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The Gilbert Islands (Gilbertese: Tungaru;^[1] formerly Kingsmill Islands^[2]) are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati ("Kiribati" is the rendition of "Gilberts" in Gilbertese^[1]) and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.^{[citation needed]}

Geography[link]

The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands are arranged in an approximate north-to-south line. In a geographical sense, the equator serves as the dividing line between the northern Gilbert Islands and the southern Gilbert Islands. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) considers the Gilberts wholly within the South Pacific Ocean, however.^[3]

Another method of grouping the Gilbert Islands is by former administrative districts, the Northern, Central, and Southern Gilberts (Tarawa once was a separate district as well).

A group of the southern Gilberts is called the Kingsmill Group, a name that in the 19th century applied to all of the Gilberts.^[2]

The Gilberts form a continuous chain of seamounts with the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands to the north.

Islands of the Gilberts[link]

In official north-south order (grouped by former administrative districts), the islands and atolls are:

Makin (Inselgruppe) 789,2 Lagune 34,3

Atoll/Island	Main village	Land area		Lagoon area		Pop. c. 2005	Min. number of islets	Vill- ages	Location
		km²	sq mi	km²	sq mi
former district of the northern Gilberts
Makin	Makin	6.7	2.6	0.3	0.1	2,385	6	2	3°23′N 173°00′E / 3.383°N 173°E / 3.383; 173 (Makin)
Butaritari	Temanokunuea	13.6	5.3	191.7	74.0	3,280	11	11	3°09′N 172°50′E / 3.15°N 172.833°E / 3.15; 172.833 (Butaritari)
Marakei	Rawannawi	13.5	5.2	19.6	7.6	2,741	1	8	2°00′N 173°17′E / 2°N 173.283°E / 2; 173.283 (Marakei)
Abaiang	Tuarabu	16.0	6.2	232.5	89.8	5,502	4-20	18	1°50′N 172°57′E / 1.833°N 172.95°E / 1.833; 172.95 (Abaiang)
Tarawa	South Tarawa#Bairiki	31.9	12.3	343.6	132.7	45,989	9+	30	1°26′N 173°00′E / 1.433°N 173°E / 1.433; 173 (Tarawa)
former district of the Central Gilberts
Maiana	Tebwangetua	15.9	6.1	98.4	38.0	1,908	9	12	0°55′N 173°00′E / 0.917°N 173°E / 0.917; 173 (Maiana)
Abemama	Kariatebike	27.8	10.7	132.4	51.1	3,404	8	12	0°24′N 173°50′E / 0.4°N 173.833°E / 0.4; 173.833 (Abemama)
Kuria	Tabontebike	12.3	4.7	—	—	1,082	2	6	0°13′N 173°24′E / 0.217°N 173.4°E / 0.217; 173.4 (Kuria)
Aranuka	Takaeang	15.5	6.0	19.4	7.5	1,158	4	3	0°09′N 173°35′E / 0.15°N 173.583°E / 0.15; 173.583 (Aranuka)
Nonouti 1)	Teuabu	29.2	11.3	370.4	143.0	3,179	12	9	0°40′S 174°20′E / 0.667°S 174.333°E / -0.667; 174.333 (Nonouti)
former district of the Southern Gilberts
Tabiteuea 1)	Buariki	38.0	14.7	365.2	141.0	4,898	2+	18	1°20′S 174°50′E / 1.333°S 174.833°E / -1.333; 174.833 (Tabiteuea)
Beru 1)	Taubukinberu	14.7	5.7	38.9	15.0	2,169	1	9	1°20′S 175°59′E / 1.333°S 175.983°E / -1.333; 175.983 (Beru)
Nikunau 1)	Rungata	18.2	7.0	—	—	1,912	1	6	1°21′S 176°28′E / 1.35°S 176.467°E / -1.35; 176.467 (Nikunau)
Onotoa 1)	Buariki	13.5	5.2	54.4	21.0	1,644	30	7	1°52′S 175°33′E / 1.867°S 175.55°E / -1.867; 175.55 (Onotoa)
Tamana	Bakaka	4.8	1.9	—	—	875	1	3	2°30′S 175°58′E / 2.5°S 175.967°E / -2.5; 175.967 (Tamana)
Arorae	Roreti	9.5	3.7	—	—	1,256	1	2	2°38′S 176°49′E / 2.633°S 176.817°E / -2.633; 176.817 (Arorae)
Gilbert Islands	Tarawa	281.10	108.5	1,866.5	720.7	83,382	117+	156	3°23'N to 2°38S 172°50' to 176°49'E
1) part of Kingsmill Group proper

