The Kiribati Archives are proving to be a treasure trove of information on the colony at Nikumaroro. Most of what they are seeing was not available 10 years ago when we last had a team there. Some of the files were scattered around the world in random places; some of the files were in boxes in storage rooms; and some was uncollected. Now it’s all in one place. It will take months if not years to understand all the wealth of detail included in the various reports and manifests and records, but we’ll have digital images of all of it and we’ll get it all on line as soon as we can after the team returns. The importance of the background and context we’re acquiring from these records cannot be over-stated. Dusty, insect-eaten documents may well prove to be the most important links in piecing together the story of the Castaway of Gardner Island.
The meetings with government officials have gone very well and there is agreement in principal as to what the relationship should be between TIGHAR and the Republic of Kiribati. Getting everything approved and signed off is, of course, a lengthy process, governments being much the same everywhere, but there is ample good will and even friendship among the principals.
I write this on Saturday night; today was Sunday for the team, and nothing, but NOTHING happens in Tarawa on Sunday. They are using the day to draw breath, figure out what is left to do, and plan for the final few hours. They leave Tuesday mid-day, their time – Monday evening our time. Stateside on Tuesday and back at home on Tuesday night (Bill, heading for Idaho) and Wednesday mid-day (Ric, Delaware).
