Jane's Oceania Home Page & Pacific Islands Radio Newsletter

Jane's Oceania Home Page Newsletter &
Jane's Pacific Islands Radio Newsletter Vol. 11, Edition No. 19, January/February 2012 www.janeresture.com www.janesoceania.com www.ourpacificocean.com

www.janesworldomain.com * www.pacificislandsradio.com I N T H I S I S S U E ____________________________________ Objectives News and Views Pacific Islands Radio Notice Board Oceania Resources About Books Coming Events Special Feature-People* Recollections and Memoirs Feature Web Sites Oceania Web Sites Interesting Places Interesting Links Letters It's Time to Chat Comments And Contributions

T H E V I E W _________________________________ News and Views from Oceania Happy and Blessed New Year! Let's hope that the New Year continues to bring Peace, Happiness and
Prosperity to everybody!

My very sincere Greetings to you all! Welcome everybody to our Newsletter for January/February

2012! I hope that our first edition for the New Year finds everybody in the very best of health with peace

and harmony. It is simply wonderful to be back in touch again. Thank you all.

Please join me in extending a very warm and sincere Oceania/Pacific Island Welcome to all our new members who have joined us since our last special Christmas/New Year Newsletter 2011! I would most sincerely like to welcome you all on board! Please make yourselves feel at home, sit back, relax, and may your stay and time with us be most enjoyable!

As always, it is my hope that our Newsletter continues to reach out to the many good people who have a love for, and interest in, the Pacific Islands/Oceania. Please let me say that I cannot thank you enough for your continual support and encouragement - they are greatly appreciated.

In addition, my heartfelt thanks go to our many valued members who have taken the time to write and for sharing so much with us all. Words cannot adequately express my deepest appreciation and gratitude for your most welcome contributions and very kind support.

Once again, please join me in extending another very warm and sincere Oceania/Pacific Island 'Welcome' to all our new members: Welcome all dear friends and may you all enjoy your time with us!

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this Newsletter is to promote worldwide the Pacific Islands and, in particular, the island people. In addition, the intention of the Newsletter is to aid in the preservation of our island culture, history, genealogy, mythology, ethnology, anthropology, customs, etc. including rituals and lifestyles.

In doing this, the Newsletter shares and makes available a wide selection of rare, historical and contemporary postcards, along with extensive picture galleries of the countries and the people of Oceania. These have undergone extensive upgrading and have been of tremendous interest and value to the many people who are interested in the history of Oceania, as well as to the many island people who wish to follow up and understand their beautiful island heritage.

http://www.janeresture.com/oceania_resources/postcards.htm

In addition, the Newsletter introduces some of the many less known beautiful, important and very interesting islands and places of the Pacific/Oceania region.
http://www.janeresture.com/home/index.htm

The News and Views presented in this Newsletter comprise comments on some of the many interesting happenings in Oceania over the last few weeks since our last Newsletter. In this respect, the many diverse cultures of each of the Pacific Islands are considered within the context of these happenings. Many people are of the belief that it is very important for us all to consider the cultural content of the news in order to fully appreciate the events and happenings that constitute the news. For this reason, links to relevant Web sites are often included in the News and Views in order to allow the reader to gain a full appreciation.
http://www.janeresture.com/index.htm

NEWS AND VIEWS

Recent announcements by United States President Barack Obama may have considerable longer term consequences for the Oceania region. These relate to a scaling back of some world wide military operations in conjunction with an increased military presence in the Asia/Oceania region along with what appears to be a belated recognition of the United States’ reality: a final chance to exert influence over trade in the region while it still can.

After a decade in which the United States fought two wars that cost them dearly, the United States is turning its attention to the vast potential of the Asia-Pacific region. Indeed, after nearly nine years, the last American troops have left Iraq and in Afghanistan, the United States has begun a responsible transition so Afghans can take responsibility for their future and coalition forces can withdraw.

As the United States puts its fiscal house in order, by reducing its spending after a decade of extraordinary growth in military budgets the United States will make some reductions in defence spending. Despite these cuts, US Marines and warplanes will be operating in the Northern Territory, and warships and submarines using a West Australian naval base, will constitute a permanently increased military presence in Australia.

The marines, who will arrive early in 2012 and number 2500 by 2016-17, will spend six months of every year in Australia. They will train alongside Australian forces and, for the first time, undergo training exercises of their own.

The build-up will be additional to the frequent joint training exercises already conducted between Australian and visiting US forces, such as the biennial Operation Talisman Sabre which this year involved more than 14,000 US troops. The new and increased military presence is a response by the US to the growing power of China and India. While the numbers of new troops involved are not large in US terms, the symbolism of basing them in Australia is significant.

Starting early in 2012, 250 US marines will come to Darwin and spend each dry season camped and performing exercises at the nearby Bradshaw Field training area. By 2014, the number of marines will be 1000 and by 2016-17, there will be 2500 coming each year for six months. They will be rotated through from other US Pacific bases and belong to a Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

As well as training, the marines will be available for humanitarian and disaster relief.

Once at full strength, each task force will comprise a command element, ground combat troops, logistics and an aviation combat component that will include helicopters such as Black Hawks, Cobras, Hueys and possibly Harrier jump jets.

The second element of the build-up will involve an increase in visits of US warplanes through the Tindal air force base which will need to be expanded.
While US B-52 bombers regularly train in the Territory, over the next two years there will be increased visits of other aircraft including fighters, refuellers, spy planes and transporters.