Northern Gilberts[link]

The Northern Gilberts (mweang) geographically and traditionally encompass Butaritari, Makin, Marakei, Abaiang (literally northland) and Tarawa. They have unique tonal accents with differences particularly noted amongst Butaritari and Makin inhabitants.

The northern Gilberts have a greater mean rainfall in comparison to the southern and central Gilberts allowing cultivation of a wider crop range. Butaritari and Makin supply most of the bananas sold in Kiribati. The cultivation of taro or babai (C. esculenta) has been historically easier in the northern Gilberts due to a higher water table and regular rainfall.

Central Gilberts[link]

The Central Gilberts or nuka have traditionally included Maiana, Abemama, Kuria and Aranuka. However, the latter three are considered the main islands that have unique historical and cultural characteristics which distinguish the Central Gilberts from the north and south.^[4]

The Central Gilberts as well as Butaritari are the only regions which have had an organised and widely recognised aristocracy and royal lineage.^{[citation needed]} Tembinok', the last king of Abemama, Kuria and Aranuka died in the early part of the 20th century.^[5]

Southern Gilberts[link]

The Southern Gilberts include the atolls of Nonouti, South and North Tabiteuea, Beru, Nikunau, Onotoa, Tamana and the most southerly island of Arorae.

History[link]

Prehistory and discovery by Europeans[link]

Prior to the Gilberts' discovery by Europeans, the islands had been inhabited by Micronesians for several millennia (at least 2.000 years, probably 3.000). After Pedro Fernandes de Queirós in 1606 (he discovered the Makin/Butaritari group), the first European explorers to reach the islands were 1788 Captain Thomas Gilbert in the Charlotte and Captain John Marshall in the Scarborough. Messrs. Gilbert and Marshall crossed through Abemama, Kuria, Aranuka, Tarawa, Abaiang, Butaritari, and Makin without attempting to land on shore.^[6]

Further exploration[link]

Portrait of a native of the Makin islands, drawn by Alfred Thomas Agate (1841)

In 1820, the islands were named îles Gilbert (in French) by von Krusenstern, an Estonian admiral of the Czar after the British captain, Thomas Gilbert, together with the neighbouring îles Marshall.

Two ships of the United States Exploring Expedition, USS Peacock (1828) and USS Flying Fish (1838), under the command of Captain Hudson, visited many of the Gilbert Islands (then called the Kingsmill Islands or Kingsmill Group in English). While in the Gilberts, considerable time was devoted to mapping and charting reefs and anchorages.

Colonial rule[link]

A British protectorate was first proclaimed over the Gilberts by Captain Davis of HMS Royalist (1883) on 27 May 1892. In 1915, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands were proclaimed a colony of the British Empire.

Population[link]

The natives of the Gilbert Islands are Micronesian, similar in many respects to the natives of the Marshalls, the Carolines, and the Marianas.

At the outbreak of the war, about 78% of the native population were said to be Christians. This group was divided mainly into two denominations: Congregationalists (43%); and Roman Catholics (35%). The rest of the population were largely semi-pagan agnostics; they did not adhere to the Christian faith, nor did they retain much of their beliefs in their own ancient gods.

Native diet during this time consisted mainly of fish, coconuts, pandanus fruit, babai (swamp taro), chicken, and some pork. Housing for Europeans employed in the island was simple. Their houses were constructed of both European and native materials and were generally of the bungalow type. There was no tourism.

Economy[link]

The principal industry found in the Gilberts was the production of phosphate from the deposits on Ocean Island and Fanning Island. In addition, coconut palms were cultivated on some of the islands. All labor was supervised by the British and every effort was made to see that the wages and living conditions were fair and adequate. Sanitary inspections by the British did much to improve the general living conditions on most of the islands.

