Banaba: "The land that died so that others could live" - Vaitoa Teaiwa Mallon & Hele Christopher-Ikimotu

We'd love to hear from you - we have a talanoa episode coming up! Send us your written or voice recorded messages via email or instagram for us to discuss on an episode. Send those through before the end of March. In this episode we have Vaitoa Teaiwa Mallon (Banaba, Kiribati, Samoa, Irish) & Hele Christopher-Ikimotu (Banaba, Kiribati, Niue) who shed light on the history and current realities of the people of Banaba - an island whose story has been largely forgotten. We talk about the over exploitation of their island by foreign mining companies and how this had led to the complete destruction of the islands resources to the point where the island can no longer sustain life. So much so that Banabans have relocated to the island of Rabi, Fiji. While we talk about a painful past, Vaitoa & Hele also share stories of resilience with Banabans across the diaspora continuing to maintain and hold onto their culture and identity as proud Banabans. Send us Fan MailThe Moanan is a Pacific-lef social enterprise based in Auckland, Aotearoa. We're building a global community of thinkers, creatives, and change-makers rooted in Oceania. Whether you're from the islands or just island-curious, join our community:Website: themoanan.comInstagram: @themoananEmail: [email protected]