Arorae

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing

Arorae (formerly also known under the name Arorai, Arurai, Hope Iceland or Hurd ) is an upscale southern atoll in the Gilbert Islands of the state of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. It is the southernmost island of the archipelago and situated 85 km southeast of the nearest island of Tamana.

Geography

Arorae is an upscale Atoll, consisting only of an elongated coral island. The island is 9 km long, about one kilometer wide and covers an area of ​​7.5 km ². The sea level is not more than 2 meters. In the year 2005 1.256 mostly Protestant inhabitants were counted on Arorae. The largest settlements on the atoll are from north to south: Tamaroa, Taribo and the main town Roreti (formerly also named Koreti ). These places also have one of the typical meeting houses of the clan, the maneabas. Post office, hospital and police station are located in Taribo, which also has a boat channel through the narrow reef surrounding the island. The northern end Barbaroroa and the southern end Batitotai are uninhabited. The climate is dry, drought are common.

Population

Vital statistics

Demographics

Culture

Since Protestant Samoan missionaries settled on Arorae, the culture was on Arorae, in contrast to the culture of the rest of the Gilbert Islands, mainly influenced by Samoa and the population largely converted to Protestantism. Another influence of Samoan culture is the dance style of Taubati, for which the island is known. Here the music is supported visually and perkussionistisch by clapping and stamping their feet.

In the central and southern Gilbert Islands, the traditional management structure with village elders, the unimane, in recent letters also unimwane obtained. Arorae appoint one member to the Kiribati Parliament on South Tarawa.

The fishermen of Arorae are very adept at catching tuna and sharks with the handline. The shark fins caught sharks are exported as an ingredient for the delicacy shark fin soup, next to the Kopraproduktion important source of income. The tradition of the islanders prevents, however, cut off from sharks caught only the fins. Instead, the animals must first be brought to shore, so the rest can be used as food. Shark teeth are used to produce Haizahnschwertern, the Tebutje used, is known for the Arorae.

Arorae is also known for a long time ago at the northern end of established navigation stones, partly from not occurring on the island of granite and volcanic rocks, which should help the boat travelers going the right course to up to 1000 km neighboring islands in Micronesia and on to Polynesia to find.

Traffic

The island is mostly reached by boat. At the northern tip lies the airfield Arorae, three and a half kilometers away from the center of Tamaroa. Arorae is served by the state-owned Air Kiribati and from January 2009, also by the private airline Coral Sun Airways stations Tamana, North Tabiteuea and Onotoa.