Merelava
Encyclopedia
Merelava is an island in the Banks Islands
of northern Vanuatu
. It is situated in the southeastern part of the archipelago near Mota
and Merig
. The island is administratively part of Torba Province
. Merelava has also been known as Star Island. It is located about 50 km east of Gaua
.
or Merlav.
The name Merelava (sometimes wrongly transcribed Mere Lava) reflects the way it is called in the neighbouring Mota
language, phonetically [ŋ͡mʷereˈlaβa].
Banks Islands
The Banks Islands are a group of islands in northern Vanuatu.Together with the Torres Islands to the northwest, they make up the northernmost province of Torba. The group lies about north of Maewo, and includes Gaua and Vanua Lava, two of the 13 largest islands in Vanuatu...
of northern Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
. It is situated in the southeastern part of the archipelago near Mota
Mota (island)
Mota is an extinct volcanic island in the Banks group of Torba Province in northern Vanuatu.683 people live on Mota in coastal villages around the island. The names of the villages are Liwotqei, Lotawan, Mariu, Tasmate, Garamal, Tuqetap, and Veverao....
and Merig
Merig
Merig is a small island located 20 km east of Gaua, in the Banks Islands of northern Vanuatu.The island is about 800 meters wide, and has a circumference of 2.2 km....
. The island is administratively part of Torba Province
Torba Province
Torba is the northernmost province of Vanuatu, including the Banks Islands and the Torres Islands. Its capital is Sola.The modern name Torba is derived from the initial letters of Torres and Banks.-Facts:...
. Merelava has also been known as Star Island. It is located about 50 km east of Gaua
Gaua
Gaua is the largest of the Banks Islands in Torba Province of northern Vanuatu. It covers 342 km².- Physical geography :...
.
Population and language
The island has about 650 inhabitants. They all speak an Oceanic language known as MwerlapMwerlap language
-External links:**...
or Merlav.
Names
The inhabitants of Merelava call their own island Mwerlap, phonetically [ŋʷɞrlap], in the language of the same name.The name Merelava (sometimes wrongly transcribed Mere Lava) reflects the way it is called in the neighbouring Mota
Mota language
-External links:* in Mota* from Project Canterbury*...
language, phonetically [ŋ͡mʷereˈlaβa].