Rennell Island
Encyclopedia
Rennell Island, locally known as Mungava, is the main island of two inhabited islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...

. Rennell Island has a land area of 660 square kilometre that is about 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) long and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi)wide. It is the second largest raised coral atoll
Raised coral atoll
A raised coral atoll is a typical atoll which has been lifted high enough above sea level by tectonic forces to protect it from scouring by storms and enable soils and diverse – often endemic – species of flora and fauna to develop...

 in the world with the largest lake in the insular Pacific (Lake Tegano) that is listed as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

. Rennell Island has a population of about 3000 persons of Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...

 descent who primarily speak Renbelian, Pigin
Pijin language
Pijin is also referred to as Kanaka and is a language spoken in the Solomon Islands. It is closely related to Tok Pisin of Papua New Guinea; Bislama of Vanuatu; and Torres Strait Creole of the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia and is written in the Latin alphabet.As of 1999 there were 306,984...

 and some English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

. Rennell and Bellona Islands are the only islands in the Melanesian Solomon Island archipelago classified Polynesian.

The population of Renbel dates before 1400 AD when clansmen left Uvea (now Wallis Island
Wallis Island
Wallis is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna....

) and crossed the Pacific ocean to settle on the islands. Captain Butler of HMS Walpole discovered the islands in 1801, after discovering and naming Walpole Island
Walpole Island (New Caledonia)
Walpole Island is a small and uninhabited French island, 180 km east of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Although it is geographically part of the Îles Loyauté, administratively it belongs to the Île des Pins municipality of New Caledonia.- History :British captain Butler discovered the island...

 in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...

. In 1933 the Templeton Crocker Expedition discovered several endemic species on the islands. During the Pacific campaign of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 Japanese Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes operated from Lake Tegano until American PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...

s used the lake as a base after 1943. The Battle of Rennell Island
Battle of Rennell Island
The Battle of Rennell Island took place on 29–30 January 1943, and was the last major naval engagement between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II...

 was the last major naval battle of the Guadacanal Campaign which occurred between 29 January 1943 and 30 January 1943. At the end of the war, eight Catalinas were scuttled in the lake and can be seen from the lake surface. Several Danish expeditions later arrived at the islands while researching numerous disciplines.

Located 236 kilometres (146.6 mi) South of Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...

 and 1900 kilometres (1,180.6 mi) North East of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

. The capital of the Province, Tigoa
Tigoa
Tigoa is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island. It is the capital of Rennell and Bellona province. It is located approximately 40–60 ft above sea level....

, is located at the Western end of the island.

History

The islands are of volcanic origin with basement rocks forming between the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...

 and early Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...

. Tectonic movements raised the seabed to allow coral building. The whole Rennell area is thought to have been initially deposited as coralline algal limestone and then dolotomized. This dolomitic reef complex is overlain by younger undolotomized reef limestone. Between 2000 and 1600 BC, people belonging to the Lapita Culture made their appearance. Then by Lapita people about 1000 BC. The next settlement occurred on both Rennell and Bellona around 130 BC, with another major occupation in about 1000 AD.

The present-day inhabitants say their ancestors (Kait'u) arrived around 1400AD from Ubea/Uvea (now Wallis Island
Wallis Island
Wallis is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna....

) and crossed the Pacific ocean and settled in the Solomon Islands. One of the villages in Lake Tegano is called Hutuna which is the Rennellese interpretation of Wallis & Futuna

Geography

Rennell Island is the second largest upraised coral atoll in the world and is largely unmodified and also includes the largest lake in the south pacific.

The island is almost totally surrounded by 120–150m cliffs with the eastern end dominated by a large lake, while the western end is relatively flat from the northern to southern coasts with rolling forested hills. The island is located South of Honiara approximately 1 hour flight in a twin engine prop aircraft.

One road, called Copperhead Road, traverses the length of the island from the airstrip to the West to the ports area of the South and a branch heading East towards the vast inland lake.

Climate

The temperature averages 23 – 28 deg c with about 4000 mm of rainfall per year and high humidity during both seasons.Southeast trade winds prevail from April to the end of November. The island is also located within the band of known cyclone paths and is subject to cyclones at relatively frequent intervals. The latest major cyclone to hit Rennell was Nina in 1993.

