Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
worked the island for copra. Maude (1937) reported erecting a flagpole and notice board on
the old beacon on Manra (Sydney).
Orona (Hull) and Manra (Sydney) were to be settled first as there were existing coconut
plantations on them (Knudson 1965). Abariringa (Canton) and Nikumaroro (Gardner) could
follow after Orona (Hull) and Manra (Sydney) had been planted in coconut trees and
coconuts became available for settlers (Knudson 1965).
In 1937, Sydney was re-christened Manra (Bryan 1951; see also Freeman 1951; Maude
1937). Manra was the one of the Gilbertese ancestral homelands in Indonesia (Maude 1952
and 1968). Manra was known to have possessed a lake similar to Sydney’s lagoon.
In 1937, 700 Gilbertese were moved from the Southern Gilbert Islands to Orona (Hull),
Manra (Sydney), and Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Chapman 1961).
In 1938, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony purchased Manra (Sydney) from Burns Philip
(Garnett 1983a).
On Christmas day 1938, the first party of 41 settlers aboard the Nimanoa arrived at Manra
(Syndey) (Knudson 1965 and 1977; colony established in the fall of 1938 according to
Bigelow 1939; colony established in 1933 according to Bryan 1941 and 1942). This trip was
lead by District Officer, G. Gallagher (Anon. 1939d). According to Knudson (1965) this
group became the nucleus of the new community. All Manra (Sydney) settlers were
Protestants (Knudson 1965). For a detailed account of the relocation voyages and initial
resettlement activities, see Maude (1952 and 1968).
In 1938, a settlement of 130 natives from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands was established on
the southwest point of the island (Hydrographic Office 1940; western side according to
Hydrographer fo the Navy 1969). Copra was the sole export. A model village with 117,347
lt (31,000 gallon) cement cistern, and 15 wells was constructed (Bryan 1941 and 1942). The
7,500 coconut palms were distributed to the 260 Gilbertese settlers (Bryan 1951; see also
Freeman 1951).
The relocation scheme was very popular to the point where two men and a woman traveled
across from the Gilbert Islands to Manra (Sydney) against the wind and current in a small
canoe (Bryan 1941 and 1942).
In 1939, there was a drought during which most of the wells became brackish (Bryan 1941
and 1942). The cistern was almost empty when the rains finally returned.
In 1939, the U.S.S. Bushnell erected two range marks to indicate the channel leading up to
the landing at the village (Hydrographic Office 1940). Bryan (1941) reported that there was a
beacon on the west side that marked the best anchorage on Manra (Sydney).
MCKEAN
McKean was a British protectorate that was leased to the Pacific Islands Co. (Hydrographic
Office 1916; in the 1890’s according to Tudor 1968; no lease was ever granted according to
Garnett 1983a).
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