The Phoenix Islands Protected Area world heritage site in Kiribati exists in between Australia and Hawaii in the Southern Pacific Ocean; and it is one of three island groups whose capital city is known as Tarawa.
Unesco’s writings on this world heritage site does speak anything on the name ‘Phoenix’ and its unique significance for human history which holds the story of island’s migrants and their ancient homelands. According to Unesco, ‘Phoenix Islands Protected Area contains an outstanding collection of large submerged volcanoes, presumed extinct, rising direct from the extensive deep sea floor with an average depth of more than 4,500 metres and a maximum depth of over 6,000 metres. Included are no less than 14 recognised seamounts, submerged mountains that don’t penetrate to the surface. The collection of atolls and reef islands represent coral reef capping on 8 other volcanic mountains that approach the surface. The large bathymetric range of the submerged seamount landscape provides depth defined habitat types fully representative of Pacific mid oceanic biota….The essentially pristine environment, outstanding underwater clarity, the spectacle of large groups of charismatic aquatic animals (e.g. bumphead parrotfish, Napolean wrasse, surgeonfishes, parrotfishes, groupers, maori wrasse, sharks, turtles, dolphins, manta rays, giant clams) in quantities rarely found elsewhere in the world, aesthetically outstanding coral reef features (e.g. giant clams, large coral heads) together with the spectacle of huge concentrations of seabirds on remote atolls, makes of this property a truly kaleidoscopic natural “oceanscape” exhibiting exceptional natural beauty of global significance’.
Academic scholarship on etymology of Kiribati reflects on its origin, as kiti baes or Gilbertese Ribaberik; but both the suggestions do not reflect the correct meaning; The former exactly reads as Kritibasa, another name of Vishnu, and the latter identifies it with Bibhavari or Ri-baberic. –bati as usual refers to vati or/and vast or –beth which identifies a place or a garden. Its origin is in ‘kirata’, an ancient tribe; their history is seen along with the tribes of Ottas, the Andhakas,the Yanakas, the Damilas and the Milakkhas. Pali literature speaks of many kings, queens, officers and army generals whose name is attached with ‘Kitti’; Kitavasa and Kitava were names of kings of Benares; Tarawa seems to identify the Tirita-vaccha village as mentioned in Milindapanha. It may mean Toya or Todeya of Pali texts linked with seat of worship of Kasyapa.
The cultural background of the inhabitants of the island is linked with people of Samoa(same as Sama), Tonga(same as Tunga), and Fiji(same as Bhoj/Vrijj).
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