The third element will involve US ships and submarines operating out of the Stirling naval base, south of Perth. No time has been set for this to start. The ships and submarines can be nuclear powered but not nuclear armed.

In terms of trade however, it needs to be recognised that America’s importance is the power of its consumers, not its hyperbolic military capability. This is particularly so as it has been predicted that China will overtake the United States as the world's largest economy within the next 10 years. You can sail aircraft carrier task forces through every shipping lane on earth, but when your market is just part of the pack, well, you’re just part of the pack.

The illusion many Americans continue to operate under is that China desperately needs them and their credit cards when they’re actually needed less each year. A decade ago some 40 per cent of China’s exports went to the US. Now it’s 18 per cent and falling. As has been written plenty of times before, Beijing knows it has to flick the switch to greater emphasis on domestic consumption for economic growth and it’s doing so.

As that happens, China gains a greater control of its own destiny than ever achieved by a bamboo curtain.

Becoming the world’s biggest consumer and producer delivers power in its own right. It’s a transfer of power and destiny that doesn’t fit easily with many Americans who believe that God’s divine plan for the United States of America does not include second place.

The balance of China’s greatest need is already at “pivot” point between the access to markets to sell stuff other people want and the access to markets to buy stuff China needs. Unlike Australia, the US has stuff that China wants more than needs. Within years, America will need China more than China will need America.

Indeed, China and the rest of the Asian juggernaut is that new world economic order. Capitalise New World and you’re getting closer to the story. The US is Old World.
Those consumed by memories of the Great Game can dwell on the importance or lack thereof of US marines visiting Darwin, but Obama’s rather wishful launch of the “Trans-Pacific Partnership” is more instructive. As free trade champions and as a nation that has already kow-towed to US desires in an unequal free trade treaty, Australia of course went along with it, but China’s official media read it more accurately Said Xinhua News Agency:

“The unilateral US manoeuvre to expand its influence in the region is noticeably motivated by opening up new markets in the region for US goods and services so as to lower its domestic high jobless rates.”

In this last roll of the dice, the US is trying to define free trade in its best interests, which is entirely reasonable. Any US definition is likely to be closer to reality than a Chinese offering, but unlike Australia, China has no need to swallow the Mickey Mouse copyright laws, for example.

Xinhua also points to the weakness of Obama trying to claim the moral high ground in a new world economic order: he can’t run his own economy. Washington’s debt is unsustainable and its politics intractable. Italy and the US are only separated by time. At least Italy runs a primary surplus.

Which is part of the reason why the US is “all in”. It’s positive that the president at least recognises that. If the US can temper its ambition with a little more subtly than usual, great good might come of it, but the recent rhetoric, the hectoring of China, was not encouraging.

Transparency International is a global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, it also brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world. Its mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption.

Transparency International is a global network including more than 90 locally established national chapters and chapters-in-formation. These bodies fight corruption in the national arena in a number of ways. They bring together relevant players from government, civil society, business and the media to promote transparency in elections, in public administration, in procurement and in business.

Indeed, Transparency International challenges the inevitability of corruption, and offers hope to its victims. Since its founding in 1993, it has played a lead role in improving the lives of millions around the world by building momentum for the anti-corruption movement.

The annual Corruption Perceptions Index, released by Transparency International, ranks countries on a scale of zero to 10, with the lowest denominator representing corruption. Sadly, several Pacific countries have scored poorly in a new survey ranking the level of corruption in countries across the globe.

Papua New Guinea was the worst performer amongst Pacific countries, scoring at a low 2.2.
But Solomon Islands, Tonga and Kiribati were close behind, all scoring under four.
New Zealand was considered the least corrupt country, with a score of 9.5.

The continual loss of our Pacific Island languages has been further highlighted by a report from the director of Samoan studies at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand indicating that only 44 percent of Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand speak their native language. This fact was made available during a recent symposium aimed at ensuring the survival of Pacific languages. Indeed it was felt that there was a strong need to for programs to be put in place at schools.

The symposium comes after unsuccessful efforts to have a number of Pacific languages declared official languages of New Zealand.

Certainly, language preservation is an important issue for Pacific Islands communities, particularly as our language incorporates so much of the social fabric and culture of our island people.

A World Bank economist says women’s lack of participation in politics is hampering development in the Oceania region. The Pacific is one of the world’s worst regions in terms of parliamentary representation for women, with at least six countries having no female representation, and most having representation of less than five percent.

There are significant economic and development costs associated to gender inequalities. And the more extreme the form of gender inequalities the higher the costs to development.

So for example, there’s an important role for the international community making this evidence very clear to domestic policy makers in the Pacific Islands.

Certainly, a starting point in many countries is to ensure that women have basic education and are economically empowered.

In this respect it is most pleasing to see the Samoan Prime Minister is about to put through Parliament constitutional amendments to create special parliamentary seats for women. Under the proposed changes at least five seats or ten percent of the members of parliament will be women.

At the same time it is disappointing to see that the bill to create 22 reserved seats for women in Papua New Guinea’s parliament has fallen short of the number of votes required to pass it. The only woman parliamentarian and the sponsor of the 22 women’s reserved seats, Dame Carol Kidu has now announced her retirement from active politics.