Lake Tegano, Te Nggano, Tungano, Big Water, Lavimala Bay

Official Solomon Island maps name this lake Te Nggano, while locals refer to the lake as Tegano or Tungano or Big Water. The lake is 29 kilometres (18 mi) in length and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) wide, with an area of 155 km² (59.8 sq mi), which occupies 17.6% of the total area of Rennell Island. The lake is located at East Rennell
East Rennell
East Rennell is the southern portion of Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Rennell is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and the area in East Rennell surrounding Lake Tegano contains many endemic species.-External links:*...

 in the central basin which was the old lagoon.

The hard bottom is covered by several meters of suspended mud. The lake has an elevated salt concentration being kept by a subterranean duct system which connects it with the sea.

The water depth is 44m and consists of a mixture of brackish fresh and salt water.The average distance from the lake shore to the ocean is 2 km with wildlife predominantly Eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...

 and water snakes and a bird breeding area. The lake is listed as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

.

On the Eastern most point of the lake is the former World War 2 airbase Tigoa. Information from locals claims that there are 9 aircraft at the bottom of the lake with five visible from a boat

Lake Te Nggano was used as a flying boat base by both Japanese and American forces during the Pacific campaign of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Japanese Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes operated out of Rennell Island until US air and sea superiority made the base untenable. American PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...

s used the lake as a base after 1943. A detachment from the 2nd marines was sent form New Hebrides and arrived at Lake Tegano on 12 November 1942 to establish a lookout post.

The US forces scuttled eight of the warhorses at the end of hostilities rather than take them home. Reports were made of crash landings due to the coral outcrops within the lake. Members of the local community attempted to retrieve one of the radial engines of the aircraft to use as a generator using only man-power. First it was cut from the wing by diving with snorkels and using hand-tools.

It was then dragged across the coralline rock lake floor by hand-winch. They were overcome in their task by the engine's tremendous weight. They did manage to get it close to the shoreline before giving up, close enough that one of the propeller blades is exposed to the air. Very quickly however, the engine became unusable through corrosion, so further attempts to bring it ashore were abandoned.

Species

The islands of Rennell and Bellona are unique within the Solomon Islands, having affinities with New Caledonia and Australia as much as the Solomons. They are home to several endemic species, including the Rennell Starling
Rennell Starling
The Rennell Starling is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family.It is endemic to Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands....

 (Aplonis insularis) which is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family, the Bare-eyed White-eye
Bare-eyed White-eye
The Bare-eyed White-eye is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family.It is endemic to Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....

 (Woodfordia superciliosa) which is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family, the Rennell Shrikebill
Rennell Shrikebill
The Rennell Shrikebill is a songbird species in the family Monarchidae.It is endemic to Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....

 (Clytorhynchus hamlini) which is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family and the Rennell Fantail
Rennell Fantail
The Rennell Fantail is a species of bird in the Rhipiduridae family.It is endemic to the Solomon Islands.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...

 (Rhipidura rennelliana) which is also a species of bird in the Rhipiduridae family.

Rennel province also has 25 species of ants, the endemic orchid Dendrobium rennellii near Lake Tegano, two endemic species of Pandanus (P. lacustris and P. rennellensis)[]. There are also 11 species of bats in the area including Rennell flying-fox Pteropus rennelli which is endemic to the island.

Lake Tegano is the only known location for the endemic sea krait Laticauda crockeri (VU). The other species of sea snake in the lake is Laticauda colubrina, there are five species of geckos, four skinks, one monitor lizard (Varanus sp.) and three snakes, all of which are species with widespread distributions and are typical of the region.There are 27 species of land snails, seven of which are endemic to the island, Coconut crab
Coconut crab
The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper size limit of terrestrial animals with exoskeletons in today's atmosphere at a weight of up to...

 Birgus latro (DD) and two other species of land hermit crabs. (Coenobita sp.) A total 731 insects have been identified from collections made at Rennell and Bellona. Moths (Lepidoptera) have the greatest number of species (246, in total) with 35 species and 25 subspecies exclusive to Rennell and Bellona.Renbel has no indigenous malaria, cane toads, vipers, poisonous snakes or crocodiles.

