SHORT STORIES : Tale of the Twin Pearls

©2009 Andrew Thompson.  A tale from the Irukandji virtual world.

To the south and southwest of Tamita Island, both touched by the waters of Tiamo Reef, lie Manatu Island and Pinjarra Island, two low lying atolls lined up like a string of beads.

Perhaps for this reason, or because pearling had once been the local industry, seafaring merchants of long ago named the paired islands, the Pearls.

These low lying atolls had once supported large native communities well into colonial times, and provided much of the wealth in the region.

Unfortunately though, the native inhabitants of both islands shared the same fate as those of nearby Alantay Island, simply disappearing in the night with no trace, be it under the watchful eye, or with the same eyes turned, of their colonial masters.

Distinct from Alantay though, is the legend of how Manatu and Pinjarra finally gained their names.

Early last century, a decade after the local population's disappearance, the islands remained abandoned.  Native myth had grown on neighbouring islands, and they feared the same fate would befall them.

Then one day during stormy seas, an islander from distant Weta Island who was kayaking by, saw what he believed to be two figures on the beach.

Fearful of approaching what were clearly ghosts, he whispered only to his clan, "Ona badlan be wan manatu", pidgin for "On the bad land was a man or two".

But news soon spread to his British overlords.  Fearing that the French were attempting to further expand their Pacific influence, they forced the Weta islander to lead them to this fabled beach called Manatu.

The two 'ghosts' were easily found, a native man and his nephew, who claimed to be from these very islands.

They spoke of being taken to faraway lands to labour on sugar cane farms, then unceremoniously dumped home again.

History would later support their claims, and the birthright of the uncle, a tribal elder named Pinjarra.

Pinjarra's grandson would later unite the local Kanaka tribes to oust the British, which eventually led to Irukandji's independence.

A later war with Tamita Island however, would tarnish the reputation of Pinjarra's offspring, for which they would pay a high price.

Pinjarra's great-great-grandson Rah, serves on the Council of Princes today.

Suggested further reading:
The Tamita-Pinjarra War
The Princes of Irukandji
The Recreant Family Plot