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Kioa is an
island An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
in
Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...
, an outlier to Vanua Levu, one of Fiji's two main islands. Situated opposite Buca Bay, Kioa was purchased by settlers from Vaitupu atoll in
Tuvalu Tuvalu ( ) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands), northeast of Van ...
, who came between 1947 and 1962. Despite its relatively large size, Vaitupu became so overcrowded during the 1940s that a number of families migrated to live on Kioa Island. At the end of World War II, Neli Lifuka was instrumental in collecting the funds to purchase Kioa. Initially 37 people migrated from Vaitupu to live on Kioa Island; within a decade, more than 235 people followed. In 1956, Neli Lifuka joined the Kioa community and became the chairman of its council. Kioa is one of two islands in Fiji populated by migrant communities from the
Pacific Islands The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...
, the other being
Rabi Rabi may refer to: Places * Rabí, a municipality and village in the Czech Republic ** Rabí Castle, a castle * Räbi, a village in Estonia * Rabi, Iran, a city in Karun County, Khuzestan province, Iran * Rabi, Panchthar, a village development c ...
, also in the
Vanua Levu Group The Vanua Levu Group is an archipelago in northern Fiji. It takes its name from its predominant island, Vanua Levu. Among the other island in the group, the most important is Taveuni. Other islands in the group include Laucala, Matagi Island, Ma ...
and home to a displaced Banaban community. Early in 2005, the Fijian government decided to grant full citizenship to the Kioa and Rabi Islanders. As a culmination of a decade-long quest for naturalization, a formal ceremony was held on 15 December 2005 to award 566 citizenship certificates to residents of the islands and their descendants (some of whom now live elsewhere in Fiji), which entitles them to provincial and national assistance for rural development. The ceremony was led by Cabinet Ministers
Josefa Vosanibola Josefa Bole Vosanibola is a former Fijian politician and Cabinet Minister. He is the father of former Social Democratic Liberal Party MP Peceli Vosanibola. Vosanibola served as Minister for Home Affairs from 16 December 2004, when he was appoin ...
and Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who is also the '' Tui Cakau'', or Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove, which includes the island of Kioa. Lalabalavu called on the Kioa islanders to be proud of their identity and to nurture and protect their culture. Although part of Cakaudrove
Province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
, the island has a degree of
autonomy In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be ...
with its own administrative body, the Kioa Island Council, although the Fijian Cabinet decided on 15 January 2006 to merge it with the Rabi Island Council. The island environment contributes to its national significance as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.


Population transfer proposal

In February 2006, at a climate refugee forum in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Don Kennedy, a retired Tuvalu-born
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n scientist, suggested the entire population of Tuvalu should move to the island, to preserve Tuvaluan culture as their homeland becomes uninhabitable due to rising sea levels. ''"A mass relocation would ensure the Tuvaluan language and culture is preserved instead of being scattered to the four corners of the earth,"'' the Fiji Live news service quoted him as saying. Tuvalu's nine islands stand an average height of just 3 meters above sea level. Fiji's political parties were cautious in their response to Kennedy's proposal. United Peoples Party President Mick Beddoes said that moving the 9000 Tuvaluans would put a great strain on Kioa's resources and economy. He said that Pacific Island nations should share the cost of such a move, with most of the finance coming from "the major polluting nations." National Alliance Party President
Ratu ''Ratu'' () is an Austronesian title used by male Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, ''adi'' (pronounced ), is used by females of chiefly rank. In the Malay language, the title ''ratu'' is also the traditional honorific title to r ...
Epeli Ganilau (who hails from the neighbouring island of
Taveuni Taveuni (pronounced ) is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with a total land area of . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated east of Vanua ...
) said that the proper procedures would have to be followed, while
National Federation Party The National Federation Party ( Fiji Hindi: नेशनल फेडरेशन पार्टी; Fijian: ''Mataisoqosoqo ni National Federation'') is a Fijian political party founded by A. D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Fe ...
President Raman Pratap Singh said that the proposal was a good one in principle, but that proper arrangements would have to be made, and compensation would have to be paid to the landowners. Tuvalu's prime minister
Maatia Toafa Maatia Toafa (1 May 1954–13 November 2024) was a Tuvaluan politician, representing Nanumea, who served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He first served as prime minister, and foreign minister, from 2004 to 2006, from th ...
said on 21 February 2006 that relocation to Kioa was under consideration, but was not a priority. Buying land in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
or
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
was also an option, he said. If they were to move to Kioa, they would need finance to develop the island, ''Fiji Live'' quoted him as saying. In 2013
Enele Sopoaga Enele Sosene Sopoaga Privy Council of the United Kingdom, PC (born 10 February 1956) is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019. Sopoaga was elected to Parliament of Tuvalu, Parliament in the 2010 T ...
, the prime minister of Tuvalu, said that relocating Tuvaluans to avoid the impact of sea level rise “should never be an option because it is self defeating in itself. For Tuvalu I think we really need to mobilise public opinion in the Pacific as well as in the est ofworld to really talk to their lawmakers to please have some sort of moral obligation and things like that to do the right thing.”


Prominent local people

Asenate Manoa was born on 23 May 1992 in Kioa and is a
Tuvalu Tuvalu ( ) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands), northeast of Van ...
an
track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
athlete who represented Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics, at the 2009 World Championships & 2011 World Championships and at the
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
. Karalo Maibuca Junior, born 1999 in
Nanumaga Nanumanga or Nanumaga is a reef island and a district of the Oceanian island nation of Tuvalu. It has a surface area of about 3 km2 with a population of 391 (2022 census). History On 9 May 1824 a French government expedition under Captain ...
, but from Kioa mother and living in Kioa, is also a Tuvaluan track and field athlete who represented Tuvalu at the 2020 Summer Olympics.


References


External links


Pacific Islands magazine - Don Kennedy's proposed population movement
{{authority control Islands of Fiji Vanua Levu Preliminary Register of Sites of National Significance in Fiji