Marakei is a small atoll in the NorthGilbert Islands. The central lagoon consists of numerous deep basins and surrounded by two large islands which are separated by two narrow channels. The atoll covers an area of approximately 40 km².
Geography
The total land area of Marakei is 14.13 square kilometers. A road circles the island and is 26 kilometers long while the length of the island from the airport and running through the lagoon to Teraereke at southern portion of the island is 9.93 kilometers. It widest width can be found in the village of Rawannawi and narrowest width at Temotu at the western side of the island. Marakei is one of only two islands in Kiribati that encircles its lagoon. The Marakei lagoon is saltwater and deep in some areas, but not tidal. Two narrow channels, which are not navigable at low tide, link the lagoon with the sea; these are called Baretoa Pass and Raweta Pass. Rawata Pass was the location of an obstruction in 1912 after inter-village conflict.
Environmental issues
The construction of causeways have also resulted to significant reduction in the flushing of the lagoon that has resulted in low levels of oxygen in the lagoon, which has resulted in the water becoming stagnant so that fish are no longer found in the lagoon. The erosion and accretion that are occurring along the shoreline is identified as being linked to aggregate mining, land reclamation and the construction of causeways that has been thought to change the currents along the shoreline.
Villages
The main village is Rawannawi, which at the time of the 2010 Census was home to just over a third of the island's 2,872 people.
There are different stories told as to the creation of Marakei and the other islands in the Southern Gilberts. An important legend in the culture of Marakei is that spirits who lived in a tree in Samoa migrated northward carrying branches from the tree, Te Kaintikuaba, which translates as the tree of life. It was these spirits, together with Nareau the Wise who created the islands of Tungaru.
The "katabwanin" is a tradition unique to Marakei; first time visitors need to pay their respects to the four ghosts of Marakei, travelling anticlockwise, before any other activities. Offerings of tobacco, sweets or money at the shrines of Nei Reei, Nei Rotebenua, Nei Tangangau and Nei Nantekimam will secure a happy stay in Marakei.
The Council guesthouse on Marakei is situated right on the ocean, just outside the main village of Rawannawi. Like all Island Council guesthouses in Kiribati, facilities are basic and food is what is available locally, however its spectacular location and the Marakei tradition of hospitality mean that a stay in the Marakei guesthouse can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the well prepared traveler.
