Stories From Kiribati

N te moaningabong teuana ao e tekateka temanna te aine (50+ ana ririki) iaon ana kiakia ae mena i tanrio. E a ti nora naba te kaibuke are e tabe n rororake n te nama. E na tabwara ao kai are e a takaruaa naba raoraona (te unaine) are e mena n te auti are irarikia, “Neiko, ko boni karauko ao kai e a roko te kaibuke aei!”

E aki manga kabanetai neiere saunaine (are e tabe n taawai ana ben) ma e a manga takaarua n titiraki, “Ao e burouti ke e aki?”

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Before the arrival of foreign items into Kiribati, we had our own traditional ball which we could make from the leaves of the coconut or pandanus trees. Using dry pandanus leaves instead of coconut leaflets will end up with a larger ball because pandanus leaves are longer and wider. We could make either a small or bigger one depending on the size preferences. If we prefer a bigger ball, then it’s important to use more leaflets. The more leaflets used in weaving, the bigger the final bal...

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When I was young I thought of education

Peers at school doing their study

I wished to go abroad

As a teenager I experienced the new world

Differ from my culture and people

The wisdom from western education

Changed my style and living

Far beyond as I familiar with

Today it seems as thousands ahead

Like tourists when visited and left

My beloved island.

When out noble old men shared

Their wise decision seated at

...

(IANGOAN TIRINGAKIN MATARI)

Ngke e euta atuna Matari ao e a noora Bakoa, are e tekateka ni kaitaraa. E a toki raoi ngkai nanon Matari bwa e a bon tibwa itaramata ma Bakoa are e a boongata arana inanon taningana mani uarerekena. Akea te kakarongoa ngkai a tabe moa uaakai ni kamwataua tarakiia i bon irouia.

Ai tera te mwaneaba aio n te tai aei? E onrake nanona ao tinanikuna irouia kaain Moone bwa kaitaraan ao kan noran te roko aio. A boni babane kaain marawa ni moa mai irouia bakoa ...

At Kiebu on Makin, there lived a man called Nang Keneia. The people of Kiebu at that time, occasionally went to Butaritari to attend the dancing festival. After preparing all that was required and needed, people had to wait for the day of the trip.

When the day came, the people got onto the ‘baurua’ (big sailing canoe) which would take them to Butaritari. The canoe went on its first then second trip taking many people there, however Nang Keneia hardly care of the commotion.

(KAITIBON MATARI MA BAKOA)

I mwiin te tai ae aki rangi ni maan, ao akea bwa a manga otirake mai taari n te tabo teuana ike e a mena te aba i etaia. E iabuti te tabo are a otirake iai ao man aki toko waeia, aingaia are a uauarake riki teutana ni kaea eta. Ngke a toko waeia ma aontano ao a nakonako ni karaurau rinanon taian rawarawa ake a mena imwaaia. E rimoa kaain taari ao man taorimwiaki iroun Matari.

Ma ai aki akora bwaai ake a tauraoi ao mani wene n tataninga inanon taian rawar...

(MATARI AO TE TIA TARARUAI ANA MAN BAKOA)

E a manga rangi ni babaa ngkai te akawa i taari teuae Matari - are ai bon temanna bwa te toa ngkai. A bon aki kona n tare n te ika bwa n te bong koraki ao ai te nanako naba n akawa. Ana tabo ae rangi n tatangiria riki n akawa iai bon aon te maran n tain te ora ke nanon te nama ngkana e iabuti. Ngkana e iabuti ao e uanako naba ni bebeibeti n akawa.

Ma iai kaokoron akawan Matari ma are e tataneiai te aba iai. E aki kabongana te ao ke te mat...

(KAOKAN MAEUN MATARI)

Ngke e a reke angin te marurung iroun te unaine aio ao e rinnako ngkanne inanon ana umwana ae bon tau buburana. I mwiin rokirokian raoi umwana arei ao e a kena aontano ao man kaiia atan Matari inanona. E karaua raoi ni kabwaritaake i etana, e kamakii matana ao imwiin te tai ae aki maan ao kai are e a mwanewenewe naba matanriana. Eng, e nako kain ana tabunea! E kabanea teniua te bong n ana tabo ao n arona anne - n aki mamatam, mooi ke matu.

Akea bwa ngke e kor...

(ANTAI MATARI)

N te aba teuana ao e mamaeka iai temanna te unaine ma tibuna te mmwane ae arana Matari. Bon ti ngaiia ni maeka n aia tabo aio are e bon raroa ma te kaawa. E bon tau buburan aia auti are e tei i etan taari ma bikena ae mainaina. I maiakiia ao iai te kaawa are e kaainaki irouia aomata aika bati.

Mamaten nanon te teinimwane ae Matari bon te kabuubuta waana te rooro i taari n tain te ora. N te bong koraki ao e na bon bae n takakaro te teei aio ma waana i taari ngkai bon...