It is pleasing to see that a vast area of the Coral Sea falling within Australian waters is set to be declared the world's largest marine park. The proposed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve will cover 989,842 square kilometres, more than half the size of Queensland. The Coral Sea is recognised across the world as a marine region of significance, and the area within Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone is in near pristine condition. The proposed park will start 60km from the coast, extending out 1100km. Recreational and charter fishing would be permitted on its western side.

There is now doubt that within a very short time, the world's oceans have gone from being relatively pristine to being under increasing pressure. Certainly the Coral Sea's environmental significance lay in its diverse array of coral reefs, sandy cays, deep sea plains and canyons. It contains more than 20 outstanding examples of isolated tropical reefs, sandy cays and islands. Indeed, there is no other part of Australia's territory where so much came together - pristine oceans, magnificent coral and military history. It is most important that this precious marine environment be protected for future generations.

It is most interesting to see that scientists have now found further ancient Lapita burials in Vanuatu in the form of a second Lapita cemetery on Uripiv Island near Malekula. The Lapita people are believed to be the region’s first settlers, having arrived about 3,000 years ago. Certainly, the discovery of another cemetery is hugely important in allowing comparisons of burial rituals and the general health of different generations of the early settlers of the Oceania region.

It is still somewhat disturbing to hear about the extent that sorcery still impacts on the lives of the people in Papua New Guinea and in particular in the more remote regions... Sadly. Six people in the remote Telefomin District of West Sepik Province, were recently accused of sorcery and killed in cold blood by the accusers.

A man said he witnessed the brutal killings, which included his brother, by the accusers, who did so in the presence of two lone policemen stationed at Telefomin Government station. He said one of the six killed was a Telefomin High School Grade 10 student, who was selected to do Grade 11 at Don Bosco Secondary-Vanimo.

It was reported that the killings stemmed from the death of man, and his relatives suspected that sorcery had been practiced on the dead man.

Apparently the deceased was a simple villager, who had no businesses and is not an intellectual and died of natural causes, but his relatives took the lives of six innocent people because of his death.

The agreement at the United Nations climate change negotiations in Durban to develop a legal climate change framework that will apply to all countries is an historic achievement. For the first time, all of the world's major emitters, including the US and China, have committed to take on legal obligations to reduce carbon pollution.

And the fact is that Durban agreed on concrete measures that will step up action, starting right now and continuing to 2020. In addition to the launch of negotiations for a new international agreement, which will be concluded by 2015 and come into effect by 2020, the Durban conference decision will also build on the existing pledges made by 90 countries to reduce emissions.

Sadly, the Durban climate deal offers no solution to low-lying island states. Indeed, the low-lying Pacific islands such as Kiribati and Tuvalu are taking little solace from the December alliance between developed and developing nations at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa. The conference concluded with agreement for further talks on a new climate change agreement with ‘legal force’ by 2015, to be ratified by 2020. For these islands, however, that may be too late. Climate extremes are already threatening their land, cultures and socio-economic survival.

In a statement in November, the Chair of the small island state alliance, which represents 39 small island nations in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and 28 percent of developing countries, asserted that “If Durban puts off a legally binding agreement and closes the door on raising mitigation ambition before 2020, many of our small island states will be literally and figuratively doomed.

Small island nations, many of which rise only 3-4 metres above sea level and are threatened by a further rise of only 1 metre, are grappling with this scenario now, with the Maldives, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands and Tokelau on the frontline. On the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea in the South West Pacific, inundation by the sea has already forced communities to begin migration to nearby Bougainville Island.

It is the socio-economic devastation caused by rising seas which renders island communities uninhabitable. Seawater flooding is eroding land and destroying staple crops of taros, breadfruit and coconuts, resulting in food shortages and malnutrition, while saline contamination of freshwater sources is causing dehydration. Inland seawater penetration is spreading water and vector borne diseases, such as malaria.

In marine areas, higher sea surface temperatures are impacting coral mortality and fish supplies, reducing a further staple and global food source.

The simple reality is that countries such as Tuvalu and Kiribati will completely disappear under the ocean waves within the next 50 years. Sadly the people of these beautiful islands will become the first environmental refugees. In losing their homeland they will be forced to live in an alien society in which their ancient traditional culture and social values will have no place. Certainly, the incursions of modern technology, the demands of the world economy, and the impingement of foreign ideologies - religious, political or otherwise, will radically alter the once integrated and largely self-sufficient societies from which they came. They may well become culturally adrift, neither fully participant in the modern cultures which have engulfed them, nor firmly anchored to even a memory of the ancient ways of life that once sustained their people.

This is why it is extremely important that our language and cultural heritage be preserved for the benefit of our future generations.

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PACIFIC ISLANDS RADIO
www.pacificislandsradio.com

Soak in the enchanting sounds of the sun-drenched Oceania/Pacific Islands

coming to you in 64kbps FM Stereo!

