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Tuvalu (view source)

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From the 1960s, racial tension and rivalries over employment emerged between Gilbertese and Ellice Islanders. Ellice Islanders’ demands for secession resulted in a referendum in 1974, transition to separate colonial status between October 1975 and January 1976, and independence as Tuvalu in 1978. After independence the main priorities were to establish the infrastructure for a separate, if small, nation, and to seek foreign assistance to match political independence with economic viability.
From the 1960s, racial tension and rivalries over employment emerged between Gilbertese and Ellice Islanders. Ellice Islanders’ demands for secession resulted in a referendum in 1974, transition to separate colonial status between October 1975 and January 1976, and independence as Tuvalu in 1978. After independence the main priorities were to establish the infrastructure for a separate, if small, nation, and to seek foreign assistance to match political independence with economic viability.


==Tuvaluan Legends==
>Funafuti
Legends of the Islands Names: Funafuti
According to legend Funafuti people originated from Samoa, arriving by canoe. The founding ancestors were Telematua and his two wives Futi (meaning banana) and Tupu (meaning "holy" or "abundant").
The island is named after the wife Futi, while funa is a feminine prefix.
The travellers first settled on Funafala islet before
shifting to Fongafale, where the main village is still situated.
Later, leaving Futi on Funafuti, Telematua, searching for a land of greater fertility and where fresh water was more plentiful, discovered Vaitupu. There he left Tupu and henceforth he divided his time between the two islands.
[[File:Geic_land_of_bananas.jpg‎ ]]
'''1972 Gilbert and Ellice Islands stamp'''
[[File:Spacefunafala1.jpg]]
'''Funafala, Tefota and Telele'''
Funafuti is the capital of Tuvalu. It is a true atoll that consists of 30 islands, or motu, as called by the Tuvaluans, surrounding a lagoon 20 kilometres north to south by 11 kilometres east to west. The total land area consists of only 2.79 sq. kilometres.
Funafuti is often described as looking like a human head when viewed from space, with most of the land area appearing at the "back" of the head, or the eastern side of the lagoon. The lagoon at the narrow "neck" area is very shallow, and the surrounding islets are known for their unspoiled beauty and sandy beaches.
In 1897, Sir T. W. Edgeworth David, a Welsh-born Australian geologist drilled to a depth of 200 metres at Funafuti Atoll in an effort to verify Darwin's theory of the formation of coral atolls. Whereas his results supported Darwin's ideas, they were short of absolute proof. The main bore hole, called David's Drill, still can be seen today.
The largest island of Funafuti is Fogafale on the eastern side of the atoll. It is permanently connected to the island directly to the north, Tegako, by a concrete causeway, initially built by the Americans in during World War II. The runway on Fogafale was also built buy the Americans during the war. War relics can still be seen around the lagoon and other parts of the island. There is a burried bunker on Tepuka, which was an American wartime communications outpost.
The deep sea warf on the lagoon side of north Fogafale was completed on October 28, 1981. Before that, cargo to Funafuti had to be unloaded via boat or barge.
There is a shipwreck on the lagoon side just north of the warf, the Van Camp No. 1, which was blown ashore by Hurricane Bebe in 1972.
One of the smallest islands, Tepuka Sailivili, had all its vegetation and most of its sand washed away by Cyclone Meli in 1997.
The lagoon, which has several deep natural passages to the ocean, is known a Te Namo by the Tuvaluans. A conservation area called Kogatapu groups six of the uninhabited islands on the western side.
There are nine main villages on Funafuti, seven on Fogafale, and one each on Amatuku and Funafala. However, Fogafale is so densely populated it appears as one big sprawl. Most of the government offices are located in Vaiaku, including the main government building, the largest structure on the island. The population of Funafuti is 4,492 according to the 2002 census.
The largest man-made structure on Funafuti is the Tuvalu Government Building in Vaiaku, completed in 2004.
[[File:Tuvalu_tefota.jpg]]
''Tefota, 2005. (c) Brian Cannon''
[[File:Tuvalu_falefatu.jpg]]
''Falefatu''
[[File:Tuvalu_funafuti_davids_drill.jpg‎]]
''David's Drill, Fogafale, 2005. (c) Brian Cannon''
'''The motu names are as follows:'''
*Amatuku
This island is about 1 kilometer long and a maximum 200 meters wide. Being the home of the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute (TMTI), it has very favourable conditions; an independent power supply of that on Fogafale, telephone communications, daily access to the facilities on Fongafale, and a pleasant well vegetated setting. However, as with Fogafale, there is water rationing at times. The maximum population is about 65.
Tuvaluan men are trained at the TMTI to become merchant seamen, to enable them to seek employment aboard foreign vessels. The school opened in 1979. Money sent home by seamen is a major source of revenue for Tuvalu. Approximately 43% of the male population of working age in Tuvalu are employed as seafarers.
There are approximately 12 TMTI professional and support staff plus family members. The Institute accomodates up to 40 trainees per session, which lasts about 12 months.
The oldest building in Tuvalu is on Amatuku, a thatched roof house with original coral rock walls. It was built in 1904 by the London Missionary Society as a school, and now is a heritage site.
Construction of a renewable energy project began in early 2007 on Amatuku. It was instigated by Alofa Tuvalu, a French/Tuvaluan Non-Government Organization (NGO). Biogas digester units were to be installed, using human and pig waste to great power. Further plans include copra biodiesel, gasification from organic waste, a small windmill, thermal solar, PV systems, solar streetlights and compost
[[File:Amatuku_biodigester.jpg]]
''Installing biodigesters. (c) Christopher Horner, 2007''
[[File:Amatuku_tuvalu_view.jpg‎]]
''Swimming off Amatuku, 2007. (c) Lomi Paeniu''
Avalau
Falaoigo
Falefatu
Fatato ...more
Fogafale
Fuafatu
Fuagea
Fualefeke
Fualopa
Funafala
Funagogo (or Papaelise or Papa Elise) ...more
Funamanu
Luamotu
Mateiko
Motugie
Motuloa
Mulitefala
Paava
Teafuafou
Teafualiku
Tefala
Tefota
Telele
Tegako (now joined with Fogafale)
Tegasu
Tepuka
Tepuka Savilivili (vegetation washed away)
Tutaga
Vasafua


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