Administration[link]

Judged to be about 84% literate, the Gilbertese responded readily to the colony's educational efforts. All education in the islands came under the supervision of the Colonial Education Department whose aims were to educate native boys for employment in government and commercial work, and to standardize the level of education throughout the colony. The bulk of the education was provided by the missions, which maintained all the village schools and trained the native school teachers.

With the availability of European-style medical care life improved. The Phoenix Islands Settlement Scheme sought to provide an outlet through the development of three uninhabited atolls in the Phoenix Islands and was the last attempt at human colonization within the British Empire.

Religion[link]

Hiram Bingham II (1831–1908) was the first to translate the Bible into Gilbertese, and also wrote hymns for the Gilbertese language. Joanna Gordon Clark writes of their religious belief:

The Gilbert (and Ellice) Islanders had a strong set of beliefs of their own, pre the Christian missionaries; they had a strong foundation myth, involving trees and the two genders. Their ancestors, they said, had been white skinned and red haired and came from elsewhere, perhaps the West (possibly coinciding with the outward spread of Homo sapiens from Africa and elsewhere). As might be expected, they gave power to the natural forces and gave them names and godly characteristics (sun, moon, etc.) but believed in one spirit god, a bit similar to the god of Genesis, in that he/she seemed to have power over dark and light and so on, and was pretty much invisible. They had a strong belief in behaving properly to their ancestors, and especially their parents, and had well-developed community rules for courtesy to others. Read A Pattern of Islands, by Arthur Grimble, who worked in these islands and on Banaba, for the Colonial Administration, from just before the First World War to the mid thirties, or thereabouts. It is a remarkable, informative, funny and warm-hearted account of these people, their religion. Other religions on the islands figure slightly, and there are remarkable stories of adventures, bravery, political machinations, etc. Probably out of print, but second hand copies are available I think, I have two, and the illustrations are delightful.

The Second World War[link]

On the same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invaded the Gilbert Islands, occupying them by December 10.^[7]

On 17 August 1942, 221 U.S. Marines of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion raided Makin from two submarines. The raid was intended by the Americans to confuse the Japanese about US intentions in the Pacific. It is instead believed to have alerted the Japanese to the strategic importance of the Gilbert Islands and led to their reinforcement and fortification.

Tarawa and Abemama were occupied in force by the Japanese in September 1942 and during the next year garrisons were built up on Betio (Tarawa Atoll), and Butaritari (Makin Atoll). Only nominal forces were placed on other islands in the Gilberts.

On 20 November 1943, the United States Army and U.S. 2nd Marine Division landed on Makin and Tarawa, initiating the battles of Makin and Tarawa, in which the Japanese were defeated. The Gilbert Islands were then used to support the invasion of the Marshall Islands in February 1944.

Self-determination[link]

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands became autonomous in 1971. From 1976 to 1978, the Ellices were separated, and the Gilberts became the Gilbert Islands colony, which issued stamps under that name. In 1979, the Gilberts opted for independence, becoming the independent nation of Kiribati. The Ellices become the independent nation of Tuvalu.

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• The Battle for Tarawa, Appendix G

v t e Kiribati Gilbert Islands Abaiang · Abemama · Aranuka · Arorae · Beru · Butaritari · Kuria · Maiana · Marakei · Makin · Nikunau · Nonouti · Onotoa · Tabiteuea · Tamana · Tarawa Phoenix Islands Abariringa · Birnie Island · Enderbury Island · Manra Island · McKean Island · Nikumaroro · Orona · Rawaki Island Line Islands Caroline Island · Flint Island · Kiritimati · Malden Island · Starbuck Island · Tabuaeran · Teraina · Vostok Island West of Gilberts Banaba Reefs Carondelet Reef · Filippo Reef · Winslow Reef Outline · Portal

Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan in concert in Tel Aviv on 23 May 2009
Background information
Birth name	Raymond Edward O'Sullivan
Born	(1946-12-01) 1 December 1946 (age 65) Waterford, Ireland
Origin	Swindon, England
Genres	Pop, soft rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, pianist
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards
Years active	1967–present
Labels	Bygum Records MAM Records
Website	Official website

Gilbert O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair" and "Get Down".^[1] The music magazine Record Mirror voted him the No. 1 UK male singer of 1972.^[2]