Live365 Internet Radio - Pacific Islands Radio FM

www.live365.com

SAMOA MUSIC

The Polynesians are natural musicians and the Samoans are no exception. They love to hear and sing good music. Robert Louis Stevenson once said that the Samoans composed a song for every trivial occasion. . . Song is almost endless. The boatman sings at the oar, the family and evening worship and the workman at his toil. No occasion is too small for the poets and the musicians; a death, a visit, the day's news and pleasantries will be set to rhyme and harmony.
http://www.janeresture.com/samoa_music/index.htm

AUSTRALIA - ABORIGINAL MUSIC

The music of the Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders is very much part of the social fabric of
their life, their history and their culture. It has a haunting and mysterious quality that draws the listener into the history, culture and the ancient dreamtime of the Aboriginal people.
http://www.janesoceania.com/australian_aboriginal_music/index1.htm

MELANESIA MUSIC

The people of Oceania, in common with all of mankind, have a common origin in Africa. The migrations to the Pacific region, however, came about through different routes and over a long period of many tens of thousands of years. The first to arrive were the Melanesians who are by far the oldest ethnic group in the Pacific region, and who are the proud owners of a very rich and diverse cultural heritage.
http://www.janesoceania.com/melanesia_music/index.htm

KIRIBATI TRADITIONAL MUSIC

Traditional Kiribati musical composition involves both ritualism and magic. It is undertaken using procedures that had been handed down from generation to generation.
http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_music/index.htm

POLYNESIAN MUSIC

Internationally, Polynesian music is mostly associated with twinkling guitars and grass skirts, Hawaiian hula and other tourist-friendly forms of music. While these elements are justifiably a part of Polynesian history and culture, there is actually a wide variety of music made in the far-flung reaches of Polynesia.
http://www.janesoceania.com/polynesia_music/index.htm

MICRONESIA MUSIC

The traditional music of Micronesia was composed utilizing mythology, magic, rituals and closely guarded procedures handed down from one generation to the next. In common with the people of Polynesia and Melanesia, the people of Micronesia have a deep love of music from contemporary to traditional. Music can be heard in the early morning while the toddy cutters are at work, in the babai or taro pits, and until late at night to the accompaniment of the traditional dance.
http://www.janeresture.com/micronesia_music/

PACIFIC ISLANDS RADIO

Pacific Islands Radio's range of broadcasting formats and playlists has now been integrated into a single high definition FM stereo format in order to allow our listeners greater enjoy of our beautiful island music.

As usual, Pacific Islands Radio is always keen to promote our talented island musicians worldwide in order to satisfy the continuing demand for our beautiful and distinctive Pacific Island music! In this respect, should you know of any island artists whose talents you would like to see promoted, please contact me on:
jane@pacificislandsradio.com

Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations play the enchanting music of the Pacific Islands 24 hours daily.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/radio/index.htm

FEATURE ARTIST

From Vanuatu, 19 year old Sherolyn Galomule - from the beautiful Ambaean and Solomon Islands - is a talented girl who grew up in a strong supportive family background, a family who are committed Seventh Day Adventists. She started singing at a very early age in Church.

She finished Year 13 in 2010 and 2011 is her gap year; Ms Galomule is eyeing a career in the music industry with this launch of her first solo album and pursuing further education in the near future.

Her new album: "Total Surrender" is the inspiring Album on DVD and CD which contains 10 original gospel tracks, eight of which are written by Kimberly Houliston, and two "Here I am" with the bonus track "Goodbye" by Lagani Gairo, are dedicated to everyone who lost loved ones at some stage of their lives.

Vanuatu: http://www.janeresture.com/vanuatu_home/index.htm
Solomon Islands: http://www.janeresture.com/solhome/index.htm

SUPPLIERS

The following are some of our main specialist suppliers of our Pacific Islands/Oceania music and they are highly recommended by Pacific Islands Radio.

ISLANDMELODY.COM

Pacific Islands Radio would like to recommend Islandmelody.com for a selection of traditional and contemporary music with an emphasis on Micronesian music.
http://www.islandmelody.com

BWANARAOI MUSIC SHOP -
TARAWA, REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI

For Kiribati music, along with music from other Pacific Islands and elsewhere, you are invited to contact the following exclusive distributor:

Bwanaraoi Music Shop
Republic of Kiribati
Phone/Fax (686) 28236
E-mail: angirota@tskl.net.ki

Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations play the enchanting music of the Pacific Islands 24 hours daily.
www.pacificislandsradio.com
http://www.janeresture.com/radio/index.htm

Pacific Music Radio 68 kbps (mp3PRO)
http://www.live365.com/stations/drjaneresture
Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture
Radio Melanesia
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres
Micronesia Music Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/jane_resture

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NOTICE BOARD

It is certainly my great pleasure to be able to again introduce to you all our new and fifth Domain:
www.janesworldomain.com

The name of our fifth Domain: Jane's World Domain - has been selected to reflect our close affinity with and our love of our vast and most beautiful Ocean. Jane's World Domain examines the wider issues that impact on the Oceania region and, indeed, it discusses the many happenings in the Oceania region that have a worldwide implication. In particular, it examines the wider implication of global warming on food supplies and discusses the ability of the Planet to feed itself in a climate of escalating temperatures.
www.janesworldomain.com

OCEANIA RESOURCES

This Web site draws together a wide range of Oceania material in order to allow visitors to access this information from a common source. This information includes an extensive range of Oceania mythology, ethnology, tribal art, tattoos, postcards and picture galleries, as well as links to the home pages of the countries of Oceania, Pacific Islands Radio Stations Web sites and to other Oceania Web sites.
http://www.janeresture.com/oceania_resources/index.htm

OCEANIA GENEALOGY

This Web site contains a short list of reference material that may be useful for people wishing to trace their genealogy, particularly if they are descendants of the early traders of Oceania.
http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_genealogy/index.htm

JANE RESTURE'S OCEANIA PAGE

Jane Resture's Oceania Page was developed to present and highlight an extended range of material in conjunction with Jane's Oceania Home Page. In doing this, it will allow the visitor to readily access information about the Pacific Islands.
http://www.janesoceania.com/index.html

JANE'S OCEANIA TRAVEL PAGE

Jane's Oceania Travel Page exists to provide the traveller with information to assist in the preparation of a travel agenda. The information on these pages is complemented by links to the various travel authorities throughout Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia as well as other Pacific Islands. These authorities will be able to make available more detailed information as well as arranging accommodation and attending to the other needs of the traveller.

