Rennell Island

Name	Rennell
Image name	Rennell Islands map en.png
Image caption	Current map of the Rennell Islands
Locator map
Native name	Mugaba
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates
Archipelago	Solomon Islands
Area km2	660.1
Length km	80
Width km	14
Country	Solomon Islands
Country admin divisions title	Province
Country admin divisions	Rennell and Bellona Province
Country largest city	Honiara
Country largest city population	54,600 (2003 est.)
Population	1,500
Population as of	2000
Density km2	2.2
Ethnic groups	Polynesian 100%

Rennell Island, locally known as Mungava, is the main island of two inhabited islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the Solomon Islands. Rennell Island has a land area of that is about long and wide. It is the second largest upraised coral atoll in the world with the largest lake in the insular Pacific (Lake Tegano) that is listed as a World Heritage Site. Rennell Island has a population of about 3000 persons of Polynesian descent who primarily speak Renbelian, Pigin and some English. Rennell and Bellona Islands are the only islands in the Melanesian Solomon Island archipelago classified Polynesian.

The population of Renbel dates before 1400 AD when clansmen left Uvea (now Wallis Island) and crossed the Pacific ocean to settle on the islands. Captain Butler of HMS Walpole discovered the islands in 1801, after discovering and naming Walpole Island in New Caledonia. In 1933 the Templeton Crocker Expedition discovered several endemic species on the islands. During the Pacific campaign of World War II Japanese Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes operated from Lake Tegano until American PBY Catalinas used the lake as a base after 1943. The Battle of Rennell Island was the last major naval battle of the Guadacanal Campaign which occurred between 29 January 1943 and 30 January 1943. At the end of the war, eight Catalinas were scuttled in the lake and can be seen from the lake surface. Several Danish expeditions later arrived at the islands while researching numerous disciplines.

Located South of Honiara and North East of Brisbane the capital of the Province, Tigoa is located at the Western end of the island.

History

The islands are of volcanic origin with basement rocks forming between the late Cretaceous and early Eocene. Tectonic movements raised the seabed to allow coral building. The whole Rennell area is thought to have been initially deposited as coralline algal limestone and then dolotomized. This dolomitic reef complex is overlain by younger undolotomized reef limestone. Between 2000 and 1600 BC, people belonging to the Lapita Culture made their appearance. Then by Lapita people about 1000 BC. The next settlement occurred on both Rennell and Bellona around 130 BC, with another major occupation in about 1000 AD.

The present-day inhabitants say their ancestors (Kait'u) arrived around 1400AD from Ubea/Uvea (now Wallis Island) and crossed the Pacific ocean and settled in the Solomon Islands. One of the villages in Lake Tegano is called Hutuna which is the Rennellese interpretation of Wallis & Futuna

Geography

Rennell Island is the second largest upraised coral atoll in the world and is largely unmodified and also includes the largest lake in the south pacific.

The island is almost totally surrounded by 120–150m cliffs with the eastern end dominated by a large lake, while the western end is relatively flat from the northern to southern coasts with rolling forested hills. The island is located South of Honiara approximately 1 hour flight in a twin engine prop aircraft.

One road called Copperhead Road, traverses the length of the island from the airstrip to the West to the ports area of the South and a branch heading East towards the vast inland lake.

Climate

The temperature averages 23 – 28 deg c with about 4000 mm of rainfall per year and high humidity during both seasons.Southeast trade winds prevail from April to the end of November. The island is also located within the band of known cyclone paths and is subject to cyclones at relatively frequent intervals. The latest major cyclone to hit Rennell was Nina in 1993.

Lake Tegano, Te Nggano, Tungano, Big Water, Lavimala Bay

Official Solomon Island maps name this lake Te Nggano, while locals refer to the lake as Tegano or Tungano or Big Water. The lake is in length and wide, with an area of , which occupies 17.6% of the total area of Rennell Island. The lake is located at East Rennell in the central basin which was the old lagoon.

The hard bottom is covered by several meters of suspended mud. The lake has an elevated salt concentration being kept by a subterranean duct system which connects it with the sea.

The water depth is 44m and consists of a mixture of brackish fresh and salt water.The average distance from the lake shore to the ocean is 2 km with wildlife predominantly Eel and water snakes and a bird breeding area. The lake is listed as a World Heritage Site.

On the Eastern most point of the lake is the former World War 2 airbase Tigoa. Information from locals claims that there are 9 aircraft at the bottom of the lake with five visible from a boat

Lake Te Nggano was used as a flying boat base by both Japanese and American forces during the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes operated out of Rennell Island until US air and sea superiority made the base untenable. American PBY Catalinas used the lake as a base after 1943. A detachment from the 2nd marines was sent form New Hebrides and arrived at Lake Tegano on 12 November 1942 to establish a lookout post.

