Fanning Island – Republic of Kiribati – a Journey Back in Time

The stop on Fanning Island has been a highlight of the cruise so far.  We stepped back in time 50 years or more. The atoll is one of many in this nation that may disappear with rising ocean levels. The Republic of Kiribati was formerly known as the Gilbert Islands and was under British rule.  Fanning is in the Line Islands group. Kiribati is one of the poorest nations in the world but it is also rich in many other ways – as our native Hawaiian guide said.  There is enough food from the lagoon and the land – people were smiling and singing. No stress, no modern life frustrations, sunshine, good air…no crime to speak of – one cop whose main job seemed to be guarding the mailbox at the outdoor post office!  We sent two postcards – one to ourselves to see how long it would take to arrive. 

The water is various beautiful shades of blue and turquoise with white sand and postcard-perfect palm trees lining the shore.  Only a few cruise ships stop on the island now that the cruise line NCL stopped their weekly visits several years ago.  Due to the Jones Act, NCL had to stop in a foreign country before completing its cruises of the Hawaiian Islands.  Supply ships come infrequently and there is no air service.  Now this is what I call remote – 2 days from Hawaii and 2 days from Tahiti – the middle of nowhere.  The first tender off the ship had the Statendam carpenters who always go first to repair the dock!!! 

After we landed about 8am, there seemed to be kids everywhere.  Many were dressed in grass skirts and woven headgear – dancing and singing with their teachers.  This is the way they earn money for their schools – which seem to all be tied in with various churches on the atoll – Catholic, Protestant, Mormon.  We brought a backpack full of school supplies and books for the school library that we had previously taken to the Front Desk on the Statendam – HAL offloaded all of the gifts to the schools.  I brought red foam clown noses that were a hit.  I did the same thing at a village on the Amazon several years ago.  I’m sure there will be anthropologists that will be confused!  Not just the Cargo Cult – but now the Red Nose Cult in the Pacific. 

There was table after table of crafts – using shells; fish teeth and vertebrae; woven grasses, etc.  If we are any example, the island did well today!  We also took a tour of the island – a 2 mile trip to the other end of this piece of the atoll in the back of a pickup truck with benches and a canopy. The ride will either cure a back ache or cause one – not sure. Our “guide” was a native of Fanning who had been a seaman and had “seen the world.”   I think I understand why he would come back here.

The areas beyond the tender dock gave us a good look at island life.  Houses had thatch roofs – many on stilts – not for floods but for air circulation – no walls but some woven mats that could be placed over the openings.  Small pigs and chickens – a few dogs and one cat were our animal sightings.  We passed the one “industry” on the atoll - seaweed collecting and drying – the finished product is sent to Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

The International Date Line was moved for Kiribati so the entire nation would be on the same side of the Line.  It was also moved because the Republic does much of its business with Australia.  As a result of the moving of the Line, we will have no February 27 – late on the 26^th we jumped to the 28^th and on March 1 we will go back to February 28! 

It was a fascinating day on a remote Pacific atoll – now French Polynesia in two days.