Anuta
Encyclopedia
Anuta is a small high island
in the southeastern part of the Solomon Islands
province of Temotu
, the smallest permanently inhabited isolated Polynesian
island.
, at 11°36′39"S 169°51′1"E. It is a small volcanic
island with a fringing coral reef
. The highest point on the island is 213 feet (65 m) above sea level
. The island has a diameter of only about a half mile--820 yards (750 m).
and agriculture
, the island has one of the highest population densities in the world, equalling that of Bangladesh
.
Historically, some of its inhabitants have used the small island of Fatutaka
, about 37 miles (60 km) to the southeast, as a garden
ing location. Like nearby Tikopia
(83 miles southwest), and unlike the majority of the population of the Solomon Islands who are Melanesians, the islanders of Anuta are Polynesians
, and their language, Anuta
, is a member of the Samoic
branch of the Polynesian languages
. A 200-word word-list is available at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. The islanders were joined by adventurer Bruce Parry
in the TV series Tribe
, who made a voyage from the UK over Singapore
, Brisbane
, Honiara
, and Lata
(Santa Cruz
) after which he boarded a yacht to Anuta.
sets Anuta at one end of the environmental variable controlling cultural development, in this case, area. The BBC
documentary series South Pacific devotes part of an episode to the ability of Anutans to maintain their island's bounty, contrasting it with the environmental destruction wrought by the Easter Islanders.
High island
In geology , a high island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, whose origin is due to sedimentation or uplifting of coral reefs.-Definition and origin:...
in the southeastern part of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
province of Temotu
Temotu Province
Temotu is the easternmost province of the Solomon Islands. The province was formerly known as Santa Cruz Islands Province. It consists, essentially, of two chains of islands which run parallel to each other from the northwest to the southeast.- Islands :...
, the smallest permanently inhabited isolated Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
island.
Description
The island lies about 311 miles (501 km) to the east-southeast of NendöNendo Island
Nendo is the largest and most important of the Santa Cruz Islands, located in the Temotu province of the Solomon Islands. The island is also known as Santa Cruz, Ndeni, Nitendi or Ndende...
, at 11°36′39"S 169°51′1"E. It is a small volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
island with a fringing coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
. The highest point on the island is 213 feet (65 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The island has a diameter of only about a half mile--820 yards (750 m).
Society and culture
The island's population is about 300. There are two villages (noporanga, which means "dwelling place", with a traditional chief each): Mua ("Front", the eastern and main village), and Muri ("Back", western). In spite of the fact that Anuta islanders largely live off of fishingFishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, the island has one of the highest population densities in the world, equalling that of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
Historically, some of its inhabitants have used the small island of Fatutaka
Fatutaka
Fatutaka, Fatu Taka or Patu Taka is a small high island in the Solomon Islands province of Temotu. It is the easternmost landfall in that nation. The island, located at , is the remnant of an extinct volcano. It is a small rocky outcropping, rising to an elevation of . The total land area of the...
, about 37 miles (60 km) to the southeast, as a garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
ing location. Like nearby Tikopia
Tikopia
Tikopia is a small and high island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Covering an area of 5 km² , the island is the remnant of an extinct volcano. Its highest point, Mt. Reani, reaches an elevation of 380 m above sea level. Lake Te Roto covers an old volcanic crater which is 80 m...
(83 miles southwest), and unlike the majority of the population of the Solomon Islands who are Melanesians, the islanders of Anuta are Polynesians
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
, and their language, Anuta
Anuta language
The Anuta language is a Polynesian Outlier language from the island of Anuta in the Solomon Islands. It is closely related to the Tikopia language of the neighboring island of Tikopia....
, is a member of the Samoic
Samoic languages
The Samoic–Outlier languages, also known as Samoic languages, are a purported group of Polynesian languages, encompassing the Polynesian languages of Samoa, Tuvalu, American Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Polynesian outlier languages in New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New...
branch of the Polynesian languages
Polynesian languages
The Polynesian languages are a language family spoken in the region known as Polynesia. They are classified as part of the Austronesian family, belonging to the Oceanic branch of that family. They fall into two branches: Tongic and Nuclear Polynesian. Polynesians share many cultural traits...
. A 200-word word-list is available at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. The islanders were joined by adventurer Bruce Parry
Bruce Parry
Bruce Parry is a Former Royal Marines Officer and Instructor who is now a TV presenter and adventurer, known particularly for the documentary programme series Tribe , co-produced by the BBC and the Discovery Channel...
in the TV series Tribe
Tribe (TV series)
Tribe is a documentary television series co-produced by the BBC and the Discovery Channel, and hosted by former British Royal Marine Bruce Parry....
, who made a voyage from the UK over Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
, and Lata
Lata, Solomon Islands
Lata is the provincial capital of Temotu Province, Solomon Islands. As of 2007, it has 553 inhabitants. There are a few rest houses for over night stays. There is a Post office, Telecom office and numerous stores....
(Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Islands
The Santa Cruz Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. They lie approximately 250 miles to the southeast of the Solomon Islands Chain...
) after which he boarded a yacht to Anuta.
Relationship with environment
Anuta's high population density has endured without destruction to the island's ecosystem. An important concept in the Anutan society is "Aropa," an attitude of mutual giving and sharing, which translates most closely to "compassion." Aropa distributes the island's resources equally among its inhabitants. As a result, it has attracted interest from scientists interested in the human relationship with the environment. In his book Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared DiamondJared Diamond
Jared Mason Diamond is an American scientist and author whose work draws from a variety of fields. He is currently Professor of Geography and Physiology at UCLA...
sets Anuta at one end of the environmental variable controlling cultural development, in this case, area. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary series South Pacific devotes part of an episode to the ability of Anutans to maintain their island's bounty, contrasting it with the environmental destruction wrought by the Easter Islanders.