Throughout Oceania, there is a vast and comprehensive variety of attractions and interesting places to visit and see. From the ancient mountains of Papua New Guinea to the coral atolls of Tuvalu and Kiribati to the modern cities of Hawaii, please settle back and enjoy an armchair traveller's visit to the exotic, enchanting, mysterious and beautiful Pacific Islands.
http://www.janesoceania.com/tourism/index.htm

OCEANIA TRAVEL - AN OCEAN OF FUN

The Pacific Ocean represents one big holiday for people worldwide, including the Gold Coast and the rest of Australia. At this time of year, there are bargains galore, some of which are outlined below.
http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_travel/index.htm

OCEANIA TRAVEL - AUSTRALIA
THE PACIFIC COAST

Although Australia was settled by Europeans just over 200 years ago, it has evolved into an exciting cosmopolitan nation composed of people from every corner of the globe. The largest of all the Pacific islands, it sits on the edge of the South Pacific rim, its eastern shores fringed by long stretches of white sandy beaches, washed by pounding surf. Originally called the great south land, this vast southern continent has everything a holiday maker could wish for.
http://www.janesoceania.com/tourism/australia/index.htm

ABOUT BOOKS

A Remarkable Journey by Carol Kidu published by Longman 2002.

The truly amazing story of an Australian teenager who dared to fall in love with a Papua New Guinean and joined his people. This book is a riveting account of her life as a wife and village mother, the champion of the underprivileged and leader of women in Papua New Guinea. Lady Carol Kidu recently retired as the only female parliamentarian in Papua New Guinea.

COMING EVENTS

Members of the Royal Family will travel overseas representing The Queen throughout the Diamond Jubilee year, visiting every Realm as well as undertaking visits to Commonwealth countries, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories. http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Pressreleases/2011/AnnouncementsofregionalandoverseasvisitstomarktheD.aspx

Her Majesty has asked that these visits include the following:

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall: ... including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Malaysia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu

SPECIAL FEATURE-PEOPLE*

PITCAIRN - DESCENDANTS OF THE 'BOUNTY' MUTINEERS

Sailing through the night, the ship was off Pitcairn by the early hours of the morning. At daylight, Folger joined a boat party to go ashore in search of seals, wood and water. Approaching the plunging cliffs, Folger and his men were startled to see smoke drifting lazily from the trees in the fresh dawn light. http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_pitcairn_descendants/index.htm

RECOLLECTIONS AND MEMOIRS

It was certainly a long way from Liverpool, England and the muddy Mersey River to the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific. The following observations about Penrhyn, including the leper colony, were made at the turn of the twentieth century by an English lady travelling the South Seas.
http://www.janeresture.com/cookislands_visit/index.htm

TUVALU - MEMORIES OF TUVALU
By John H. Siemens

FEATURE WEB SITES

Africa - The First Africans

Though Madagascar lies only 250 miles off the African coast, linguistic and archeological evidence suggest that its first settlers who arrived in about 400 A.D. came not from Africa but from Indonesia, more than 3,000 miles to the east. All 13 million of Madagascar’s present-day people speak Malagasy (a Malayo - Polynesian language), which, though it contains some African Bantu words, is most closely related to the Maanyan language of the Barito River region of Borneo. Africans are not thought to have arrived in Madagascar until much later; exactly when is unknown.
http://www.ourpacificocean.com/africa/index.htm

Jane's World Domain

The challenge faced by the world during this century, in order to feed a growing world population, is to get more out of farming resources while cutting greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and reducing other environmental externalities.
Ensuring adequate food supplies in the future, despite climate change, will require farmers to be innovative and adaptive. Worldwide, the picture isn't clear yet. However imminent, threats to our food supply are much more concrete than the death of the Great Barrier Reef or the loss of Arctic summer sea ice.
http://www.ourpacificocean.com/world/index.htm

AUSTRALIA HOME PAGE

As well as being the largest continent in the Oceania region, it is also the biggest island and home to some of the very first settlers in Oceania - the Aboriginal people.
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_home/index.htm

OCEANIA WEB SITES

Vanuatu Home Page

A tropical paradise, only three and a half hours from Sydney, Australia, Vanuatu means 'the land that has always existed'. It is made up of 83 islands formed in a Y-shaped archipelago which stretches over some 800 kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, half way between Australia and Hawaii.
http://www.janeresture.com/vanuatu_home/index.htm

Vanuatu: Ethnology

Ethnologists often find more interest in the social life of the Banks Islanders and the Vanuatu Islanders than in their arts and crafts, as these are often thought to be much advanced than in other parts of Melanesia. Their canoes are stout enough, but not as well finished as those of say Santa Cruz; their decorative art has been described as nearly non-existent. The natives are good gardeners but less successful as fishermen. As fighters however, they were well armed with bows and arrows, spears, and well-finished hardwood clubs.

