People who I think were on Hatohobei Island in the fall of 1972 at the time of the hoho.
| It is not certain that all these people appear in the hoho pictures. If you see someone whose name is not on the list,
please contact me with that information so I can add them. And if I have misspelled a name, please let me know. In addition to me, several people named here were visitors to the island: Johanes Techeichur, who had been posted by Public Health as nurse aide, and my then wife Mary and son James. Everyone else was an integral member of the Hatohobei community. I’ve used the most complete names I have in my notes. It seems that originally people just had one name, which could be changed during their life in response to changing circumstances. These names are in the language of Hatohobei and refer to things like beautiful flowers, etc. Then with the coming of the Spanish missionaries, people were given Spanish baptismal names. During that period, many people also acquired a Japanese name. Later the practice of adding one’s father’s name as a surname or last name began to be followed. This last name could be either the father’s Spanish name or his Japanese name. English names began showing up with the coming of the Americans. Finally, some women began adding their husband’s name (either his first name, called his given name) or his surname to their names. Some people were known by several of their names, which were used interchangeably, others by just one of their names, even though most adults knew most of everyone else’s name inventory. Three final points come to mind. 1. Mentioning the name of someone’s deceased father in their presence was very bad manners. 2. Several of the old names seem to me to be derived from the English spoken on the trading ships of long ago. “Kapiboi” (the name of Nikolas’s half-brother) might well be derived from “Cabin Boy,” and “Maheiwei” (one of Marina’s names) could well have originated as “Make Way.” 3. This was a place where no one was a stranger. In fact, everyone there was famous, if by famous we mean a person whose biography and personality are known by a large percent of the general population. In other words, everyone knew everything or just about everything about everybody. This meant that the use of names as a convenient label to classify and remember those one seldom encountered was simply not a feature of daily life. Until the coming of birth certificates, there was no social necessity to come up with a standardized system of naming people. Thus the amazing variety of names. Peter Black, Fare Haparim, May 2019 |
| A | Alforta Firoroucheheng |
| B | Benita Uemoh |
| D | Damiana Kyoshi |
| E | Elizabeth Hangarasamoh |
| F | Felicisma Hanchanguchoh Andrew |
| H | Henry Victor |
| I | Ireneo Marangaki Isaias Toragi Repermouo Isauro Haringeisei |
| J | James Andres |
| K | Kasmira Morotireheng |
| L | Leon Andres |
| M | Makarita Kutmenia |
| N | Nancisa Umako Tubeyaraiheng |
| O | Obita (Hobita) Yetirihitsor Victor |
| P | Paulina Theodore |
| R | Rocenda Uerohor |
| S | Salvador Moritong Tamokichi Yongorimar |
| T | Tasiana Fasaraiheng Emilio |
| W | Wilson Marcello |
Updated:
June 10, 2019
Return to Hoho