Gilbert Islands Information

A tradition of sorcery and aristocracy envelop the Gilbert Islands, a chain of 16 coral-encrusted islands in the Pacific Ocean, where the country's capital, South Tarawa, lies under a warm, tropical climate. There you are in for some marvelous sights and sounds such as Second World War artifacts and folk music. Named after its discoverer, British captain Thomas Gilbert, the Gilbert Islands used to be the moniker that applies to all of Kiribati until the country achieved its independence in 1979. The equator divides the Islands into North and South. The more fertile North or mweang allows for the growth of babai (taro) and other foods that go into the making of diet like fish, pandanus (jackfruit-like fruit), chicken and pork. Families are particularly addicted to toddy or the juice from the young flower shoots of the coco palm. Every village centers on the maneaba, the masterpiece of Gilbertese culture next to the canoe, which is said to be the fastest in the Pacific. Like the locals' bungalow houses, the maneaba is rectangular but with two sides having different proportions. The maneaba's architect is an old man who is said to use sorcery in making maneabas through invoking Anti (spirits). Apart from serving as dwellings, the maneaba is also used to be the palaces of the aristocrats of Central Gilberts and Butaritari.Nowadays, most of the economy strives on the lagoon and reef, where men can be seen crayfishing and women and children collecting squids, crabs and clams. Occasionally, the islanders also take out shark tooth swords, fans, mats, trays and wooden spears for sale. Nonetheless, the joy of the islands comes in singing and dancing, which boosts their sense of national pride. Flying-fish nights are also a must-see in the Gilberts. The islanders paddle their outriggers at spaced intervals around a lagoon, with each canoe carrying a torch of burning coconut stems. Schools of flying fish gravitate towards the lights, making the fish an easy prey for the boatmen who immediately consume the fish or dry them. Tourists, too, can have their share of adventure through sailing, fishing or diving, and the islets of North Tarawa and Betio are particularly popular for these.