http://www.janeresture.com/oceania_ethnology/vanuatu.htm

INTERESTING PLACES

HAWAII - ABOUT HAWAII

THE ORIGIN

Islands shaped by fire, and children born of the sea Through the violet gloom 160 feet under the sea, giant spheres of stone take shape beneath us. We descend to the ocean floor as though entering a vast plaza whose cobbled surface lies bathed in eternal shallow. Slowly, for I am new to such depths, I follow my diving partner Jim Robinson down the last few feet to the bottom

http://www.janesoceania.com/hawaii_abouthawaii/index.htm

HAWAII
Monarchy In Hawaii

Roots of Hawaiian monarchy go down into the native soil of past centuries. Shaped by historical process into a society which maintained rigid class distinctions, the Hawaiian culture was contained largely by the prohibiting authority of an abstract law: the kapu.
http://www.janesoceania.com/hawaii_monarchy/index.htm

CANOES OF THE KIRIBATI ISLANDS

The love of his canoe still amounts to a passion with the Gilbert Islander (I-Kiribati). It ranks second only to the feeling he has for his paternal land. How highly a canoe was prized in the old days may be estimated by the single fact that it might sometimes be accepted as a forfeit in full settlement of a blood-feud. http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_canoe/history.htm

KIRIBATI FISHING

Let's Go Fishing!

Fishing and associated activities form an intimate part of the Kiribati way of life. From the preparatory work and fishing procedures to the final act of consumption, these also relate to certain norms of behaviour and belief which until now have been traditionally handed down in each generation. http://www.janeresture.com/ki33/fishing.htm

INTERESTING LINKS

JANE'S OCEANIA LINKS PAGE

These are a collection of some highly recommended
links from Jane's Oceania Links Page.
http://www.janeresture.com/links.htm

LETTERS

The following are extracts from a few of the
many most interesting and often touching letters
that I have received since our last Newsletter. I
would very much like to share some of them with
you as I find these letters to be most gratifying
and motivating.

Please join me in thanking these wonderful
people for sharing their kind thoughts with us.

Should you like to get in touch with any of
the writers of the letters below, please do
not hesitate to send me an e-mail and I will
arrange a contact. Certainly, many of our
members and the writers of these wonderful
letters have been in mutually beneficial contact
with each other. Indeed, it is one of the aims
of making these letters available to our
members so that people can share their
common interests in the Pacific Islands.

As an aid to appreciating your most kind
letters, I shall also include, in conjunction
with some of the letters, the relevant Web
sites to which these letters relate.

* * * * *

Remembering Ian M Green who contributed so

many rare photographs about the preparation

for the Bomb Testing on Christmas Island

(Kiritimati), Line Islands, Republic of Kiribati:

Dear Dame Jane
A little late but I wish you a Very Happy 2008.
I have just been surfing thru your wonderful web

pages.

You HAVE been busy since I last looked in.
I am keeping pretty well considering I am almost

an antique now although Cornwall is somewhat

chilly at this time of year, can you email me a little
Kiribati sunshine!
After many years it does sound as though the

MOD is finally acknowledging the damage caused

to so many of the servicemen by the tests. I do

honestly count myself so lucky that my 13 month

tour of duty on the island was completed in

November ---- before the 2nd series of tests.
I send you my warmest wishes.
Ian M. Green
http://www.janesoceania.com/christmas_gallery/index.htm

Christmas Island Bomb Tests:

http://www.janeresture.com/christmas_bombs/index.htm


Jane I just wanted to say thanks. You have been a
wealth of information to me for the past eight years.
Stuck in a hospital bed using only dialup from my sisters
phone. I visited every island in the Pacific, thanks to you!
You made a difficult time a little bit easier on me. Happy
New Year. Since then I am very healthy now. and doing
quite well. Thanks again!!!


My dear friend Scott, Thank you so much for your most
welcome message. I am so pleased to hear that you are
doing well now and it is just wonderful to know that
my humble efforts made it possible for you to visit every
island in the Pacific... during your most difficult time.
I am very touched by your kind message and no words can
fully express my appreciation for your most kind and
moving message. Let's hope that everything turns out
well in the future for you with lots of love and many
blessings this New Year and always! Happy New Year to
you! God bless you always!

Dr. Resture,
I am Professor of History on Long Island, NY.

I found your extensive webpage while doing

research about World War II. I think you have

done such a fine job in putting together a very

informative and beautiful webpage. My wife and

I are looking forward to traveling in the Southwest

Pacific and your webpage has been a big help.
Thanks very much and please keep up the great

work. All the best...

www.janeresture.com

www.janesoceania.com

www.ourpacificocean.com

www.janesworldomain.com

www.pacificislandsradio.com

Hello Jane,
I was born on Canton in 1956 and really

appreciate your forum. Thanks for setting it

up and keeping it going. I'm determined to

return to Canton and have explored options.

It seems the only one I can find is really

Graham's (Wragg?) outfit. I have corresponded

with him, but am interested in learning about

other options, if there are any currently, and

also in seeing if a "critical mass" of folks

could be rounded up to return together. Do

you have any way to contact all the folks

who have expressed interest in Canton at

one time (versus posting a note and waiting

to see who wanders on to the site)? I'm on

the west coast, USA. Please drop me a line.

