Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
This was the trip that H.E. Maude was on to conduct the pre-settlement survey of
Nikumaroro (Laxton 1951).
In 1937, Gardner was renamed Nikumaroro after the home island of a Gilbertese ancestress,
Nei Manganibuka, who swam from her land “i-an Tamoa” (near Samoa) to Nikunau in the
southern Gilbert Islands with the first buka tree in her mouth (Maude 1937, 1952 and 1968).
Since Nikumaroro (Gardner) was covered with buka trees, it must have been the home of Nei
Manganibuka.
In 1937, 700 Gilbertese were moved from the Southern Gilbert Islands to Orona (Hull),
Manra (Sydney), and Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Chapman 1961). Fifty eight Gilbertese were
resettled on Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Bryan 1951; see also Freeman 1951). The forest had to
be cleared and coconut palms needed to be planted. For a detailed account of the relocation
voyages and initial resettlement activities, see Maude (1952 and 1968).
In 1938, the GEIC bought out Burns Philp’s interest in Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Garnett
1983a).
In December 1938, a plane from the H.M.S. Leander flew over Nikumaroro and took aerial
photographs (King et al 2001).
In 1938, the lagoon on Nikumaroro (Gardner) was surveyed by the New Zealand Navy in
1938 (December 1938 to February 1939 by the Royal New Zealand Air Force according to
King et al 2001). They chartered the MV Yanawai and arrived on November 30, 1938. The
H.S.S. Leander arrived the following day supported the landing party. Bryan (1941 and
1942) reported that the survey was done in either 1935 or 1938. They marked the lagoon
“British Pacific Airways, Gardner Island Sea Aerodrome Reserve”. Part of the lagoon was
marked off as a landing area for British Pacific Airway planes (Hydrographic Office 1940).
In 1938, there was a drought as new settlers became established on Nikumaroro (Laxton
1951). In December 1938, two water condenser plants from the Nimanoa were left for the
Nikumaroro settlers.
In 1939, there were 80 natives living on Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Bryan 1941 and 1942; see
also King et al 2001). Their village was just south of the western lagoon entrance. A
concrete cistern had been constructed. Drought and limited number of coconut trees (200)
hindered development of the colony on Nikumaroro (Gardner) (Bryan 1941 and 1942).
As part of the settlement scheme, about 163 Gilbertese were settled on Nikumaroro (Gardner)
(Pompey 1974 and 1972d).
In April 1939, the U.S.S. Pelican visited Nikumaroro and launched a plane to take aerial
photos of the island (King et al 2001). In November to December 1939, the U.S.S. Bushnell
spent a week mapping Nikumaroro (King et al 2001).
ORONA (HULL)
In 1887, J.T. Arundel occupied Orona (Hull) (Garnett 1983a). In 1891, Arundel obtained a
coconut planting license for Orona (Hull).
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