Dyaul Island

Dyaul (also Djaul or Sandwich Island, formerly the mausoleum Island ) is an island off the coast of the island of New Ireland in the north of Papua New Guinea. It belongs administratively to Tikana Rural Local - Level Government Area of New Ireland province.

Geography

Dyaul is separated by the 14 km wide Gazelle channel of the northwest coast of New Ireland. In the northern part of the island, the 226-meter high Mount Bendemann is. The average terrain elevation is 60 m. Upstream of the west is the small island Mait with the 230 m high peak Dietert. It is separated by the narrow channel of Mait Dyaul. The islands Leamon and Kalawurima are located off the southern coast.

Resident

The inhabitants mainly live in seven villages. The largest towns are Sumuna with the mission station on the north coast, as well as Lapai, Piliwa and Karia in the east. Be on Dyaul, Tok Pisin not counting, speaking two languages: Tigak and Tiang. Tigak is spoken in two villages in the western part, Tiang in the rest of the island. The Dyaul or Bismarck Monarch is endemic to Dyaul.

History

The island is probably inhabited since around 1500 BC by Melanesians. The area came in 1885 under German management and belonged since 1899 to German New Guinea. During the First World War, Australian troops captured the island. After the war, it was administered as a League of Nations mandate of Australia.

From 1942 to 1944 Dyaul was occupied by Japan, but returned in 1949 in Australian administrative back until Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975.