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Binoka
Binoka (died 10 November 1891) was the fourth ruler of the State of Abemama, a precolonial polity in the Gilbert Islands. Binoka was an autocrat who derived his wealth from copra and limited trade with foreign merchants to himself. He generally maintained the closed borders and prohibition on foreigners that his father, the warrior-king Baiteke, implemented to restrict growing European influence. Early on, he tried to take over Maiana and Nonouti, but he was deterred by local resistance and Captain Edward H. M. Davis of the HMS ''Royalist'', a British warship. In 1889, Binoka hosted the party of Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of ''Treasure Island'' (1883), on Abemama. Stevenson wrote colourfully of Tembinok' (Binoka) in his Pacific travelogue ''In The South Seas'' (1896). Tembinok' was depicted as "the last tyrant" of the Gilberts, a sympathetic despot from a bygone era, hoarding Western trinkets he acquired from traders. Binoka was one of the last independent Gilber ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baiteke
Baiteke () was the third ruler of the Kingdom of Abemama. Forced to confront growing European influence, Baiteke ordered every foreigner in his kingdom killed, closed his borders, and limited trade to a single port. With firearms bought from the Europeans, Baiteke easily suppressed rebellions. He established a stratified society with his family at the top. In 1878, he abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Binoka. Early life Karotu was the first ruler of the Kingdom of Abemama, a precolonial polity in the Gilbert Islands. Ruled by the Tuangaona ''utu'', the kingdom encompassed Abemama, Kuria, and Aranuka. In the 1840s, Tewaia succeeded his father, Karotu, and was given the chiefly title of ''uea''. Soon after, Teaa, Karotu's second wife, fell pregnant. Tewaia accepted Karotu and Teaa's wishes for the new child to be the next ''uea'' and had sex with Teaa four times so that the child would be considered his son. Teaa gave birth around 1810; the child was announced as Tewaia' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