The US forces scuttled eight of the warhorses at the end of hostilities rather than take them home. Reports were made of crash landings due to the coral outcrops within the lake. Members of the local community attempted to retrieve one of the radial engines of the aircraft to use as a generator using only man-power. First it was cut from the wing by diving with snorkels and using hand-tools.

It was then dragged across the coralline rock lake floor by hand-winch. They were overcome in their task by the engine's tremendous weight. They did manage to get it close to the shoreline before giving up, close enough that one of the propeller blades is exposed to the air. Very quickly however, the engine became unusable through corrosion, so further attempts to bring it ashore were abandoned. the endemic orchid Dendrobium rennellii near Lake Tegano, two endemic species of Pandanus (P. lacustris and P. rennellensis)[]. There are also 11 species of bats in the area including Rennell flying-fox Pteropus rennelli which is endemic to the island.

Lake Tegano is the only known location for the endemic sea krait Laticauda crockeri (VU). The other species of sea snake in the lake is Laticauda colubrina, there are five species of geckos, four skinks, one monitor lizard (Varanus sp.) and three snakes, all of which are species with widespread distributions and are typical of the region.There are 27 species of land snails, seven of which are endemic to the island, Coconut crab Birgus latro (DD) and two other species of land hermit crabs. (Coenobita sp.) A total 731 insects have been identified from collections made at Rennell and Bellona. Moths (Lepidoptera) have the greatest number of species (246, in total) with 35 species and 25 subspecies exclusive to Rennell and Bellona.Renbel has no indigenous malaria, cane toads, vipers, poisonous snakes or crocodiles.

Culture

Due to the tropical climate and thinly soiled coralline substrate, sheep and cattle do not thrive here. Villagers wishing to harvest seafood have the arduous task of climbing the surrounding 120-150m cliffs for the return journey to the coast. Once at the coast, they are bound to harvest only finned and scaled seafood, not shellfish, lobsters or other marine creatures. The serious deficiency in diet prompted the Solomon Islands government to seed Lake Nggano with tilapia fish. These seem to have thrived in the brackish conditions and are now a staple part of the diet. While coconut crabs are crustaceans, and use the sea to spawn, the Seventh-day Adventists do not eat it in accordance with Hebrew laws, but a few are tempted to its taste, and also enjoying harvesting it.

The locals also talk about a condition they refer to as “The Cold”. They believe that this ailment is responsible for the onset of a debilitating mental illness. Adults who have no history of mental illnesses or drug abuse have been known to slide into a state of melancholy, requiring weeks of intensive treatment. and now crops are under threat by a more natural enemy. At the arrival of RAMSI in 2004, all Solomon Islanders were encouraged to hand-in their firearms following the period of ethnic tensions and many farmers who had used guns to protect their crops were also required to surrender their guns. In 2008 many farmers now complain that the native bird Tekagae, Kagae or Rednose (NZ is known as Swamp Hen or Pukeko) “has tripled in population since the gun amnesty”. and most have some understanding of English.

As part of RAMSI, there are two Participating Police Force (PPF) advisors stationed at Rennell Island, Tigoa. A semi-permanent ITSA structure provides accommodation which was officially opened by the RAMSI PPF Commander on 8 September 2004 and later a section which accommodates the Tigoa police station, was opened on the 12th March 2008.

Power to the complex is provided by a 24 hour Kubota generator powering a split system Air-Conditioning, hot water, full kitchen appliances and washing facilities in the laundry/Bathroom. The accommodation/Office houses the HF radio, base sat phone and computer equipment used by PPF members. The Copenhagen University funded research to examine the rituals of Bellona Island which indicated that many men recalled the story that the island began as a Nerita shell and rose up from the ocean (p24).

In present time the people of Rennell are geographically divided between the lower lake end and the higher end by two Christian denominations. Around the Eastern end, Te Nggano, the people follow the South Sea Evangelical Church, with the Seventh-day Adventist Church occupying the western end. The Seventh-day Adventists worship on Saturday, and South Sea Evangelical Church (SSEC) worship on Sunday. Church Leaders play a small part in most communities, and the traditional Chief/Elder system is becoming defunct.

Bellona Island also has one medical clinic.

Education

There are schools in all of the main villages and a Bible college which conducts courses on vehicle maintenance, cooking, house building and general living courses. It is estimated that the ratio of students is 80% boys and 20% girls with various reasons identified such as costs, tradition and family home duties.

