This article is about the Fijian island. For the island in New Zealand, see Moturiki Island.
The skeleton of Mana
Moturiki is an island belonging to Fiji's Lomaiviti Archipelago. Covering an area of 10.9 square kilometers,[1] it is situated at 17.45° South and 178.44° East. To the north-east is the nearby island of Ovalau.[1]
An etymology for the name of the island, proposed by Ratu Viliame, is that it is a combination of the Proto-Polynesian words *motu (which means island) and *riki (which means small).[2]
The island is inhabited by about 700 Fijians (as of 2007) living in 10 villages along the coast:[1] Daku, Naicabecabe, Nasauvuki, Nasesara, Navuti, Niubasaga, Savuna, Uluibau, Yanuca and Wawa.
Moturiki is of great archaeological interest. Important discoveries include the earliest Lapita culture sites of Fiji, as well as the oldest human skeleton found in Fiji (dating about 700 BC). The skeleton is named Mana, which belonged to a woman who was approximately 40–60 year old and 161–164 cm tall. The skeleton was excavated on the Lapita Culture Complex site called Naitabale. The Lapita occupation of Naitabale likely began by 900 BC.[1][3]
The villages on Moturiki have faced on-going disease outbreaks, including typhoid fever, primarily due to the lack of safe drinking water.[4] At points, this has required the large-scale delivery of clean water by boat and then manually distributed by vehicles and carts.[5]
^ abcdNunn, Patrick D.; Ishimura, Tomo; Dickinson, William R.; Katayama, Kazumichi; Thomas, Frank; Kumar, Roselyn; Matararaba, Sepeti; Davidson, Janet; Worthy, Trevor (2007). "The Lapita Occupation at Naitabale, Moturiki Island, Central Fiji". Asian Perspectives. 46 (1): 96–132. ISSN 0066-8435. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
^Geraghty, Paul (2 October 2017). "Suffixation as a Place Naming Strategy in the Central Pacific and its Implications for Prehistory". Names. 65 (4): 235–244. doi:10.1080/00277738.2017.1370069. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
^Katayama, Kazumichi; Nunn, Patrick D.; Kumar, Roselyn; Matararaba, Sepeti; Minagawa, Masao; Oda, Hirotaka (2007). "Osteological Description of the Lapita-associated Human Skeleton Discovered on Moturiki Island, Fiji". People and Culture in Oceania. 23: 73–98. doi:10.32174/jsos.23.0_73. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
^"Fiji typhoid outbreak reported on Moturiki Island". Outbreak News Today. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
^Siteri Vakaema (19 September 2018). "Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development continues to work with WAF in water carting exercise in rural and maritime areas". FijiVillage. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
Moturiki Island is a small island located just off Mount Maunganui beach, in the North Island of New Zealand. The island is connected to the beach by a...
Moturiki is an island belonging to Fiji's Lomaiviti Archipelago. Covering an area of 10.9 square kilometers, it is situated at 17.45° South and 178.44°...
Hawai'i. Archeological evidence also shows signs of human settlement on Moturiki Island beginning at least by 600 BC and possibly as far back as 900 BC...
Mount Maunganui at its western end, and a man made land bridge connecting Moturiki Island at its eastern end. Adjacent to Mount Maunganui on its south-eastern...
Motuoroi Island Moturaka Island Moturoa / Rabbit Island Moturekareka Island Moturiki Island Motutapu Island Moutohora Island/Whale Island Native Island Nee...
The Duiyabaki sailed to Lomaloma and settled there. The residents of Moturiki say that island was settled by the crew of the Rogovoka, a ship used to...
elevation of 625 meters, in the east, and Tomuna, 526 meters, in the south. Moturiki is just off the southwest coast of Ovalau. To the north-west is Naigani...
Tauriko The Lakes Village Mount Maunganui / Papamoa Ward: Arataki Kairua Matapihi Mount Maunganui Moturiki Island Motuotau Island Omanu Papamoa Beach Waitao...
man-eating dog, larger than a horse, living in a cave on the Fijian island of Moturiki. However, Atalaga is killed and dragged into a cave by the monster, which...
that Burotu once laid. But new evidence suggest Pulotu is situated in Moturiki belonging to Fiji’s Lomaiviti Archipelago. After the independence struggle...
to be similar. Another site named Vatu Vola has also been identified at Moturiki, although the carvings are different. Originally the Fahnestocks believed...
1500 BC Fiji was settled by Austronesian seafarers. Around 900–600 BC Moturiki Island was settled. By 500 BC, Melanesian seafarers had reached Fiji and...
University, he had met his future wife, Suliana Kaloumaira, a native of Moturiki Island. They were married in 1966. They had three sons (Simione Ramacake...
is the Turaga na Tunimata, who is also a descendant of the priests of Moturiki. The island is believed to contain sources of oil and other minerals. Review...
Hawai'i. Archeological evidence shows signs of settlement on the island of Moturiki from 600 BC and possibly as far back as 900 BC. Aspects of Fijian culture...
Ratu Vueti, the son of Ratu Vaula, the son of Ratu Vula (or Ra-Vula) from Moturiki, and his mother was Buisavulu (Lutunasobasoba's eldest daughter). After...
Malay Archipelago. Archeological evidence shows signs of settlement on Moturiki from 600 BC and possibly as far back as 900 BC. In the 10th century, the...
inland in Viti-Levu. The following are some Tauvu groupings: Lomaloma and Moturiki also to Yadrana village on Lakeba Island and also to Moala Island Lomaiviti...
the 1st Vunivalu of Bau. He then continued on his returned journey to Moturiki and finally to Bau. Vueti as the founder of Bau island in short for 'veibauyaki'...
(2001). "Naigani Island and its historical connections with Ovalau and Moturiki Islands: convergences between legend and fact" (PDF). Domodomo (Scholarly...
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