Culture

Due to the tropical climate and thinly soiled coralline
Coralline rock
Coralline Rock is a type of rock formed by the death of layers of Coralline algae. It is visually quite bright like the algae, and is often desired as aquarium decoration. Since it is formed from the dead algae, it contains some nutrients and calcium carbonate, which has allowed it to be used in...

 substrate, sheep and cattle do not thrive here. Villagers wishing to harvest seafood have the arduous task of climbing the surrounding 120-150m cliffs for the return journey to the coast. Once at the coast, they are bound to harvest only finned and scaled seafood, not shellfish, lobsters or other marine creatures. The serious deficiency in diet prompted the Solomon Islands government to seed Lake Nggano with tilapia
Tilapia
Tilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...

 fish. These seem to have thrived in the brackish conditions and are now a staple part of the diet. While coconut crab
Coconut crab
The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper size limit of terrestrial animals with exoskeletons in today's atmosphere at a weight of up to...

s are crustaceans, and use the sea to spawn, the Seventh-day Adventists do not eat it in accordance with Hebrew laws, but a few are tempted to its taste, and also enjoying harvesting it.

The locals also talk about a condition they refer to as “The Cold”. They believe that this ailment is responsible for the onset of a debilitating mental illness. Adults who have no history of mental illnesses or drug abuse have been known to slide into a state of melancholy, requiring weeks of intensive treatment.

The wantok system creates huge pressures on the people of Renbel, more so than many other provinces. You will often hear the locals remark “Oh, that’s the Avaiki way”. This refers to the intrinsic behaviour associated with the wantok system and translates to “What is yours, is mine”

The locals play sport most days of the week in the afternoons. Soccer, rugby, volleyball & netball are the sports of choice.

The natives call Rennell “MUGAVA” and they call Bellona “MUNGIKI”. They then combine the last three letters of each Island and come up with a word called AVAIKI
Avaiki
Avaiki is one of the many entities by which the people of Polynesia refer to their ancestral and spiritual homelands.-Samoa, Hawaii, Cook Islands:By no means certain, but certainly possible, is an origin in the large islands of Samoa, namely Savaii...

. If someone local does something silly you might hear someone say ‘That’s the Avaiki way’. They also have a Rugby and Net ball team called Avaiki.

The locals don’t have much respect for chiefs but most respect the Church leaders. They don’t like the politicians much because, as soon as they get elected, they move to Honiara and only show up again when it’s time to get re-elected.

When an outsider enters a village there appears to be no apparent hierarchy and it is acceptable to talk to either men or women. The people who hold important jobs here are the Religious leaders and teachers. The chiefs are not really respected here and are said to wield no real power. This view of chiefs are powerless is spark by grandchildren of the commoners, who are now well educated this days and wants to retaliate for their ancestors held traditional view.

Provincial Government

The second island that makes up Renbel province is Bellona Island
Bellona Island
Bellona Island is an island of the Rennell and Bellona Province, Solomon Islands. Its length is about 10 km and its average width 2.5 km. Its area is about 17 km². It is almost totally surrounded by 30–70 m high cliffs, consisting primarily of raised coral...

 (pop. under 1000) thereby giving rise to the provincial name REN-BEL.

The Renbel province covers a land area of 840 square kilometre. The province or Renbell was established in 1993 where it was revealed that 99% of the land is customarily owned with only the main road and Bellona airfield being owned by the government.

Tigoa (Tingoa) is the capital for Rennell Island and located at the Rennell Airfield. It is referred by the locals as TNT and has a population of about 400 people. A number of residences are built either side of the airfield. Both the Royal Solomon Island Police and the Provincial Government offices are stationed at Tigoa.

The traditional chief system does not operate in the province.

The Provincial Government are tasked with providing health, education, transport, power, water and other basic services. They are funded with about $128,000 per month from the Central Government to do this.

The Government structure has 10 wards each with elected members:

Rennell Ward
  • Ward 1 – Hutuana, Tengano
  • Ward 2 – Niupani, Tebaitaha, East Lake
  • Ward 3 – Lughu
  • Ward 4 – Teabamagu, Kanava, Tahanuku
  • Ward 5 – Ngogonu, Tingoa (TNT), Moreno & Hatoguu (Airfield Area)
  • Ward 6 – Kagua, Tepogima


Bellona Ward
  • Ward 7 – Matangi
  • Ward 8 – East Ghongau
  • Ward 9 – West Ghongau
  • Ward 10 –Sa’aiho


The Provincial Government is also responsible for the appointment of area constables to police local by-laws.

