Mailu Island
Encyclopedia
Mailu Island is a small, 1.8 km long, island
in Central Province
, Papua New Guinea
. It lies 250 km ESE from Port Moresby
.
, yams
, betel
, sugarcane
, as well as coconut
, areca nut and sago
palms grow on the island. The village is located on the NE shores. There is a smaller island right off Mailu's southern point. Pottery
was made by the women on Mailu Island and traded with goods from the coast, mainly the South Cape and the Aroma people to the NW.
This island was visited by polish anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski in 1914.
Mailu Island was also visited by Austrian
anthropologist and photographer Hugo Bernatzik
in 1932. Bernatzik, who published an ethnography
a few years later, described Mailu as a very pleasant place and had a good impression of the Mailuans, as reliable people of a good character and skilled seafarers. He admired the buildings and the boats and took photographs of Mailu houses from the inside and outside. Bernatzik also took pictures of the islanders and their artifacts, reflecting a culture that he deemed was dying in contact with the modern world. Frank Hurley
also visited Mailu during his journeys.
Between 1972 and 1974 New Zealand
archaeologist Geoffrey Irwin
carried out a survey of Mailu Island and the neighbouring coast where linguistically related groups, speakers of Mailuan languages
, live.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Central Province
Central Province (Papua New Guinea)
Central Province is a province in Papua New Guinea located on the southern coast of the country. It has a population of 183,983 people and is in size. The seat of government of Central Province, which is located within the National Capital District outside the province, is the Port Moresby suburb...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It lies 250 km ESE from Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
.
Characteristics
Mailu is an island that has been inhabited since ancient times. It is located 8 km south of the New Guinean coast. Bananas, taroTaro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, yams
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
, betel
Betel
The Betel is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family, which includes pepper and Kava. It is valued both as a mild stimulant and for its medicinal properties...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, as well as coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, areca nut and sago
Sago
Sago is a starch extracted in the spongy center or pith, of various tropical palm stems, Metroxylon sagu. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas, where it is called saksak and sagu. A type of flour, called sago flour, is made from sago. The largest supply...
palms grow on the island. The village is located on the NE shores. There is a smaller island right off Mailu's southern point. Pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
was made by the women on Mailu Island and traded with goods from the coast, mainly the South Cape and the Aroma people to the NW.
This island was visited by polish anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski in 1914.
Mailu Island was also visited by Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
anthropologist and photographer Hugo Bernatzik
Hugo Bernatzik
Hugo Adolf Bernatzik , was an Austrian anthropologist and photographer.Bernatzik was the founder of the concept of alternative anthropology.-Biography:...
in 1932. Bernatzik, who published an ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
a few years later, described Mailu as a very pleasant place and had a good impression of the Mailuans, as reliable people of a good character and skilled seafarers. He admired the buildings and the boats and took photographs of Mailu houses from the inside and outside. Bernatzik also took pictures of the islanders and their artifacts, reflecting a culture that he deemed was dying in contact with the modern world. Frank Hurley
Frank Hurley
James Francis "Frank" Hurley, OBE was an Australian photographer and adventurer. He participated in a number of expeditions to Antarctica and served as an official photographer with Australian forces during both world wars.His artistic style produced many memorable images but he also used staged...
also visited Mailu during his journeys.
Between 1972 and 1974 New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
archaeologist Geoffrey Irwin
Geoffrey Irwin
Geoffrey Irwin is a New Zealand archaeologist and historian, specialising in the pre-history of the Pacific Islands. He is Professor of Archaeology at University of Auckland, New Zealand...
carried out a survey of Mailu Island and the neighbouring coast where linguistically related groups, speakers of Mailuan languages
Mailuan languages
The Mailuan languages are a small family of Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in the "Bird's Tail" of New Guinea. They are sometimes included in a speculative Southeast Papuan branch of Trans–New Guinea , but the Southeast Papuan families have not been shown to be any more closely...
, live.