Editing Tabiteuea

{{Short description|Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati}}

{{Infobox islands
| name             = Tabiteuea
| image_name       = Tabiteuea Kiribati2.jpg
| image_caption    = Satellite photograph of Tabiteuea (NE top)
| image_size       = 
| map_image        = GilbertIslandsPos.png
| map_caption      = 
| native_name      = 
| native_name_link = 
| nickname         = 
| location         = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| pushpin_map      = Kiribati#Micronesia#Oceania#Pacific Ocean
| coordinates      = {{Coord|1|21|S|174|48|E|display=it|source:eswiki}}
| archipelago      = [[Gilbert Islands]]
| total_islands    = 
| major_islands    = [[Aanikai]] 
| area_km2         = 40.33
| rank             = 
| length_km        = 
| width_km         = 
| highest_mount    = 
| elevation_m      = 3
| country          = [[Kiribati]]
| population       = 5,261
| population_as_of = 2015 Census
| density_km2      = 123.8
| ethnic_groups    = [[Micronesians#Kiribati people|I-Kiribati]] 99.7%
| country_admin_divisions_title   = Capital
| country_admin_divisions         = [[Utiroa]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Former capital
| country_admin_divisions_1       = [[Buariki (Tabiteuea)|Buariki]]
}}

'''Tabiteuea''' (formerly '''Drummond's Island''') is an [[atoll]] in the [[Gilbert Islands]], [[Kiribati]], farther south of [[Tarawa]]. This atoll is the second largest and the most populated of the [[Gilbert Islands]] after Tarawa. The atoll consists of one main island, [[Aanikai]] in the north, and several smaller [[islet]]s in between along the eastern rim of the atoll. The atoll has a total land [[area]] of {{convert|38|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, while the [[lagoon]] measures {{convert|365|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The [[population]] numbered 5,261 in 2015. The islanders have customary fishing practices related to the lagoon and the open ocean.<ref name="LK">{{cite journal |author= Luomala, Katharine |title= Some fishing customs and beliefs in Tabiteuea (Gilbert Islands, Micronesia) |journal= Anthropos |volume= 75:3/4|year= 1980|pages= 523–558 }}</ref>

While most atolls of the Gilbert Islands correspond to local government areas governed by island councils, Tabiteuea, like the main atoll [[Tarawa]], is divided into two:

* [[North Tabiteuea]] (in [[Gilbertese language|Gilbertese]], ''Tabiteuea Meang'') has a land area of {{convert|26|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a population of 3,955 {{As of|2015|lc=on}}, distributed among twelve villages (capital [[Utiroa]])<ref name="TN2012">{{cite web| work= Office of Te Beretitent - Republic of Kiribati Island Report Series|title= 12. Tabiteuea North|date = 2012 |url= http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/12_TABITEUEA-NORTH-revised-2012.pdf| accessdate=28 April 2015}}</ref>
* [[South Tabiteuea]] (''Tabiteuea Maiaki'') has a land area of {{convert|12|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a population of 1,306, distributed among six villages (capital [[Buariki (Tabiteuea)|Buariki]]).<ref name="TS2012">{{cite web| work= Office of Te Beretitent - Republic of Kiribati Island Report Series|title= 13. Tabiteuea South|date = 2012 |url= http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/13_TABITEUEA-SOUTH-revised-2012.pdf| accessdate=28 April 2015}}</ref>

==History==
"Tabiteuea" is [[Gilbertese language|Gilbertese]] for "no chief allowed"; the island is traditionally [[egalitarianism|egalitarian]] and is known for its huge [[maneaba]].

On 1 July 1799, Charles Bishop and George Bass entered in the lagoon of Tabiteuea and many canoes visited his brig [[List of ships named Nautilus|''Nautilus'']]. Bishop called it Bishop’s Island, and called [[Aanikai]], Drummond’s Island.<ref>
{{cite book
 |last= Dumas 
 |first= Guigone 
 |date= 2014
 |title= Tabiteuea, Kiribati 
 |location= Paris
 |publisher= Hazan
 |pages= 51–52 <!-- or pages= -->
 |isbn=9-782754-10787-7
}}</ref>

The [[Battle of Drummond's Island]] occurred during the [[United States Exploring Expedition]] in April 1841 at Tabiteuea, then known as Drummond's Island. After one sailor from [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] [[USS Peacock (1813)|USS ''Peacock'']], was missing without reason, the US party decided on exacting redress for the incident. Twelve islanders were killed in the fighting and others were wounded. [[Utiroa]] village with more than 1,000 inhabitants, was burned and erased.<ref name="HAE">{{cite book|last=Ellsworth|first=Harry A.|title=One Hundred Eighty Landings of United States Marines 1800 to 1934|year=1974|location=Washington D.C.|publisher=US Marines History and Museums Division|pages=72–74}}</ref>

During the [[American Civil War]], the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate States]] Navy steamer [[CSS Shenandoah]] visited the island on March 23, 1865 in search of United States [[whaler]]s, but the whalers had fled the area. Captain [[James Iredell Waddell|James Waddell]] described the islanders as "of copper colour, short of statue, athletic in form, intelligent and docile" and were "without a stitch of clothing".<ref>WADDELL, James ''C.S.S. Shenandoah: The Memoirs of Lieutenant Commanding James I. Waddell'', 1996, {{ISBN|1-55750-368-0}}, p.143</ref>