Agriculture

In Renbell province, a great majority of land disputes is over farming plots. Many villages are used as gardening villages (subsistence farming) since the population has moved to larger neighboring villages. The farming plots are carved out of the forest and farming paths carved to reach the plots. The soil from a coral atoll is not as fertile as other islands such as the volcanic Guadalcanal. Often the boundaries of these plots are guessed which gives rise to the various disputes.

The crops grown include sweet potato and slippery cabbage and to a lesser extent, Taro. In the 1990s a virus decimated the Taro
Taro
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...

 crops and now crops are under threat by a more natural enemy. At the arrival of RAMSI in 2004, all Solomon Islanders were encouraged to hand-in their firearms following the period of ethnic tensions and many farmers who had used guns to protect their crops were also required to surrender their guns. In 2008 many farmers now complain that the native bird Tekagae, Kagae or Rednose (NZ is known as
Swamp Hen or Pukeko) “has tripled in population since the gun amnesty”. Apparently the Tekagae can’t be eaten and is very clever, being able to sense the arrival of a person and counteract any efforts of deterrence such as scarecrows or ribbon and “many families have gone hungry and many farmers have given up trying to farm and we appeal to RAMSI to serious consider appropriate action".

Demographics

The people of the Renbell Province live a very basic subsistence farming lifestyle. Their daily activities are focused on farming of the family’s personal garden and regular attendance of Village Christian churches.

The majority of residents of the Renbell province are Renbellanise of Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...

 descent. The Rennell and Bellona languages are very similar and closely related to New Zealand, Maori and Samoan languages. Most adults speak Solomon Pijin, although children and some unschooled young person’s will only be comfortable speaking Renbelian (Polynesian
Polynesian languages
The Polynesian languages are a language family spoken in the region known as Polynesia. They are classified as part of the Austronesian family, belonging to the Oceanic branch of that family. They fall into two branches: Tongic and Nuclear Polynesian. Polynesians share many cultural traits...

 language), and most have some understanding of English.

Police services

Both the islands of Rennell and Bellona are serviced by the Tigoa police station, Royal Solomon Islands Police. The gazetted strength of the police station is meant to be 12.

As of September 2008, the actual strength is 5.

The Tigoa Police station was originally built in 1993 and soon after was destroyed by Cyclone Nina. The replacement police station was condemned by the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) logistics department in 2008

As part of RAMSI, there are two Participating Police Force (PPF) advisors stationed at Rennell Island, Tigoa. A semi-permanent ITSA structure provides accommodation which was officially opened by the RAMSI PPF Commander on 8 September 2004 and later a section which accommodates the Tigoa police station, was opened on the 12th March 2008.

Power to the complex is provided by a 24 hour Kubota generator powering a split system Air-Conditioning, hot water, full kitchen appliances and washing facilities in the laundry/Bathroom. The accommodation/Office houses the HF radio, base sat phone and computer equipment used by PPF members.

The RSIP residences are situated at the back of the PPF Compound including the previously condemned police station. There are 5 current houses standing and most have nil wet areas or ablution facilities available. Some of these facilities have been built by RSIP officers themselves as there is no maintenance work conducted by RSIP management.

RSIP hold a sea worthy fibreglass banana boat which is used for transport on Lake Te’Nggano with a modern and well maintained 25HP OBM. This is an efficient and functional means of transport for RAMSI/ RSIP between the head road and the 4 lake villages of East Rennell Island. Currently the Marine fuel for these patrols is provided by RSIP so patrols of Rennell can be completed. They also have a banana boat station at Lavangu which is seaworthy and operates with a 40HP Yamaha O/B. Both O/Bs are stored at the PPF compound in the RSIP container with servicing and parts for the boats and OBMs supplied by the RSIP.

A modified shipping container is utilised as a cell/watch-house until the offender is evacuated to Honiara.

In 1992 a Tigoa police officer with 4 passengers was sailing from Rennell to Bellona in a banana boat and did not return. No bodies were ever recovered yet the following year in January 1993, the banana boat was located during or after Cyclone Nina. It was located in the western province area, near Gizo.

