Letter Sent to My Grandparents in 1931 I think in Banaban

This letter is beautifully hand written. The script. But because it is very old (88 years) and was folded in 5 parts and punched with a small punch, opening it means there are about 12 fortunately small holes, but in addition there are small tears, and as it was in pencil it is now very hard to make out the words although some seem fairly clear. I used lights and a magnifying glass.  I have copied it and written it out to type here. Some words are extremely hard to make out. For…

Re Banaban Letter and some History of my mother's & family on 'Ocean Island'

    I am doing a large project which I call 'The Infinite Project'. It involves all media and all aspects of things at least in theory. However one aspect has brought me via one thread of it, the personal, to some letters.

   Initially I was going to use my father's letters and a few others etc and some of my mothers. However I have now found and am 'revolving around' her and my grandfather's time in Banaba before WWII.

   Various letters, mostly from English or…

Banaban Islanders Suffer Long Wait For Supply Boat To Be Built 4 years after project began, vessel for Banaba Island still not completed

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Feb. 21, 2014)

The people of Banaba island in Kiribati have expressed their concerns about delays in the completion of a boat being built by the government. The Kiribati Independent reports it has been four years since the project began. The boat, which is big enough to run between Banaba and the capital Tarawa regularly, will help ease problems of food shortages on the island. The boat-building manager of the…

Fiji president gives speech during state visit in Tarawa - We accepted that the Banabans were forced to leave Ocean Island

We accepted the Banaban people when they were forced to leave Ocean Island [Banaba] because of the pressure of phosphate mining there.

"These people now live in Fiji but have their own seat in the Parliament of Kiribati. And if necessary, we will do it again.

People Of Kiribati Welcome To Live In Fiji: Ratu Epeli
Fiji president gives speech during state visit in Tarawa

By Nemani Delaibatiki

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Sun, Feb. 12, 2014) – The…

Consuming Ocean Island: stories of people and phosphate from Banaba

Kam na mauri, and FYI Banaban friends, my book "Consuming Ocean Island: stories of people and phosphate from Banaba" is on Amazon. It will be released in September this year.