Rapa Rapa: Difference between revisions

Rapa Rapa was settled by prehistoric [[Polynesian people]] with a range of dates proposed beginning around 1000 BC with the upper limit being around 600 BC, when nearby [[Truk]] was settled. Whenever it was settled, the island coalesced generally into about five distinct villages, all of which survive today as parts of Rapa Rapa City: Waka Aiwiaka, Waka Ruaiihai, Waka Tiati, Waka Haetae, and Waka Wokolo. "Waka" is the local language name for "canoe", implying that each village was founded by a separate family settling as soon as they came ashore. The five villages existed in a state of political and economic equilibrium until the 13th century. Historians generally believe the villages kept to themselves in terms of marriage and social relationships, with extensive rituals required for individuals from another village to be integrated in. However, geneticists argue the island could not have sustained enough genetic diversity to survive if inter-village restrictions were heavily enforced, implying that some periods saw more lax enforcement of social norms than other periods.

Urcea's Polynesian Squadron arrived from Arona in February 1862 and deployed a small detachment of marines ashore. The expedition immediately experienced significant resistance; though the indigenous Rapans possessed less sophisticated weapons than the Urceans, their martial culture and the jungle of the mainland made it difficult to defeat their warbands, and by the end of the month all five villages had agreed to a truce to resist the encroachment. After malaria began to set in, a change of strategy occurred and the marines retreated from the main island to the less populous island now known as Navy Island, and established a fortified camp there. The ships of the expedition periodically bombarded the main island, while sailors from the squadron helped the marines clear Navy Island and, eventually, the lands of "the shield". Accordingly, throughout most of spring 1862, a stalemate ensued, with the Urceans controlling the outlying islands but the indigenous peoples remaining in control of the main island. Small scale skirmishes occurred that spring, with small raiding parties from the main island landing in canoes on Navy Island at night, but these efforts were insufficient to eject the Urceans. In early June, reinforcements arrived in the form of a {{Wp|regiment}} from the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]]. The Army forces, together with some marines, re-landed on the main island on 18 June 1862. The regiment was enough to pacify the island, as they far outnumbered the island's population at the time, estimated to be around 700-800. The Army established small garrisons in each village but allowed the tribal leadership structure to largely continue uninterrupted, with peace being kept while the naval base could be constructed. Civilian contractors arrived that July and by September 1862 Navy Island had been transformed into an adequately fortified coaling station and naval base. The base attracted a very small civilian counterpart, and by the middle of 1863 workers from the villages began to be transported for work on Navy Island. The Army would remain on Rapa Rapa until [[1870]], as their village garrisons remained key to keeping peace and order on the atoll; after 1870, smaller marine garrisons and civilian police took their place.

[[File:Samoa government building 2010.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Rapa Public House, home of the Rapa Rapa City government.]]