Crime

The level of crime is generally very low with land disputes and homebrew being the main cause behind offences committed. Often disputes involve logging and farming plots.

Since June 2006 there has been very few drunk & disorderly incidents reported to police. This is primarily due to the lack of sugar & yeast on the island that is required to make up a batch of home brew. Generally there is a surge in home brewing activities following the arrival of the resupply ship. Local home brew is made by fermenting coconut milk, yeast and sugar in a bin and leaving it hidden in the bush for about a week. It is normally drunk on a Thursday night after sports day which leads to anti social behaviour in the way of fights,noise, loud music etc.

Religions

The religion of Bellona Island (and presumably Rennell Island) was replaced by Christianity in 1938. The Copenhagen University funded research to examine the rituals of Bellona Island which indicated that many men recalled the story that the island began as a Nerita shell
Nerita atramentosa
Nerita atramentosa, common name the black nerite, is a medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Neritidae, the nerites....

 and rose up from the ocean (p24).

In present time the people of Rennell are geographically divided between the lower lake end and the higher end by two Christian denominations. Around the Eastern end, Te Nggano, the people follow the South Sea Evangelical Church, with the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...

 occupying the western end. The Seventh-day Adventists worship on Saturday, and South Sea Evangelical Church (SSEC) worship on Sunday. Church Leaders play a small part in most communities, and the traditional Chief/Elder system is becoming defunct.

Portions of the population do not actively attend church, especially young people, though most “community leaders”, are nominated as teachers, elders, chiefs or pastors.
  • Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) – major
  • South Sea Evangelical Church (SSEC) – major
  • Anglican Church – minor
  • Life Changing Mission (LCM) – minor

Medical

There are 2 medical clinics currently staffed on Rennell Island. They are located at Tigoa and Te’Nggano village on Lake Te’Nggano.

The standard of medical care available in the clinics is very basic. Most serious cases are referred to Central Hospital Honiara, for further consultation. Generally the patient is transported on the next scheduled air flight although in emergency cases, the RAMSI aircraft is used.

Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...

 is a serious health risk in the Solomon Islands, 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...

, 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...

 but Renbel province is the only area where Malaria is not a problem.

Bellona Island also has one medical clinic.

Education

There are schools in all of the main villages and a Bible college which conducts courses on vehicle maintenance, cooking, house building and general living courses. It is estimated that the ratio of students is 80% boys and 20% girls with various reasons identified such as costs, tradition and family home duties.

Henua Community High School is situated in Niupani village, next to the World Heritage site of East Rennell.
Nearby Hutuna village is the site of the eighth People First Network
People First Network
People First Network, also known as PFNet or Pipol Fastaem, started in Solomon Islands as part of UNDP's Solomon Islands Development Administration Planning programme and was developed by technical advisor David Leeming and others from January 2001. People First Network was initially a series of...

 email station, which was established in 2003. Hutuna was one of the sites which was included in the 2004 JICA-USP research on the impacts of the ICT on rural development.

Primary Schools

East Rennell
  • Moah School Hutuna / Tenqano Village
  • Niupani Primary School Niupani
  • Raitahe Primary School Raitahe Village


West Rennell
  • Thomas Sandwich School Avatai Settlement
  • Vanua Primary School Lavangu
  • Kanava Primary School Kanava
  • Tahanuku Primary School Tahanuku
  • Newplace Primary School TNT Chistnick
  • Kangua Primary School Kangua

Community High Schools

'East Rennell'
  • Niupani Community High Niupani


'West Rennell'
  • Newplace Community High TNT Chistnick

Communications

There is no phone, television or radio service. Short wave radio can pick up intermittent frequencies and satellite phones do operate. There are about 5 High Frequency radio units in the province and operate on frequency 6815.

Two villages (Hutuna and Niupani) alongside the lake have communications via the novel People First Network http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb initiative including a distance learning centre opened in June 2007 by an EU-funded Ministry of Education project

There is no telephone land line or mobile coverage. The pfNet project enables internet access at Lake Te’Nggano which is a 20 minute boat trip and 15 minute walk.

