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Anuta is a small high island in the southeastern part of the Solomon Islands province of Temotu, "the smallest permanently inhabited isolated Polynesian island."[1]
[edit] Description
The island lies about 311 miles (501 km) to the east-southeast of Nendo, at 11°36′39″S 169°51′1″E / 11.61083°S 169.85028°E / -11.61083; 169.85028Coordinates: 11°36′39″S 169°51′1″E / 11.61083°S 169.85028°E / -11.61083; 169.85028. It is a small volcanic island with a fringing coral reef. The highest point on the island is 213 feet (65 m) above sea level. The island is quite small; it has a diameter of only about 820 yards (750 m).
[edit] People and culture
The island's population is about 300. There are two villages (noporanga, which means "dwelling place", with a traditional chief each):
- Mua ("Front", east) (main village)
- Muri ("Back", west).[2]
Historically, some of its inhabitants have used the small island of Fatutaka, about 37 miles (60 km) to the southeast, as a gardening location. Like nearby Tikopia (83 miles southwest), and unlike the majority of the population of the Solomon Islands who are Melanesians, the islanders of Anuta are Polynesians, and their language, Anuta, is a member of the Samoic branch of the Polynesian languages. A 200-word word-list is available at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database.[3] The islanders were joined by adventurer Bruce Parry in the TV series Tribe, who made a voyage from the UK over Singapore, Brisbane, Honiara, and Lata (Santa Cruz) after which he boarded a yacht to Anuta.
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