Thanks in advance. Sara Johnson

http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_phoenix_group/canton.htm

Hello Ms. Resture,
I am a political science major at the University of Hawaii West

Oahu. For a class this semester I am required to do immense

research on the country of Kiribati. I read many pages of your

website, very informative, and I will be reading more on the

whole of Oceania via your website. I would much enjoy having

you come to our class and talk with us on any subject, related

to our class of course. My professor would also be thrilled to

have you come and speak with us about the political situations

of the island nations of the pacific. His e-mail is, ... oh and his

name is ...
I look forward to partaking in more of your knowledge.
Sincerely
http://www.janeresture.com/kirihome/index.htm

Dear Jane, I am a former student of Cal Poly Pomona in southern
California. I had some ideas about how to make the island
more prosperous for the Robinsons. I would like to lay
down some ideas that my class in environmentally sustainable
agriculture classes had discussed. If I could discuss them with
you or with Mr. K Robinson. I have always wanted to contribute
to helping cultures across the world make themselves better
without sacrificing the land. Sincerely, Danielle Woolery

Hello Jane,
I'm an Australian author currently writing a book set partly in

the Montebello Islands and I've just read your detailed article

online about the bomb tests there, especially the first,

Operation Hurricane and the difficulties encountered.
I would like to quote from it -- and of course source the

information properly.
Could you please tell me the source material, publication,

author, etc. for acknowledgement?
Yours sincerely...

http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_bombs1/index.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/christmas_about/index.htm

Hi Jane
My name is Grace Mateariki and am writing to

you from Melbourne Australia. I have read through

your website mostly concentrating on the history

you have on the Royal Family of Tahiti. Would you

know where I can get more information on the

Royal Family or would you be able to help me with

further information? I am sure not every day you

would receive an email requesting help like me.

By this time you are wondering why I am interested

and seeking further help.

I have been told many stories of where my great

grandmother Wahine-Tianoa-Ite-Po came from.

She was a daughter to Manuarii, and according to my

grandfather she had a brother by the name of Iapea.

My grandfather met Iapea in the Cook Islands, apparently

he was looking for his sister (Wahine-Tianoa-Ite-Po)

and her children. Further to this they are Royal from

Raiatea, hence the reason why I was really interested

in your website and can't stop reading it over and over

again. Pomare is a name that was mentioned a lot by

my grandfather and his siblings. There are photographs

on your website which I can clearly say this is a great

start to putting history, stories, face and names together.

My intention is to make a genealogy book for my

little family so our children will carry on our genealogy

and history will always live.

I thank you for taking the time to read my email. Bless

you for your help or even if you can direct me to the

right people. I hope to one day find my family and come

over with my sisters and parents to meet the family of my

great grandmother Wahine-Tianoa-Ite-Po.

I look forward to hearing from you with any information

to get me started one side of my genealogy book.

Thank you for all your help. God Bless. Kind Regards,

Grace Mateariki

http://www.janeresture.com/tahitihome/tahiti.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/tahiti_royals/index2.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/cookislands/index.htm

http://www.janesoceania.com/cook_islands_legends/index.htm

Hello Jane!

Years ago when I lived on Oahu, I fell in love with an artist.

The paintings were of dancers, and women paniolos on

horses I believe. They were big happy impressionistic women

in bright dresses. I have searched the Internet and can't find

the images anywhere or who they are by. I know they were

on some postcards in town so was hoping your many

collections might have one of them or any leads on some

artists who fit the description?
I have some images somewhere if you think you know I

will try to send along. Thanks for your help and your site!
Allison

http://www.janeresture.com/hawaii/index.htm

Hello Jane!
I was visiting your web pages and there was lots of

great information. Thank you for that!
The thing I was wondering is that could you maybe

help me with this. Do you know the exact dates for

either 'Nivaga' II or 'Manu Folau' to go from Fiji to Tuvalu

during the Spring 2012? I know there should be on

going on February and one on April, but there is no

information anywhere that what the exact dates are.

I am really keen on visiting Tuvalu while I'm going to

spend the Spring near there. I am a student from

Finland, so it is not so easy to get the information

while calling there is rather impossible.
Thank you very much for your help! Have a great

week! Best regards, Noora, FINLAND

http://www.janeresture.com/tu8/index.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu2/index.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu/tuvalu.html

http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu2/tuvalu_home_page.htm

Jane; I' d like to have a pen pal like you, or someone

you may recommend. I've always dreamed of living in

Tahiti, (since I read the book MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY.

I thought how stupid it was for them to return to England;

if it had been me; I'd never left the Paradise of the Islands.

I used to have Tahiti on my old computer (flight simulator)

it was beautiful flying Around the Islands. Please respond.

http://www.janesoceania.com/tahiti_bounty/index.htm

...Jane; that's the fastest reply I'd ever had. That just proves

to me how beautiful you people are (which I already knew,

that goes for Australia too). I used to be a flight crew

member on the Navy transports (DC-6). I always wanted to

get one of the flights to Australia, but would get outranked.

I'm curious about the Dr. and all the letters after it. What

are you a Dr of?

http://www.janeresture.com/tahitihome/tahiti.htm

I was here (Johnston Island) in April 1955 until

April 1956. I am at a loss for names of people

stationed here with me after all these years?

