

The more I look at Banaba the more I can't get over how perfect it looks from the satellite photo. The shoreline is perfectly curved all the way around and cut in to make a perfect sheltered bay at Home Bay. Also how many noticed that Tapiwa (Tabwewa) is marked in the wrong place. It is much futher back where there are still remaining houses as seen here on the map and the Catholic Church still stands today.

Imagine what it must have looked like before they mined the island and it was covered in lush coconut groves growing wild all over the island.

Here is an old photo taken of Uma Village around 1900 when they first discovered phosphate on Banaba. Truly beautirul!

[Nazreen Melissa Luke]

Yes! Banaba is truly beautiful. I hope to go there one day and this website is awesome.

Stacey King said:

The more I look at Banaba the more I can't get over how perfect it looks from the satellite photo. The shoreline is perfectly curved all the way around and cut in to make a perfect sheltered bay at Home Bay. Also how many noticed that Tapiwa (Tabwewa) is marked in the wrong place. It is much futher back where there are still remaining houses as seen here on the map and the Catholic Church still stands today.

Imagine what it must have looked like before they mined the island and it was covered in lush coconut groves growing wild all over the island.

Here is an old photo taken of Uma Village around 1900 when they first discovered phosphate on Banaba. Truly beautirul!

[Wayne WOLTSCHE]

I was on Banaba from 1972 to 1978 as a child and I have recollections of its true beauty. I lived in both Tapiwa and then later Oomah. My fondest childhood memories come from living on Banaba. I have been back to Nauru and on to Tarawa and Kirabati (1993) however as I felt no no affiliation to these islands I still have a strong desire to return to Banaba. I have been trawling the internet in the hope I might be able to find some way of returning to Banaba....if anyone has any ideas....
I too have been looking closely at the satelite images of Bananba and see that there is considerable re-growth since the mining ceased. The island appears to be attempting to re-habilitate itself and as a result is starting to look beautiful. I would love to see some more current photos of Banaba if there is anyone that has any. Keep up the great work on the website, Stacey your doing a good job.

[Teari]

Whenever I feel bored in school, I tried to get hold of one computer and sat there for hours...just to look at the photographs of banaba on banaban.com and those posted on the google earth map of the island. I realised that a lot of photos on the google earth were wrongly placed on the map......I tried to ask whoever is posting those pictures to put them correctly at the right positions but there has not been any changes made. I even pointed out the correct positions for him, but still no change.....anyway everytime I look into those photos, I really feel at home...momeries of living on the island is so much fresh in my mind.....if I happen to have a chance to travel out of this country...the very place I wana go to is Banaba.....God knows how much I missed the island !!!!!...

[Stacey King]

Mauri Teari

I have been lucky enough to visit Banaba twice in 1997 and Ken and I intend on returning in the future. I know what you mean about the wrong place names on Google. Unfortunately we do not have any control over this as this is coming direct from Google Earth and their satellite link.

They have probably based the locations on old maps of the Island that are also wrong. Also the spot where they have Tabwewa marked is where the first Colonial government Residency was with the post office, before they mined the area and moved the Residency to the back of the island. It only lasted just over 12 months before the Japanese bombed the building at the start of WWII. So obviously Google is basing its satellite imagery against old Colonial office records.

Just goes to show how during the Colonial period of Banaba (OI) history how these errors and wrong information got recorded into official records. Sad that it still is being carried on today, and maybe this is a good campaign for you and your fellow students to get behind and demand Google Earth change it. You need to write or send emails to someone high up at Google Earth.

If you can get hold of an email address or contact name let us know via Banaban Voice and we will encourage other Banabans to write in an complain as well.

What years were you on Banaba... obviously just recently. I have some old photos of the Banaban school and the school kids taken in 1997... you might be amongt them. Let me know and I will see what photos we have here in our collection. Also who are your parents? Ken and I will probably know them.

Don't you love the old photo of Uma before they mined the place. Just shows you how beautiful the island was prior to mining.

Regards and keep in touch, Stacey

[Teari]

Yeah I really love the photo....the place looks so peaceful and clean.....

[david grantham]

I was fortunate enough to visit Banaba (Ocean Island then) in May 1958. Although my ship only stayed the one day the visit left a lasting impression on me. Over 50 years on and I can still remember the party that we were given by the inhabitants. I was serving on HMS Cavalier at the time, and having spent a while at Christmas Island, we were on our way back to Hong Kong. I doubt that there are many people around who would remember out visit, but I do vividly. Till now I haven't had the chance to say Thank You to all the people we met and the lovely time we spent with you. God bless, David.

[david grantham]

Have been looking at some photos and came upon this one. It came from my ships end of commission magazine and shows some fishermen from Ocean Island. I don't expect that anyone will be recognised but you never know. It would be great if someone did recognise themselves. David.