The Solomon Islands Telecommunication Company[] will establish a satellite service on this island to be located about 100metres from the airstrip. Services will include a payphone, mobile phone coverage and internet and may even include a repeater station for one of the FM radio stations. Initially the opening date was scheduled for July 2008 but delayed due shipping delays. As of September 2008 the 6 month late barge arrived and offloaded supplies where construction resumed.

Utilities

There are about 20 serviceable generators on the island at time of report. These generators are mostly reliable; however use is restricted due to cost and difficulty in obtaining fuel. HF radios are powered by solar panel. No power grid is in existence. There are HF radios in each village and contact can be made through these in Rennell and Bellona.

Limited fresh water is available at local springs if rain does not fill the water tanks. One washing water bore is in the general vicinity of Tingoa Police station.

Rennell Island has 8 informally run stores. In the limited times that supplies are available for sale they will be limited to tinned tuna, rice and a very small range of supplementary items. There are 3 similar stores at Bellona.

Transport

One packed-coral road runs down the centre of Rennell Island, but is in terrible repair, and “high” speed on the better sections should not exceed 35 km/h. As of September 2008 there were about 19 operational motor vehicles (trucks & 4WD’s), a red tractor & 8 motor cycles on the island and a few pushbikes.

The only public transport on the Island is the Blue Truck owned by the Minister for Transport. The cost for one person to stand on the back of the truck from Lavangu to Tingoa is approximately $20 to $60 Solomon Dollars per person, which can be negotiated. The truck is often used to transport the sick or injured to the Tingoa Clinic for treatment or assessment while maintaining regular passenger stops. The cost to charter this truck is $1,000 Sol.

Shipping

The village of Lavangu on the central South coast has a channel passing through the reef to open water, and this is used by banana boats to transport cargo from ship to shore.
Lughughi Bay is located east of Tingoa. The port has a stone step that is used by landing craft to deposit heavy loads and vehicles onto the island. The road to Lughughi commences at the village of Tahanuka and is in a shocking state of repair, particularly the hill sections. The distance by road between Tahanuku & Lughughi is 7.5 km which is about a 50 minute drive. There are a couple of copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...

 sheds at the port with little else. The step where cargo is offloaded is often filled in spots with local rocks to make it passable. This port is in very poor state and is not maintained.

The province has a ship/barge called ‘MV RENBEL’. The ship is multipurpose and currently transports passengers as well as cargo to Renbell on an irregular basis. The last ship to sail to Renbell was on the 14th September 2008 and before that there was no service for 9 months. During the last few months the population survived mostly on coconuts and the occasional seafood with a total drought of the staple, rice.

Sea transport and vehicle transport are currently two of the main problems facing the Communities of Rennell and Bellona. The only other form of transport by sea is by fishing boats visiting the nearby reef. As a form of royalty to fish at the reef, these fishing boats transport goods and passengers.

Airport

One airfield is available on Rennell Island in Tigoa
Rennell/Tingoa Airport
Rennell/Tingoa Airport is an airport in Tigoa on Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands ....

. It runs East to West at Tigoa. Bellona also has its own airstrip. Solomon Airlines [] provides a twice weekly service from Honiara – Bellona – Tigoa (Rennell Island) – Bellona – Honiara on Tuesdays and Fridays. A RAMSI flight arrives every Wednesday with either a staff changeover and/or supplies for the PPF.

Both islands have grass airstrips, but no other aviation infrastructure. The airstrip at Tigoa is maintained by Civil Aviation Division sub contractors and is mowed by manually slashing with brush knives. Often various communities volunteer to take on this role so they can utilize the money for events such as Christmas functions.

Generally flights leave Honiara at about 0700hrs and arrive in Rennell anywhere between 0800 - 0900hrs. Extra flights are scheduled sporadically. The flight agent resides at the Moreno Guesthouse, Tegiku (West Tigoa). On Bellona the Solair agents occupy a 2-storey building next to the aircraft “terminal”.

RSIP provide security during landings and takeoffs for all aircraft; this involves using the Hilux, an RSIP motorbike and police cordon tape to erect a simple barrier to keep onlookers at a safe distance. It is apparent that flight days are a weekly highlight for many locals.