I do remember when I got off the plane. My

first and constant companion was a black

dog named BOPA? STAYED WITH ME UNTIL

I LEFT. I NEVER FORGOT THAT DOG.I was

in civil engineering and worked at the distillation

plant, dumped the trash and sprayed the base

for bugs. If anyone remembers me send me a

message here or email:

josephfischer10061@comcast.net. I played

baseball on the dining hall team and basketball.

Buck Brady is one name just came to mind.

I am in Colorado. Best memories. Joe

http://www.janeresture.com/johnston/index.htm

Hello Dr Jane,

Thank you for providing an email contact address

for the Truk Islands. I am sending this message to

you like a note in a bottle cast upon the waves. I

don't know whether you can help me or not but

here is hoping you can.

When I was 10 years old my school teacher asked

the class if we would like to participate in a "pen pal"

program and write letters to another child from another

country. I raised my hand and said I would like to

participate. I was so surprised when I got my first

letter from a pen pal on the Truk Islands of Micronesia.

As the years went by I somehow lost contact with my

pen pal.

My name is Van Little. My location is Reseda, or

Northridge, California, USA. My teacher's name was

Mrs. Newman of Winnetka Elementary school in

Reseda, Ca. I was in her 5th grade class of 1971-1972.

I will turn 50 next month. I know this sounds crazy but

maybe someone will remember this program. Thank

you very much. Please contact me anytime,

Sincerely, Van P. Little, Northridge, Ca. USA

http://www.janeresture.com/fedmic/index.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/fedmic/chuuk.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/michome/index.htm

Dear Jane, My name is Darrell Ernest "Rollee" Rolstone. I am a 63 YO

American (refugee really) living in Thailand for nearly 20 years

now. I came upon your website today while gathering information

about Pohnpei. My wife passed away last year and I am

researching/searching for a new island home for us. My 11 YO

son's name is Oceanio Ernesto Rolstone and my 9 YO daughter's

name is Oceania Angelina Rolstone.

I am very happy to have found your website and all the massive

information contained within it. I hope that we will be able to

work together ....as I can see that you a very motivated "helper"

in all ways to upgrade and harmonize life in Oceania. My business

card says: "Helping our planet synergize"....which means helping

our Mother Earth and all of her guests/visitors to work together

like One Team!

The recent disaster in Japan and the massive amount of nuclear

pollution that pours into the ocean is of very, very grave concern

to all of us that Love our Ocean. This sadness is beyond words.

Additionally, the recent vote in the United Nations to recognize

Palestine as a State only received 7 negative votes. Israel and 6

poor island countries like Palau and FSM. Certainly a result of

some bribery by Israel to continue its success in "genocide"

against the Palestine people. If the people of FSM or Palau

understood what Israel was doing to the Palestinian people they

would never allow their Ambassador to vote along with Israel...

of THAT I am very sure!!!

I hope you are not too busy Jane, because there is a lot of work

to do. MaTakQueeAsi/TatTvamAsi Jane, Sincerely, Rollee

Rolstone, Buri Ram, Thailand

www.janeresture.com

www.janesoceania.com

www.ourpacificocean.com

www.janesworldomain.com

www.pacificislandsradio.com

www.janeresture.com/indexx.htm

Greetings from Italy!

Hi! I visited your web site. Thank you for your information.

Best regards

www.janeresture.com

Jane, I feel honored that you replied to my e-mail. I found the
web page chronicling your adventures, and as I said, you're a

Aloha Jane!

I visit you website and really enjoy what you wrote about

Samoa. I am trying to locate the history of Alexander Tuimanua

Brown if you know of him. Please enclose some information

that may help me with my research. His my great grandfather.

my name is Amelia Aimee Manutalitaliilagi Brown-Haraguchi

Many thanks and alofa! Happy holiday. Aimee

http://www.janeresture.com/samoahome/index.htm

Great info on Tuvalu!

Hello Jane,

a chance encounter

in a busy city day

a name as romantic as Tuvalu

takes me far away

a few precious dreamy minutes

in the rushing hours of each day

a name that tugs my wondering heart

to atolls amongst the translucent waves

................

I really enjoyed going thru your websites!

Beautiful islands!!! God Bless you!

Warm Regards

Alan Yip

http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu2/tuvalu_home_page.htm


A happy and fruitful new year to you Jane and
all the best for the very enjoyable Pacific Islands
Radio - keep up the great work!! Warm regards...


Hello from Seattle, Washington. Just came across your
station on Live 365 and have been listening for about
an hour. What a relief from the music that pollutes the
local radio stations. Yours is very relaxing, I'll suggest it
to some friends. ... Happy Holidays! Larry Jane; that was very nice of Larry to send you that note.
I have to wholeheartedly agree with him... Have yourself a fabulous weekend Dear Friend!!

Thanks John, I love hearing from you always; your most
perceptive and effective comments have greatly boosted
the fundamental concept that is Pacific Islands Radio.
Wonderful people like your good self have certainly enhanced
the soul and heart of the Pacific Islands. Likewise, you are our
Dear Friend, and we are very much honoured!

Soak in the enchanting sounds of the sun-drenched Oceania/Pacific Islands
coming to you in 64kbps FM Stereo!

Live365 Internet Radio - Pacific Islands Radio FM

www.live365.com

IT'S TIME TO CHAT

Our Chat Room is always available for online chatting between parties and can be accessed via Jane's Oceania Home Page: http://www.janeresture.com or the URLs:
http://pub18.bravenet.com/chat/show.php/1489671900
http://pub32.bravenet.com/chat/show.php/2702076781