Worldwide he has charted 16 top 40 discs; including six number one songs, the first of which was 1970's "Nothing Rhymed" (for further information see Gilbert O'Sullivan discography). His most successful recording period was between 1970 and 1980, though he has since recorded nine studio albums up to 2011's "Gilbertville". Speaking in 2009 he said; "I write pop songs. End of story. That's all I wanted to do. That's all I want to do. And that's all I continue to want to do. I have no interest in just touring, and living in the past."^[3]

Early life[link]

O'Sullivan was born Raymond Edward O'Sullivan in Waterford, Ireland.^[4] In 1960, aged 13, his family moved to Swindon, Wiltshire, England. He attended St Joseph's and the Swindon College of Art, where he briefly played drums in a band called Rick's Blues, founded by Rick Davies (who later founded Supertramp) and where he developed his lifelong interests in music and art.^[5] According to a 1972 interview with O'Sullivan, Davies taught him how to play both drums and piano.^[6] Other semi-professional bands he played with while at college include The Doodles and The Prefects.^[5]

Music career[link]

In 1967, O'Sullivan was signed to a five-year contract with April Music, CBS Records' house publishing company, by the general manager Barbara Hayes. He was paid an advance of £12 with which he bought a piano. He was signed to CBS Records by the A&R manager Mike Smith (The Tremeloes and the Love Affair) and renamed 'Gilbert O'Sullivan', a play on words of Gilbert and Sullivan.

After two unsuccessful singles with CBS, "What Can I Do?" and "Mr. Moody's Garden", and one with the Irish record label, Major Minor, O'Sullivan sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, the manager of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, whereupon O'Sullivan was signed to Mills' label, MAM Records.^[4] O'Sullivan's self-created eye-catching visual image comprised a pudding basin haircut, cloth cap and short trousers. Mills reportedly hated the image, but O'Sullivan insisted on using it initially,^{[citation needed]} until he assumed a more modern 'college-like' look in which he often wore a sweater bearing a large letter 'G'.^[4]

Early success[link]

At the end of 1970, O'Sullivan achieved his first UK Top 10 hit with "Nothing Rhymed",^[2] which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands. Subsequent hits including "Underneath The Blanket Go" which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands, "We Will" and "No Matter How I Try" followed, and in 1971 O'Sullivan issued his debut album, Himself.^[4]

In 1972, O'Sullivan reached international stardom with the self-penned ballad, "Alone Again (Naturally)", which reached No. 3 in UK; No. 1 in the U.S., spending six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and selling nearly two million copies; No. 2 in New Zealand (11 weeks on the charts in total); No. 1 in Canada for 2 weeks (13 weeks in the Top 40);^[7] and No. 1 in Japan (21 weeks on the chart). The song earned O'Sullivan his first gold disc.^[5]. The guitar solo was played by Big Jim Sullivan.

O'Sullivan followed this success with the songs "Clair" (1972, from the album Back To Front), which reached No. 2 in the United States on the Hot 100 and No. 1 in Canada (14 weeks in the Canadian Top 40);^[7] "Out of the Question" (also from Back To Front), which reached No. 14 in Canada;^[7] and "Get Down" (1973, from the album I'm A Writer Not A Fighter), which reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in both the U.S. and Canada.^[2][7] Following "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Clair", "Get Down" was his third million-seller, with the R.I.A.A gold disc award presented on 18 September 1973.^[5] His disc sales exceeded ten million in 1972, and made him the top star of the year.^[5] The success led to him taking part in the BBC's anniversary programme Fifty Years Of Music in November 1972.

In 1973, O'Sullivan was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Alone Again (Naturally)" in the Song of the Year and Record of the Year categories.

MAM Records[link]

O'Sullivan enjoyed nearly five years of success with MAM, a run that included seven UK Top 10 singles and four UK Top 10 albums; three U.S. Top 10 singles and one top 10 album; five Dutch Top 10 singles and three Top 10 albums; five New Zealand Top 10 singles; three Canadian Top 10 singles; and seven Japan Top 10 singles.^[8]

O'Sullivan's singles like "Ooh Baby" and "Happiness Is Me and You" continued to reach the charts, but sold increasingly fewer copies. After 1973, his overseas popularity essentially ceased altogether.^[4] At home, he notched his final Top 20 hit in over five years, with June 1975's "I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You".^[2][4]

Things turned more sour when he discovered his recording contract with MAM Records greatly favoured the label's owner, Gordon Mills. A lawsuit followed, with prolonged argument over how much money his songs had earned and how much of that money he had actually received.^[9] Eventually, in May 1982, the court found in O'Sullivan's favour, describing him as a "patently honest and decent man", who had not received a just proportion of the vast income his songs had generated.^[9] They awarded him £7 million in damages (worth £20 million at 2011 prices). He had won, but the court battle had put his recording career on hold.

