Misima Island

Misima (formerly called St. Aignan) is a volcanic island in the northwest of Louisiade Archipelago within Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.

Misima Island
Nickname: St. Aignan Island
Misima Island photo
Misima Island
Geography
LocationOceania
Coordinates10°41′S 152°43′E
ArchipelagoLouisiade Archipelago
Adjacent bodies of waterSolomon Sea
Total islands3
Major islands
Area215 km2 (83 sq mi)
Length40 km (25 mi)
Width10 km (6 mi)
Highest elevation1,036 m (3,399 ft)
Highest pointMount Koia Tau or Oia Tau First Recorded Ascent:24 December 2016 by Kolbe Bare and two other Misimans
Administration
Province Milne Bay
DistrictSamarai-Murua District
LLG [1]Louisiade Rural Local Level Government Area
Island GroupMisima Islands
Largest settlementBwagaoia (pop. 2680)
Demographics
Population19,330 (2014)
Pop. density89.9/km2 (232.8/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsPapauans, Austronesians, Melanesians.
Additional information
Time zone
ISO codePG-MBA
Official websitewww.ncdc.gov.pg
Location within Louisiade Archipelago
Misima Island from space
Misima Mine and Bwagaoia from space

History

Misima Island was inhabited by Polynesians since about 1500 BC. The island was sighted in 1768 by French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville and explored 1793 by French explorer Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. Misima island owes its name to Élisabeth-Paul-Édouard de Rossel, which was a lieutenant of the Counter admiral Antoine Bruny d'Entrecasteaux during his journey of scientific exploration. In 1888 the British Empire annexed Misima Island, and it became part of British New Guinea (since 1904 - the Territory of Papua administered by Australia).

Gold was discovered on Misima late in 1888.[2] By March 1889, eighty men were on the island digging for gold, and a storekeeper had set up a business.[3]

Since 1975, Misima belongs to the independent state of Papua New Guinea. A gold and silver mine was opened on the island in 1990, by an international corporation. The mines provided plenty of work for the islanders. however, that mine was officially closed in 2004, because of excessive load on the environment and public health hazards.[4]

Politics

The island is within the Samarai Murua District.

Geography

The island measures 40 km by 10 km and has an area of 214,5 km². It is located some 20 km north of the northwest extreme of the barrier reef of Vanatinai at Isu Raua Raua Island, and 80 km northwest of Vanatinai Island itself.

Misima is mountainous and densely forested. Mt. Koia Tau, at a height of 1,036 meters, is the highest peak of the Louisiade Archipelago.

It was not until 24 December 2016 when Kolbe Bare, a Papua New Guinean geologist, and two Misimans, David Kaliton and Kaliton Ada, made the first recorded ascent to the Top of Oia Tau.[4] It was noted by Kolbe that even though the mountain is close to the sea, Higher altitude vegetation covers the top of the mountain at the time of ascent.

Climate

The local climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from 1 December to 31 May, and a wet season from 1 June to 30 November. it is usually very humid. Since it is fairly close to the equator, the temperature does not fluctuate much between winter and summer.

Economy

Misima island is known as a mining island. A huge mine operated many years on the island. The mine was a joint venture by Placer Dome Inc (owning 80%) and the state-owned Orogen Minerals Ltd. In March 2012 Barrick closed its post closure monitoring office in Bwagaoia having successfully rehabilitated the mine and mill sites.

Since 2004 when the mine closed, artisanal mining has become a major source of income in the island, with an association Misima Alluvial Gold Mining Association (MAGMA) starting in 2007. Other sources of income, especially for people living on the north coast, are cash crops of coconuts, copra, and cacao. A commercial fisheries project has been proposed, but has not been developed yet.

Demographics

The island has a population of 19,330, spread across 78 villages, Misima is the most heavily populated island in the Louisiade Archipelago. By area, it is the third largest, after Vanatinai and Rossel Island. Since the mines have closed, there are signs of population decrease. people are moving to Alotau for jobs.

