The Documented History Of The Isle Of Pines, New Caledonia, French Territory
Today’s article will discuss the history of the Isle Of Pines, belonging to the French territory of New Caledonia. New Caledonia, is in the South Pacific just north of Brisbane, Australia. It is south of the country of Vanuatu, with its capital being “Noumea”. The Isle of Pines is south of mainland New Caledonia, & it has an approximate population of 2,000. It is approximately 26.91 nautical miles (30.967475 miles or 49.83732 kilometers) from mainland New Caledonia, 793.87 nautical miles (913.56928 miles or 1470.24724 kilometers) from Australia, & 3,784.67 nautical miles (4355.3204536 miles or 7009.20884 kilometers) from the mainland country of Malaysia. The island is famed for its beautiful coral reefs as it is surrounded by the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. It is also known for its beautiful forests of pine trees which contrast with the sea to make a beautiful landscape, which is the reason for its name. It is located in the commune of L'Île-des-Pins, which encompasses many islands, with The Isle of Pines being the largest. This Island has many interesting land, & marine flora, mainly due to its proximity to the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. Not only that, but the island has lush mangroves that directly connect lagoons & forests.
The History Of The Isle Of Pines New Caledonia, French Territory
Before Colonization By The French
History From 1500 B.C
There is evidence that the Lapita people either inhabited the island or were passing by in the year 1500 B.C. Evidence of their extremely distinct pottery style was found where nearby where the modern-day city of Vao. During the Lapita’s rule over the island, many migrants came from various other islands, & caused a diverse mix of cultures, thus giving birth to the Kanak Culture, as well as a few others. The Kanak are the most predominant modern ethnic group in New Caledonia to date. The Kanak Indigenous Peoples Culture has roots in the Lapita culture, however, it differs greatly from it. These Kanak people occupied the islands until the French government arrived on the island.
After Being Discovered By The French
History From The 1700’s
In the year 1774, Captain James Cook, the famed hydrographer, on his second voyage, went past the island & noted it down in his ship logs. He named it the “Isle of Pines”, as the most prominent feature of the island from afar is the large forest of pine trees, that contrast with the coast. He did not go ashore on the island himself, but he did see smoke coming from the island, so he rightly presumed that it was inhabited. This island would not be revisited until the 1800’s.
After Colonization By The French
History From The 1800’s
In the mid-1840s, Protestant & Catholic Missionaries arrived, in search of Sandalwood. This was a major selling point of the island, as Sandalwood can be used to make beautiful fragrances, as well as tables & such. In the year 1853, the French annexed the island, & it officially became French soil. In the year 1872, the island was officially turned into a Penal Colony, & at its peak had approximately 3,000 deportees.
History From The 1900’s
We unfortunately cannot find anything of major interest that happened in this century.
The Aboriginals Of The Isle Of Pines
The Kanak Indigenous Peoples Of New Caledonia
The Kanak Indigenous Peoples are the main ethnic group of New Caledonia. Currently, there are approximately 105,000 Kanak people or 41.2% of the total population. They originate from the Lapita, & various Polynesian migrants who came in during the early B.C. era. Currently, there are approximately 28 distinct languages spoken by the Kanak Indigenous Populations of New Caledonia. These languages are primarily spoken, & not written down usually. Unfortunately, at this time, there is extremely little information available about the Kanak culture.
The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect The Isle Of Pines
Disaster No. 1: Tropical Cyclone Erica
Tropical Cyclone Erica lasted from the 1st of March, 2003, to the 17th of March, 2003. The Cyclone peaked on March 12th, 2003. The island first made landfall in the Municipality of Iles Des Pins, close by to the Isle of Pines. It caused 2 fatalities, & left approximately 1,000 people without a home. It is estimated that during the storm, it left approximately 60% of the people on the western coast of Grand Terre without electricity. The highest wind speeds sustained for 1 minute were 240 kilometers per hour (149.129 miles per hour). The Cyclone mainly affected New Caledonia, The Solomon Islands, & Papua New Guinea. It left approximately 15 million dollars in damages.
Disaster No. 2: The Zika Virus Outbreaks Of 2013 to 2014
During the year 2013, the Zika Virus came from mainland Asia & infected New Caledonia, as well as the rest of French Polynesia. The outbreak lasted from approximately October of 2013 To April of 2014. In total, there were approximately 30,000 cases of the Zika virus in French Polynesia, although unfortunately, we were unable to determine how many of these cases were in New Caledonia. Additionally, only 8,477 cases were confirmed, so the numbers are not verified. The Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito or transfusion of blood. It can also be transmitted through having sexual relations, or from a mother to her child while pregnant, which has been linked to birth defects. Once transferred the victim may experience eye redness, vomiting, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, joint pain, & headaches. It can on rare occasions cause muscle paralysis, & extremely rarely, death. Symptoms usually appear after 3-14 days, but those who contract this disease don’t always get symptoms. It can evolve into Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes your immune system to attack your nervous system, although this usually happens with pregnant women & their babies.
The Economic State Of The Isle Of Pines
Overall, the economic state of the Isle is decent. Unfortunately, there is extremely little data on the economic state of the Isle Of Pines. For this reason, we cannot properly evaluate the state of the economy on the Isle of Pines.
Directories / Credits
Citation 1: “The Island’s History”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by The Isle Of Pines. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023.
Citation 2: “The History Of The Zika Virus” Written by Unknown, Published on February 7th, 2016. Published by the World Health Organization. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023.
Citation 3: “Zika Disease Infection Outbreak, French Polynesia”, Written by Unknown & Published on February 14th, 2014. Published by the European Center For Disease Prevention & Control. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023.
Citation: “Transmission Dynamics of Zika Virus in Island Populations: A Modelling Analysis of the 2013–14 French Polynesia Outbreak” Written By Adam J. Kuchaski, Sebastian Funk, Rosalind M. Eggo, Henri-Pierre Mallet, W. John Edmunds, & Eric J. Nilles, Published Presumably after 2014. Published by the Public Library of Science. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023.
Citation 5: “Discover The Island Of Pines”, Written By Unknown, & Published on March 1st, Of 2018. Published by the My New Caledonia. Retrieval Date: July 15th, of 2023.
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