Later career[link]

The first single, "What's In A Kiss?", reached No. 19 in the UK in 1980 and No. 21 in Japan.^[8] It was his first UK Top 20 hit in five years. Following this release, and due in part to the then-ongoing MAM court case, O'Sullivan released no new material between 1983 and 1986.^[4] Apart from the single "So What ?" in 1990 and a compilation album in 1991 Nothing But The Best, O'Sullivan was absent from the charts until another compilation album, The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan, returned him to the UK Top 20 in 2004.^[2]

O'Sullivan is also noted for his role in bringing about the practice of clearing samples in hip hop music as a result of the 1991 court case, Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc.,^[10] in which he sued rapper Biz Markie over the rights to use a sample of his song "Alone Again (Naturally)".^[4]

O'Sullivan has continued to record and perform into the 21st century. He enjoys particular acclaim in Japan.^[4] His album A Scruff At Heart was released in 2007, featuring "Just So You Know". On 14 July 2008, O'Sullivan released "Never Say Di". He appeared at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival, and played London's Royal Albert Hall on 26 October 2009. On 26 August 2010 O'Sullivan announced that he had joined Hypertension, a record company that also holds Leo Sayer, Chris DeBurgh, Fleetwood Mac and Gerry Rafferty.

His latest album Gilbertville was released on 31 January 2011; it features "All They Wanted To Say", which deals with 9/11, and his most recent single "Where Would We Be (Without Tea)?". On 19 July 2011 O'Sullivan played live on the BBC Radio 2 Ken Bruce Show.^[11] On 26 August the Documentary "Out On His Own" was broadcasted by BBC4 (before by Irish RTE). In March 2012, the compilation "Gilbert O'Sullivan : The Very Best Of - A Singer & His Songs" entered the UK album charts at No.12.

Personal life[link]

In 1980, O'Sullivan married his Norwegian girlfriend, Aase. Later that year the first of their two daughters was born. That same year, after a five-year hiatus, he returned to his old record label, CBS.

Discography[link]

Contemporary usage of his songs[link]

• "Alone Again (Naturally)" was used in the second series of Life on Mars, while "Get Down" was also used in the American version of the show. "Alone Again (Naturally)" was used in "The Wettest Stories Ever Told" episode of The Simpsons. "Alone Again (Naturally)" was used in the films Summer Time Machine Blues, Stuck on You, I Could Never Be Your Woman, Stuart Little 2, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Megamind, and The Virgin Suicides while "Nothing Rhymed" was featured on the soundtrack of and Anita and Me.
• "Nothing Rhymed" was used at the start of the second series finale of Consolevania, played over an archive new reel montage of an alternate history of the 20th century. The same song was a hit in Italy in 1971, performed by the local group, I Profeti, with the title translated into "Era bella" ("She was Beautiful").
• The Japanese television version of the anime series Maison Ikkoku used "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Get Down" for the opening and ending sequences respectively in episode 24.
• A cover of the song "Nothing Rhymed" was performed by Burton Cummings on his 1975 debut solo album.
• "Gilbert O'Sullivan" is the title of a song by The Uncle Devil Show on their album, A Terrible Beauty.
• The Dublin based band, Aslan, covered "Nothing Rhymed" on their 2009 album, Uncased.
• A cover of the song "Nothing Rhymed" was performed by Morrissey on his 2002 tour.
• Alone Again (Naturally) was used as the opening of the Japanese drama "Home Drama".

See also[link]

• List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart
• List of performers on Top of the Pops
• List of stage names
• List of Irish people

References[link]

External links[link]

• Gilbert O'Sullivan at the Internet Movie Database
• Official Gilbert O'Sullivan page
• Biography at Allmusic