Nauru President David Adeang has reaffirmed Nauru’s enduring ancestral and family ties with the Banaban people during the 80th anniversary commemorating their arrival on Rabi Island in Fiji.
President Adeang joined Banaban leaders and communities to mark 80 years since the relocation of Banabans from their homeland of Banaba in 1945, following devastation caused by phosphate mining.
He was accompanied by senior Nauru government officials and acknowledged the presence of Fiji government representatives, diplomatic officials, Rabi administrators, council leaders, elders and families.
In a deeply personal address, President Adeang honoured the resilience and survival of the Banaban people.
“The Banabans did not leave their homeland by choice,” the President said. “They left because history gave them no choice. Today, we honour them not as victims, but as heroes of resilience – people who carried Banaba in their hearts even when Banaba could no longer hold them.” he said.
He highlighted the unique relationship between Nauru and Banaba, noting deep ancestral, cultural and family connections that pre-date modern political borders.
President Adeang shared his own family history, tracing his lineage to Banaba and explaining that many of Nauru’s current leaders are directly related by blood or marriage to Banaban families on Rabi.
“We come not just as friends,” he said. “We come as family.”
Recalling World War II, President Adeang said more than 700 Banabans suffering hardship were taken to Nauru in 1943, where Nauruan families shared food, shelter and care despite their own challenges.
He said bonds formed during that time remain unbroken.
He also recalled Nauru’s continued support after the Banabans were relocated to Rabi Island, including providing transport following independence aboard the Nauruan ship Triona.
President Adeang shared an ancient Nauruan legend linking the two islands, describing it as a reminder of the deep spiritual and ancestral connection between Nauru and Banaba.
“This legend is not merely a children’s story,” the President said. “It is a truth of the heart. It reminds us that our peoples were linked long before history was written – beyond maps, beyond politics, and beyond borders.”
Addressing the shared legacy of phosphate mining, the President acknowledged the pain and displacement it caused.
“Even when land was taken, your language, culture, and identity survived. Even when you were forced to leave home, home never left you.”
President Adeang reaffirmed Nauru’s commitment to stand with the Banaban people through cooperation, partnership and shared learning, including support for sustainable trust fund models for future generations.
“In Nauru, we live by a simple truth: if you can help, then you should help – and we are ready to help.”
He said the anniversary was not only about remembering the past but strengthening the future for Banaban children and grandchildren across Rabi Island, Kiribati and the wider Pacific.
President Adeang thanked Fiji for being guardians of the Banaban home on Rabi Island and expressed hope for continued partnership.
As a symbol of unity, he invited the best-performing dance group from the Rabi celebrations to attend Nauru’s Independence celebrations in January as guests of the Nauruan government.
President Adeang wished the Banaban people a happy and blessed 80th anniversary, highlighting that family, love and unity remain at the heart of the relationship between Nauru and Banaba.