Urbanization

The main town of the island and the seat of the district is Bwagaoia, located on the southeast corner of the island. Other villages are Hinauta, Boiou, Gulewa, Bagilina, Liak, Siagara, Eiaus (on the eastern north coast, reachable by road from Bwagaoia), Gulewa and Ewena (on the western north coast), and Bwagabwaga, Gaibobo and Alhoga (on the south coast).[5]

Cities
Village Name Ward Population Coordinates
Bwagaoia03 Bwagaoia268010.679228°S 152.846404°E / -10.679228; 152.846404
Balmatana30 Baimatana32310.673647°S 152.866527°E / -10.673647; 152.866527
Hinauta04 Hinauta50910.663595°S 152.860578°E / -10.663595; 152.860578
Lobwa31 Lobwa28510.652514°S 152.852762°E / -10.652514; 152.852762
Gigig05 Kaubwaga62710.64805°S 152.851101°E / -10.64805; 152.851101
Kaubwaga05 Kaubwaga50410.646257°S 152.848137°E / -10.646257; 152.848137
Boiou06 Boiou64010.627445°S 152.814962°E / -10.627445; 152.814962
Ginul06 Boiou26210.62614°S 152.804615°E / -10.62614; 152.804615
Hopitkahin07 Siagara East86210.610698°S 152.791768°E / -10.610698; 152.791768
Kalotawa08 Siagara West102410.629022°S 152.766261°E / -10.629022; 152.766261
Gulewa09 Gulewa76810.6379°S 152.738°E / -10.6379; 152.738
Kakamwa09 Gulewa32910.64°S 152.7227°E / -10.64; 152.7227
Liak10 Liak152310.65°S 152.703°E / -10.65; 152.703
Bagilina12 Bagilina63610.655126°S 152.674738°E / -10.655126; 152.674738
Lalama12 Bagilina57810.649457°S 152.656382°E / -10.649457; 152.656382
Ewena13 Ewena51610.622°S 152.56°E / -10.622; 152.56
Ebora14 Ebora67910.62956°S 152.524873°E / -10.62956; 152.524873
Bwana32 Bwana13810.661051°S 152.588471°E / -10.661051; 152.588471
Bwagabwaga15 Bwagabwaga53510.686105°S 152.710968°E / -10.686105; 152.710968
Gigimwani16 Awaibi50110.698386°S 152.695093°E / -10.698386; 152.695093
Awaibi16 Awaibi25210.702186°S 152.70222°E / -10.702186; 152.70222
Bwaeyam16 Awaibi101010.707154°S 152.71499°E / -10.707154; 152.71499
Alhoga17 Alhoga37910.713743°S 152.741871°E / -10.713743; 152.741871
Lohola17 Alhoga30010.716368°S 152.75533°E / -10.716368; 152.75533
Mwana (Tribes of Eaus River)18 Eaus North88810.675°S 152.753°E / -10.675; 152.753
Eaus (Palapa)19 Eaus South98010.696203°S 152.765643°E / -10.696203; 152.765643
Abalouna19 Eaus South56410.696653°S 152.777925°E / -10.696653; 152.777925
Quartz Mountain (Misima mines)02 Narian22210.69°S 152.79°E / -10.69; 152.79
Narian02 Narian83610.690259°S 152.812086°E / -10.690259; 152.812086
Gaibobo20 Gaibobo73110.691979°S 152.820156°E / -10.691979; 152.820156

Religion

About half the population identified themselves as members of a Christian church. see Religion in Papua New Guinea for more info.

Language

The main language of the island is also called Misiman, though many residents speak English and also Tok Pisin as a third language.

Culture

Education

Transportation

Misima has a working airport (IATA: MIS, ICAO: AYMM) (four flights weekly to the mainland (POM via Alotau) through Airlines of Papua New Guinea, and one charter run by Porgera Joint Venture, a high school (grades 7-12), a small market, a few small stores and a clinic/hospital, a post office,--all of which are located in Bwagaoia. There are ferries from Alotau which service Misima Island, costing around K100 and taking 17 hours.

Flora and fauna

The following mammals are present on Misima Island:

Other animals:

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gollark: Ah, about as big as potatOS then.
gollark: Odd.
gollark: And... IS THAT NOTEPAD++?
gollark: On Windows.

References
  1. LLG map
  2. Nelson, Hank (1976) Black, white & gold: goldmining in Papua New Guinea, 1878-1930, Canberra, Australian National University Press, p.28. ISBN 0708104878
  3. Nelson, p.28
  4. Official Web Site of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
  5. http://rspas.anu.edu.au/lmg/masp/workingpapers/05/MIL_05_16_01.pdf
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