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Nauru was initially inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples almost 3,000 years ago. In 1798, John Fearn became the first European to land on the island and christened it Pleasant Island. Almost 90 years later, Germans usurped the island in the late 19th century and changed its name.
People of Nauru were in contact with the European world since 1830s when whaling ships and traders would land on the island to replenish their supplies. It was also the time when vagabonds made Nauru their abode. Nauruans traded food in exchange of toddy and firearms. The firearms were used during the 10-year war that began in 1878 and reduced the population Nauru from 1400 to 900.
Germany incorporated Nauru into its Marshall Islands Protectorate after taking over it in 1888. The arrival of the Germans on the island brought an end to the war. The social changes brought about by the war established kings as rulers of the island. Christian missionaries from the Gilbert Islands also arrived at the island in 1888.
During this time, there were 12 tribes inhabiting in Nauru, namely, Deiboe, Eamwidamit, Eamwidara, Eamwit, Eamgum, Eano, Emeo, Eoraru, Irutsi, Iruwa, Iwi and Ranibok. Today, the twelve-pointed star in the flag of Nauru is the representation twelve tribes are represented by.
Rich in phosphate, Nauru's history as such is linked with the extraction of the salt that began in 1906. It was discovered Albert Ellis, a New Zealander and the Pacific Phosphate Company started exploitation of the rock. The first shipment of the rock left Nauru in 1907.
Following World War I in 1914, Nauru became a mandate territory administered by Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The British Phosphate Commissioners (BPC) was given the rights to phosphate mining. The island was occupied by Japan during World War II but the natives were badly treated after the occupation. The island was administered by Australia as a UN Trust Territory as soon as the war got over.
Nauru became independent in the year 1968 and became the smallest independent republic in the world. It acquired the phosphate rights from Britain in 1970 and earned money from the exploitation of phosphate.
By: Shuchita Bist
GOWEALTHY.COM © 2008
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