Council of Chiefs | |
---|---|
History | |
Established | 1927 |
Disbanded | 1951 |
Succeeded by | Nauru Local Government Council |
Structure | |
Seats | 14 |
Length of term | Elected for life |
The Council of Chiefs was a Nauruan political body. It was formally established in 1927, and served as an advisory body to the Administrator. It was replaced in 1951 by the Nauru Local Government Council.
The Council of Chiefs has its early origin after the Nauruan Civil War and subsequent German annexation in 1888. Nauru District Officer Fritz Jung maintained an informal Council of Chiefs as a way of consulting with the Nauruan people. [1] During Nauru's time as a German protectorate, the traditional Nauruan tribal social structure was largely intact. This arrangement remained until their autonomy was abrogated by the Nauru Island Agreement in 1919, after Nauru had become a League of Nations mandate. [2]
The Administrators over Nauru were pressured by Nauruans for greater autonomy. [2] In 1925, the Administration established an advisory council with two appointed Europeans and two elected Nauruans. Nauruan voices were ultimately drowned out by the Europeans on this council. In 1927, the Council of Chiefs was reconstituted by the Administration and British Phosphate Commissioners. It consisted of fourteen elected chiefs, one for each district. Chiefs were elected for life, but could be removed by the council. The chiefs elected from among themselves a head chief and deputy head chief. [3] The structure of the Council of Chiefs was not consistent with traditional Nauruan tribal structure nor district administration. A more traditional Nauruan tribal structure was maintained by Nauruans outside of this externally imposed political body. [2] The Council of Chiefs acted as a mostly advisory council to the Administrator, without obligation by the Administrators to follow said advise, however it did control a trust fund financed by capitation taxes paid by Nauruans to the Administration. In 1932, the Council of Chiefs established a Domaneab, or meeting place, which was able to facilitate a social area for only the Nauruan people. [3]
The Council of Chiefs was reconstituted after World War II. [4] By the late 1940s, there were calls for greater Nauruan self-government, both internationally by members of the United Nations Trusteeship Council, and internally by Nauruans themselves. The Council of Chiefs submitted a petition for more self-government for Nauru to the 1948-49 session of the Trusteeship Council, however Australian Acting External Affairs Minister Cyril Chambers convinced the Council of Chiefs to withdraw the petition. [3] In 1950, the United Nations Visiting Mission recommended to the Trusteeship Council that the Council of Chiefs should have more legislative power, especially in the realm of budget appropriations. [5] On 20 August 1951, the recommendation was accepted in part, and the Nauru Local Government Council Ordinance was passed, with this new council replacing the Council of Chiefs. [3]
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The history of human activity in Nauru, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, began roughly 3,000 years ago when clans settled the island.
The politics of Nauru take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
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Reverend Philip Adam Delaporte was a German-born American Protestant missionary who ran a mission on Nauru with his wife from 1899 until 1915. During this time he translated numerous texts from German into Nauruan including the Bible and a hymnal. He was also one of the first to create a written form for the Nauruan dialect, published in a Nauruan-German dictionary.
Angam Day is a holiday recognised in the Republic of Nauru. It is celebrated yearly on 26 October.
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The British Phosphate Commissioners (BPC) was a board of Australian, British, and New Zealand representatives who managed extraction of phosphate from Christmas Island, Nauru, and Banaba from 1920 until 1981.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Nauru:
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Raymond Gadabu was a Nauruan politician who served as Head Chief between 1953 and 1955.
The Japanese occupation of Nauru was the period of three years during which Nauru, a Pacific island which at that time was under Australian administration, was occupied by the Japanese military as part of its operations in the Pacific War during World War II. With the onset of the war, the islands that flanked Japan's South Seas possessions became of vital concern to Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and in particular to the Imperial Navy, which was tasked with protecting Japan's outlying Pacific territories.
Elections for the Local Government Council were held for the first time in Nauru on 15 December 1951.
Elections for the Local Government Council were held in Nauru on 10 December 1955.
Elections for the Legislative Council for the Territory of Nauru were held for the first and only time on 22 January 1966.
Austin Bernicke was a Nauruan politician. He was a member of the first Local Government Council in 1951, then a member of Parliament after it was established in 1966, serving until his death in 1977. He also served as a cabinet minister from 1968 until 1976.
The 1948 Nauru riots occurred when Chinese labourers employed on the phosphate mines refused to leave the island. At the time, Nauru was dominated by Australia as a United Nations trust territory, with New Zealand and the UK as co-trustees.
The Nauru Local Government Council was a legislative body in Nauru. It was first established in 1951, when Nauru was a United Nations trust territory, as a successor to the Council of Chiefs. It continued to exist until 1992, when it was dissolved in favor of the Nauru Island Council.