Primary Schools

East Rennell

Moah School Hutuna / Tenqano Village

Niupani Primary School Niupani

Raitahe Primary School Raitahe Village

West Rennell

Thomas Sandwich School Avatai Settlement

Vanua Primary School Lavangu

Kanava Primary School Kanava

Tahanuku Primary School Tahanuku

Newplace Primary School TNT Chistnick

Kangua Primary School Kangua

Community High Schools

'East Rennell'

Niupani Community High Niupani

'West Rennell'

Newplace Community High TNT Chistnick

Communications

There is no phone, television or radio service. Short wave radio can pick up intermittent frequencies and satellite phones do operate. There are about 5 High Frequency radio units in the province and operate on frequency 6815.

There is no telephone land line or mobile coverage. The pfNet project enables internet access at Lake Te’Nggano which is a 20 minute boat trip and 15 minute walk.

The Solomon Islands Telecommunication Company[] will establish a satellite service on this island to be located about 100metres from the airstrip. Services will include a payphone, mobile phone coverage and internet and may even include a repeater station for one of the FM radio stations. Initially the opening date was scheduled for July 2008 but delayed due shipping delays. As of September 2008 the 6 month late barge arrived and offloaded supplies where construction resumed.

Utilities

There are about 20 serviceable generators on the island at time of report. These generators are mostly reliable; however use is restricted due to cost and difficulty in obtaining fuel. HF radios are powered by solar panel. No power grid is in existence. There are HF radios in each village and contact can be made through these in Rennell and Bellona.] provides a twice weekly service from Honiara – Bellona – Tigoa (Rennell Island) – Bellona – Honiara on Tuesdays and Fridays. A RAMSI flight arrives every Wednesday with either a staff changeover and/or supplies for the PPF.

Both islands have grass airstrips, but no other aviation infrastructure. The airstrip at Tigoa is maintained by Civil Aviation Division sub contractors and is mowed by manually slashing with brush knives. Often various communities volunteer to take on this role so they can utilize the money for events such as Christmas functions.

Generally flights leave Honiara at about 0700hrs and arrive in Rennell anywhere between 0800 - 0900hrs. Extra flights are scheduled sporadically. The flight agent resides at the Moreno Guesthouse, Tegiku (West Tigoa). On Bellona the Solair agents occupy a 2-storey building next to the aircraft “terminal”.

RSIP provide security during landings and takeoffs for all aircraft; this involves using the Hilux, an RSIP motorbike and police cordon tape to erect a simple barrier to keep onlookers at a safe distance. It is apparent that flight days are a weekly highlight for many locals.

Airport land dispute

Correspondence addressed to the police and government on 16 Mar 08 details a lengthy land dispute regarding the airport. The author claims that Tigoa land was originally referred to as Sigiabagu and was later renamed Tigoa and that the current airstrip falls on Tigoa, Uvea and Hutuna land. In 1968 the District Commissioner convened a meeting of all chiefs who agreed that the current location is suitable. The agreement apparently covered Tigoa and Uvea lands only.

During the construction process, apparently 150 graves were dug up and 8000 coconut trees were destroyed. However the construction team found that the airstrip was required to be extended East and this resulted in encroachment onto Hutuna land. Subsequently the District Commissioner sought permission for the use of the land from the traditional owner with a proviso that compensation will be paid. The dispute centers around the failure of payment of that compensation.

As a result the author has claimed to caveat the airfield and close the airfield . The author claims that the Baimange tribe own the Tigoa land and the dispute is with the Ngatonga tribe.

Villages & population

{| class="wikitable sortable" |-style="background: #CCC;" ! Village ! Population ! Ward ! Coordinates |- bgcolor="#FFE7BA" | Tigoa |align="right"| 170 |5 | |- | Kangua | align="right"| 60 |6 | |- | Pogima |align="right"| 20 |6 | |- | Moreno | align="right"| 30 |5 | |- | Hatagua | align="right"| 50 |5 | |- | Gongona | align="right"| 150 |5 | |- | Tahanuku | align="right"| 90 |4 | |- | Kanava | align="right"| 80 |4 | |- | Teabamagu | align="right"| 70 |4 | |- | Lavungu | align="right"| 120 |3 | |- | Abatai | align="right"| 60 |2 | |- | Tebaieha Bible College | align="right"| 60 |2 | |- | Tebaitahe | align="right"| 200 |2 | |- | Niupani | align="right"| 250 |2 | |- | Tegano | align="right"| 120 |1 | |- | Hutuna | align="right"| 300 |1 | |-style="background: #DDD;" | class="sortbottom" | Rennell | align="right"|1830 |1-6 | |}

Tigoa (colored background) is the provincial capital of the province of Rennell and Bellona. Wards 1 and 2 are East Rennel, and wards 3 through 6 West Rennel. Wards 7 through 10 of the province relate to Bellona Island.

See also

Rennell Sound, British Columbia, Canada

References

See also

Rennell Travel Guide

Category:Islands of the Solomon Islands Category:Polynesian outliers