Samarai

Last updated
Samarai Island
Papua New Guinea location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Samarai Island
Geography
Location Oceania
Coordinates 10°36′45″S150°39′53″E / 10.61250°S 150.66472°E / -10.61250; 150.66472 [1]
Archipelago Louisiade Archipelago
Adjacent to Solomon Sea
Total islands1
Major islands
  • Samarai
Area0.29 km2 (0.11 sq mi)
Length0.8 km (0.5 mi)
Width0.4 km (0.25 mi)
Coastline2.31 km (1.435 mi)
Highest elevation10 ft (3 m)
Administration
Province Flag of Milne Bay.svg  Milne Bay
Island Group Samarai Islands
Ward split
Largest settlementSamarai(pop. 460)
Demographics
Population460 (2014)
Pop. density1,580/km2 (4090/sq mi)
Ethnic groups Papauans, Austronesians, Melanesians.
Additional information
Time zone
ISO code PG-MBA
Official website www.ncdc.gov.pg
A commercial street scene on Samarai from 1906 Samarai commercial street scene 1906.jpg
A commercial street scene on Samarai from 1906

Samarai is an island and former administrative capital in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Contents

The island is historically significant as the site of a trading port and stop-over between Australia and East Asia. Samarai town was established on the island and at its height was the second largest after Port Moresby in the Territory of Papua. [2]

The town of Samarai was ordered to be destroyed by the British during World War II, fearing Japanese occupation. Although rebuilt after the war, and functioning as provincial headquarters until 1968, economic changes meant that Samarai did not fully regain its regional status and it has since largely fallen into disrepair. The island was declared a National Historical Heritage Island by the government of Papua New Guinea in 2006. [3]

Geography

Located off the south-eastern tip of New Guinea in the China Strait, Samarai has an area of just 285,000 square metres (70 acres) or 29 hectares. At the census of population 2014, the island had a population of 460, making it one of the most densely populated islands in the area. The island is part of the Samarai Islands of the Louisiade Archipelago.

History

Settlement

The island was discovered by Captain John Moresby whilst commanding HMS Basilisk in 1873. Moresby originally called the island Dinner Island, after having a meal on it. [4] Five years later in 1878 the Rev. S. MacFarlane of the London Missionary Society established a mission station on the island. A government officer was posted to the island after a protectorate had been declared over British New Guinea.

In 1884 a trader and sixty Papuans established a beach front store for passing ships. In the early years a large malarious swamp caused health problems for Samarai, but this was improved after 1898 when it was filled in. [4] After the annexation of British New Guinea in 1888, Samarai became the headquarters of an administrative district. A court was subsequently established and a magistrate posted. [4]

Destroyed buildings on Samarai in 1942 Samarai destroyed 1942.jpg
Destroyed buildings on Samarai in 1942

By the 20th century the island was a bustling cosmopolitan port town, administrative centre and major commercial centre. [5] It was noted for its size and attractive appearance. In 1902 the value of goods exported from Samarai was three times the value of those exported from Port Moresby. [4] By 1907 there were three pubs, the seat of a bishop, a rectory, church, three stores, government buildings, hospitals and private residences. Electric power was provided by 1927 and street lighting was installed. [4]

Decline and World War II

By the 1920s the town had declined in importance and by the 1940s 70 percent of goods were now exported from Port Moresby, although Samarai was still significant in the trade of copra. In 1940 Sir Hubert Murray, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Territory of Papua, travelled to Samarai, after falling ill, and subsequently died on the island.

After the outbreak of World War II and with the Japanese advance into the Pacific the Australian Government ordered the evacuation of Samarai in January 1942 and later in the year it was destroyed to stop the wharves and buildings falling under Japanese control. [4] In July 1943 a detachment of Seabees from the 84th Naval Construction Battalion built a seaplane base on the island as part of Naval Base Milne Bay. Despite a lack of materials the base including a 50 feet (15 m) ramp and hangar was constructed in 42 days. [6] Patrol Squadron 101 (VP-101) flying PBY Catalinas was posted to the station. The USS San Pablo (AVP-30) and Aircraft Rescue Boat C-9485 operated from the Samarai Seaplane Base also.

Although Samarai was reestablished after the war, it never returned to its former size or influence and in 1968 the provincial capital for Milne Bay was moved to Alotau. Today the island is mostly isolated and little belies its past. In 2006 the prime minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, declared the island a National Historical Heritage Island, and vowed to "restore basic services and refurbish its monuments and buildings as a tourist attraction". [7]

Administration

The island is split between 2 Wards: Samarai South, and Samarai North. both belong to Bwanabwana Rural Local Level Government Area LLG, Samarai-Murua District, which are in Milne Bay Province. [8]

Demographics

The population of 458 at the last census shows a steady decline.