Airport land dispute

Correspondence addressed to the police and government on 16 Mar 08 details a lengthy land dispute regarding the airport.
The author claims that Tigoa land was originally referred to as Sigiabagu and was later renamed Tigoa and that the current airstrip falls on Tigoa, Uvea and Hutuna land. In 1968 the District Commissioner convened a meeting of all chiefs who agreed that the current location is suitable. The agreement apparently covered Tigoa and Uvea lands only.

During the construction process, apparently 150 graves were dug up and 8000 coconut trees were destroyed. However the construction team found that the airstrip was required to be extended East and this resulted in encroachment onto Hutuna land. Subsequently the District Commissioner sought permission for the use of the land from the traditional owner with a proviso that compensation will be paid. The dispute centers around the failure of payment of that compensation.

As a result the author has claimed to caveat the airfield and close the airfield . The author claims that the Baimange tribe own the Tigoa land and the dispute is with the Ngatonga tribe.

Villages & population

Village Population Ward Coordinates
Tigoa
Tigoa
Tigoa is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island. It is the capital of Rennell and Bellona province. It is located approximately 40–60 ft above sea level....

170 5 11°33′30"S 160°4′14.3"E
Kangua
Kangua
Kangua is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.Located west of Tigoa Police Post, approximately 30 minutes drive along Copperhead Rd ....

60 6 11°31′01.9"S 160°0′41.1"E
Pogima 20 6
Moreno
Moreno Village Rennell Island
Moreno is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Moreno Guest House & conference room:The MORENO Guesthouse has 12 rooms and a conference room where court hearing have been held. There is no electricity and bucket flush toilets. It also houses...

30 5
Hatagua 50 5 11°31′01"S 160°07′05"E
Gongona
Gongona
Gongona is a small village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province, with a population of only about 150 people. It is located at east of Tigoa, on the southern side of Copperhead road, and features a helicopter lading site. It is best known for its Sporting...

150 5
Tahanuku
Tahanuku
Tahanuku is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province. The province is the only province in the Solomon Islands where all the inhabitants are Polynesians.- Overview :...

 
90 4 11°36′32"S 160°07′36.6"E
Kanava
Kanava
Kanava is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Travel easterly for approx 15km or 45min from Tigoa Kanava is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Travel easterly for approx 15km...

80 4
Teabamagu
Teabamagu
Teabamagu is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Travel easterly for approx 50 min from Tigoa....

70 4
Lavungu
Lavungu
Lavungu is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Travel easterly for approx 1½ hrs, 30 km from Tigoa...

120 3
Abatai
Abatai, Rennell Island
Abatai is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province. Immediate neighboring villages include Tesauma, Magino, Matamoana and Nukumatangi.-Location:Approximately 40km or 2.5hrs drive from Tigoa, East Rennell...

60 2
Tebaieha Bible College
Tebaieha Bible College
Tebaieha Bible College is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Approximately 50 km east 2 ¾ hrs drive from Tigoa, less than 1 km from the Lake Tegno. Travel to Tebaitahe Village and the College is located approx...

60 2
Tebaitahe
Tebaitahe
Tebaitahe is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:Located at the end of the main road about 2 ¾ hr drive from Tigoa...

200 2
Niupani
Niupani
Niupani is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.-Location:This village is on the Eastern side of Lake Tegano and accessible by boat in approximately 30 minutes, or a walk to the village from the road end takes about an hour...

250 2
Tegano
Tegano
Tegano is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province. This village has a guest house in European style and is very popular.-Location:...

120 1
Hutuna
Hutuna
Hutuna is a village in the Solomon Islands, on Rennell Island in the Rennell and Bellona province.The village is in a beautiful setting with a sunken PBY Catalina Flying plane sitting in 4 metre of water about 50 metres off the shore. About 30 minutes boat ride from lake end or 1.5hrs walk from...

300 1
Rennell 1830 1-6 11°49′0"S 160°10′0"E


Tigoa (colored background) is the provincial capital of the province of Rennell and Bellona.
Wards 1 and 2 are East Rennel, and wards 3 through 6 West Rennel. Wards 7 through 10 of the province relate to Bellona Island
Bellona Island
Bellona Island is an island of the Rennell and Bellona Province, Solomon Islands. Its length is about 10 km and its average width 2.5 km. Its area is about 17 km². It is almost totally surrounded by 30–70 m high cliffs, consisting primarily of raised coral...

.

External links

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