In the late 1800s, the two parts of the island were the site of a [[religious war]] when the populace of North Tabiteuea, partly converted to [[Christianity]] and, led by a Hawaiian pastor called [[Kapu (pastor)|Kapu]] who had assembled a "hymn-singing army on a [[crusade]]", invaded and conquered South Tabiteuea, where was recently (1860) created a cult of Tioba (Jehovah).<ref>MACDONALD, Barrie, ''Cinderellas of the Empire: Towards a history of Kiribati and Tuvalu'', 2001, {{ISBN|982-02-0335-X}}, p.38</ref>

Bishop [[Octave Terrienne]] built his main Catholic Church in [[Tanaeang]], North Tabiteuea in 1936 and established there the see of his [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru|apostolic vicariate]] of the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]].<ref>{{cite book
 |last= Dumas 
 |first= Guigone 
 |date= 2014
 |title= Tabiteuea, Kiribati 
 |location= Paris
 |publisher= Hazan
 |pages= 68–69 <!-- or pages= -->
 |isbn=9-782754-10787-7
}}</ref>

Tabiteuea [[Post Office]] opened around 1911 and was renamed Tabiteuea North around 1972. Tabiteuea South Post Office opened on 13 September 1965.<ref name = "Post Office">{{Cite web  | last = Premier Postal History  | title = Post Office List  | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=ge&country= | accessdate = 5 July 2013}}</ref>
[[File:00-250 Tabiteuea.png|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Map of Tabiteuea]]

==Education==
There is a government high school, [[Tabiteuea North Senior Secondary School]],<ref>"[https://vsa.org.nz/assets/Volunteer/ADSW8/41041-KIR-Eng-Language-Trainer.pdf VSA Assignment Description Assignment title English Language Trainer (of Trainers/ Teachers) Country Kiribati]." Volunteer Service Abroad (Te Tūao Tāwāhi). Retrieved on 6 July 2018. p. 6-7.</ref> also known as [[Teabike College]].<ref name=Climreportp48>"TABITEUEA NORTH 2008 Socio-Economic Profile" [http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tabiteuea-North-Social-and-Economic-Report-2008-2-of-4.pdf Part 2 of 4]. ''Strengthening Decentralized Governance in Kiribati Project '', Ministry of Internal and Social Affairs (Kiribati). p. 48 (PDF p. 13/15). [http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tabiteuea-North-Social-and-Economic-Report-2008-1-of-4.pdf Part 1 is here].</ref> Located in [[Eita, Tabiteuea|Eita]], it serves the entire island.<ref name=Climreportp42>"TABITEUEA NORTH 2008 Socio-Economic Profile" [http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tabiteuea-North-Social-and-Economic-Report-2008-2-of-4.pdf Part 2 of 4]. ''Strengthening Decentralized Governance in Kiribati Project '', Ministry of Internal and Social Affairs (Kiribati). p. 42 (PDF p. 7/15). [http://www.climate.gov.ki/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tabiteuea-North-Social-and-Economic-Report-2008-1-of-4.pdf Part 1 is here].</ref>

There is also a government junior high school, Takoronga School in [[Terikiai]], serving all of Tab North.

The elementary schools on Tab North are all government schools. They include:<ref name=Climreportp42/>

* [[Aiwa, Kiribati|Aiwa]]: Nukantewaa School, which also serves [[Bangai, Kiribati|Bangai]]
* [[Buota, Tabiteuea|Buota]]: Taunibong School, which also serves [[Tanaeang]]
* [[Eita, Tabiteuea|Eita]]: Temwamwang School, which serves a portion of Eita as well as [[Utiroa]]; the school does not serve all of Eita, as Eita and Utiroa are both the settlements with the most people in Tabiteuea North.

Taunibong School in Buota serves as the elementary school. The area junior high school is Takoronga School in [[Terikiai]], and the area senior high school is [[Tabiteuea North Senior Secondary School]] a.k.a. [[Teabike College]] in [[Eita, Kiribati|Eita]].<ref name=Climreportp42/>

* [[Kabuna, Kiribati|Kabuna]]: Kabuna School
* [[Tekaman]]: Burannikoraoi School, which also serves [[Tekabwibwi]]
* [[Terikiai]]: Takoronga School, which also serves a section of Eita; Kiribati authorities included a section of Eita in its attendance zone to relieve Temwamwang School
* [[Tanaatoorua]]: Ueen Maungan te Raoi School, which also serves Bangai
* [[Taumwa]]: Auriaria School
* [[Taku, Kiribati|Taku]]: Taku School

Students from Bangai may attend either Nukantewaa School or Ueen Maungan te Raoi School; Bangai does not have enough residents, so the Kiribati authorities do not operate a school there.<ref name=Climreportp42/>

==Transport==
There are two domestic airports:

* [[Tabiteuea North Airport]] that is the main hub serving the southern [[Gilbert Islands]];
* [[Tabiteuea South Airport]], only serving [[South Tabiteuea]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="150px" heights="200px">
Drummonds Island warrior by Agate.jpg|A drawing by [[Alfred Thomas Agate]] featuring a warrior of Drummond Island in 1841
Drummond Islander with headdress.jpg|Drawing of a [[Indigenous peoples|native]] of the island, showing his distinctive conical [[headgear|headdress]]; drawn by Alfred Thomas Agate
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040605042538/http://www.history.navy.mil/ac/exploration/wilkes/wilkes.html Exhibit: The Alfred Agate Collection: The United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842] from the Navy Art Gallery

{{Kiribati geography}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tabiteuea| ]]
[[Category:Gilbert Islands]]
[[Category:Atolls of Kiribati]]