Flora and fauna

Samarai is famous for having 2 species of bats:

Transportation

There is a Port on the island, which was renovated in recent years.

The phrase "Sorong to Samarai" (sometimes stylised as "Sorong2Samarai" or "S2S") is commonly used throughout Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea to express solidarity and oneness and makes reference to both Sorong, a town in Southwest Papua, Indonesia, and Samarai, a small township being one of the easternmost point located in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. It is sometimes used by Papuan independence activists in reference to Papuan unification, in opposition to the common Indonesian phrase of "Sabang to Merauke". In 2016, the ARIA Music Awards-nominated Papua New Guinean-Australian musician Airileke released a single titled "Sorong Samarai". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Territory of Papua</span> British and Australian colony in Oceania from 1883 to 1975

The Territory of Papua comprised the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea from 1883 to 1975. In 1883, the Government of Queensland annexed this territory for the British Empire. The United Kingdom Government refused to ratify the annexation but in 1884 a protectorate was proclaimed over the territory, then called "British New Guinea". There is a certain ambiguity about the exact date on which the entire territory was annexed by the British. The Papua Act 1905 recites that this happened "on or about" 4 September 1888. On 18 March 1902, the Territory was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia. Resolutions of acceptance were passed by the Commonwealth Parliament, which accepted the territory under the name of Papua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milne Bay Province</span> Place in Papua New Guinea

Milne Bay is a province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Alotau. The province covers 14,345 km² of land and 252,990 km² of sea, within the province there are more than 600 islands, about 160 of which are inhabited. The province has about 276,000 inhabitants, speaking about 48 languages, most of which belong to the Eastern Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. Economically the province is dependent upon tourism, oil palm, and gold mining on Misima Island; in addition to these larger industries there are many small-scale village projects in cocoa and copra cultivation. The World War II Battle of Milne Bay took place in the province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alotau</span> Place in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Alotau is the capital of Milne Bay Province, in the south-east of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern shore of Milne Bay. The town is located within Alotau Urban LLG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorong</span> City in Southwest Papua, Indonesia

Sorong is the largest city and the capital of the Indonesian province of Southwest Papua. The city is located on the western tip of the island of New Guinea with its only land borders being with Sorong Regency. It is the gateway to Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands, species rich coral reef islands in an area considered the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity. It also is the logistics hub for Indonesia's thriving eastern oil and gas frontier. Sorong has experienced exponential growth since 2010, and further growth is anticipated as Sorong becomes linked by road to other frontier towns in Papua's Bird's Head Peninsula. The city had a population of 190,625 at the 2010 Census and 284,410 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate was 295,809. In mid 2022, 47.34% of the city population were Protestant, 44.82% were Muslim, and 7.55% Catholic, with minorities of Buddhists and Hindus. The city is served by Domine Eduard Osok Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Districts of Papua New Guinea</span> Second-level administrative division

This page is a list of districts of Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jomard Islands</span>

The Jomard Islands are an uninhabited island group in the Coral Sea, belonging to Papua New Guinea, It lies to the east of Montemont Islands in the Louisiade Archipelago.

Gonubalabala Island (on maps as Gona Bara Bara) is an island on the southern side of East Channel, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. It is located South east of Logea Island. It is a home island of the Mailulu clan.

Logea Island is a large island separating West Channel, East Channel and China Strait, just south of Milne Bay, in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Kwato Island an island in China Strait, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Saliba Island is a large island in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Kitai Katu Island is an island in the Louisiade Archipelago, off the east coast of Basilaki Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Dobu Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) administering Dobu Island in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Alotau Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Daga Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Maramatana Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Suau Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. The Suau language is spoken in the LLG.

Bwanabwana Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. The Bwanabwana language is spoken in the LLG.

Murua Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Yaleyamba Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

West Ferguson Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

References

  1. Prostar Sailing Directions 2004 New Guinea Enroute, p. 168
  2. Lipscomb, Adrian; et al. (February 1998). Papua New Guinea. Lonely Planet. ISBN   0-86442-402-7.
  3. Lonely Planet
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ryan, Peter, ed. (1972). The Encyclopaedia of Papua and New Guinea. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. pp. 1028–1029. ISBN   0-522-84025-6.
  5. Quanchi, Dr Max. "Photographing Samarai; place, imagination and change" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 30, 2007.
  6. "Samarai Island". Pacific Wrecks.
  7. "Address by the Prime Minister of PNG". Official Web Site of the Prime Minister. Government of Papua New Guinea. 2006-02-16. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007.
  8. LLG map
  9. "Sorong Samarai - Expressing unity, calling for change".