Ethnicity-wise Evolution of I-Kiribati Culture

Culture is what separates us all and is how we as humans differ so much. Our culture is who we are, and Kiribati’s culture is who they are. Kiribati has a very unique culture. It is very different than those who live in America. In Kiribati, their culture is very important to them. They get their ethnicity from those who encountered Kiribati and settled there. Their language is also, one of a kind, it is unlike any other language. My personal favorite part of Kiribati’s culture is their music, it’s so happy and it is a huge factor in their lives.

They hold ceremonies in church buildings where they just dance around for hours. If you ever visit Kiribati, you will see a ton of kids and adults together playing soccer, it brings everyone in their small country together and it gives them something to enjoy together. One of the most important things to these I-Kiribati people is their religion. It gives them purpose in life and family.

In Kiribati, the natives are called I-Kiribati. Ethnicity wise, I-Kiribati people are Micronesians. Archaeological evidence shows us that Austronesians originally settled the islands thousands of years ago. Around the 14th century, Fijians, Samoans, and Tongans invaded the islands, making the ethnicities more diverse and introducing Polynesian linguistic traits. When all of these ethnic groups settled the island, they married people outside of their ethnicity creating a whole new unique and diverse culture for all of the I-Kiribati people.

The people of Kiribati speak their own language called Gilbertese. English is also an official language, although it is not used much outside of Tarawa. A lot of the words in Gilbertese have been based off of European settlers. For instance in Kiribati they call a dog Kamea, this is taken from when the Europeans say “come here” to the dogs. Over 99% of the 103,000 people speak the language Gilbertese. Their language can be difficult to some people because they pronounce their vowels in a much different way than us Americans do.

Music in Kiribati is considered a type of folk music has maintained their original form from their creation. Their local music and songs are centered around their vocals, which sound like chanting. One of the practices they have in their music is body percussion. This type of percussion produces a rhythm by clapping hands, snapping fingers, or bouncing feet on the floor. Their music is often used to remember and celebrate major life events, such as marriage, death, and religious observances.

Dancing in Kiribati is just as traditional as the music. Kiribati has eight specific dances that have been recognized as originating in this country. They are named the following: Buki, Ruoia, Te Kabuti, Tirere, and Kaimatoa. Each dance is different, but each share the common theme of mimicking the movements of the frigatebird. You can find this bird on the national flag of Kiribati. These bird-like dance moves typically involve outstretched arms and jerking head movements.

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