1956 - 2021
Raobeia Ken Sigrah was a Banaban born on Rabi, Fiji. From the age of 14 years, he was trained by Banaban elders in cultural protocols in his inherited role as Clan spokesman. In 1972, he joined the Banaban Dancing Group which was invited by Australian authorities to perform at the official opening ceremonies of the Sydney Opera House. In 1974, he toured with the group to Nauru, Banaba and Tarawa and in 1975, attended the South Pacific Festival of Arts at Rotorua, New Zealand.
In 1997, he acted as an interpreter for the U.K. documentary: Coming Home to Banaba, BBC OUL, filmed on Banaba Island. In 1997, he formed a personal and collaborative partnership with Stacey King, an Australian woman whose family had been involved with the early mining industry of Banaba. Together they built one of the largest private collections on Banaban history from an indigenous and European perspective. Their first published work, Te Rii Ni Banaba – the Backbone of Banaba (2001), is the first on Banaban history written from an indigenous perspective and endorsed by Banaban Clan elders. Since moving to Australia in 1997, he has worked on various projects relating to his community.
In 2004, he co-founded Abara Banaba – Banaba our homeland, an international lobby group to campaign on behalf of the Banaban community. In November 2004, he was part of the Banaban delegation of four that attended the International Small Island Study Association conference in Kinmen Island, Taiwan where he presented the following papers, The Cultural Identity of Banabans (2004) and Essentially Being Banaban in Today’s World: The Role of Banaban Law ‘Te Rii ni Banaba’ (Backbone of Banaba) In a Changing World (2004).
In Jan 2006, he presented a paper, Banaba-Ocean Island Chronicles: Private collections and indigenous record-keeping proving fact from fiction (2006) at The Pacific in Australia - Australia in the Pacific conference Brisbane, Australia. In May 2006, he coordinated an Austrian television production company and the making of a Banaban documentary filmed on Rabi, Fiji.
He co-founded Banaban Vision Publication to record and convert his traditional knowledge into digital publications in his quest to uphold Banaban identity for future generations and further dissimilation of the Banabans as a unique Pacific people.
Te Rii ni Banaba - backbone of Banaba, is a history of Banaba, situated in the Central Pacific, once known as Ocean Island. By recording genealogies, myths, legends, customs, culture, magic rituals and the long-kept secrets of the te Aka clan reveals the uniqueness of Banaban identity. The arrival of the I-Matang (Europeans), beachcombers, blackbirders, whalers, missionaries, and the miners in 1900, with the discovery of phosphate (guano) and a heartbreaking trail of loss, exploitation and environmental degradation from mining. The toll of World War II atrocities suffered during the Japanese invasion, and the subsequent forced exile of the Banabans from their homeland. The recorded names of those tragically killed on Banaba during the War and displaced Banaban survivors who were exiled on Rabi, Fiji in 1945.
Te Rii ni Banaba - backbone of Banaba, brings to light new research, including the long-kept secrets of the mysterious te Aka clan, and the successive invasions of Banaba. Then the I-Matang (Europeans) arrived - beachcombers, blackbirders, whalers, missionaries, miners and an occupying Japanese military force during World War II. 1900 was a turning point in this sequence of events with the discovery of phosphate (guano) and a tragic trail of loss and environmental degradation from mining. The Banaban people, who were exiled from their homeland - first during the Pacific War, then to Rabi (Fiji) afterward. The names of all those Banabans tragically killed on Banaba during the War and the names of the displaced Banaban survivors who arrived on Rabi in 1945 are recorded. Although always remote and now decimated by mining, Banaba remains in the hearts of all Banabans. A key narrative in Te Rii Ni Banaba - backbone of Banaba, is the struggle by Banabans to discover their culture and identity, and the authors write, fearful that due to pressure from Fijian, I-Kiribati and western influences, future generations will no longer know or identify as Banaban.
This second edition includes additional photographs, the discovery of the missing link of the Toakira, the search for Teimanaia's skull, identification of the landowners from the first agreements in 1900, and insights into the famous 1975 Banaban Court Case. It also provides details of villages lost to mining for future generations to trace their genealogies and land rights. Although remote and now decimated by mining, Banaba remains in the hearts of all Banabans.
Título : Te Rii ni Banaba: backbone of Banaba
EAN : 9780645149173
Editorial : Banaban Vision Publications
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