Ouvéa
Encyclopedia
Ouvéa is a commune
in the Loyalty Islands Province
of New Caledonia
, an overseas territory of France
in the Pacific Ocean
. The settlement of Fayaoué faˈjawe, on Ouvéa Island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Ouvéa.
, the smaller Mouli Island
and Faiava Island
, and several islet
s around these three islands. All these lie among the Loyalty Islands
, to the northeast of New Caledonia's mainland.
took place on Ouvéa. Four gendarmes
were killed and twenty-seven were held hostage
in a cave
by supporters of FLNKS. Twelve of the captured
gendarmes
were released after a while, but six members of a French
anti-terrorist squad were also taken hostage
. When negotiations
to release those taken hostage
did not succeed, French security
forces besieged the cave
and freed the hostages. Eighteen Kanaks and two gendarmes
were left dead, and in the aftermath, it was alleged that three Kanaks had been executed or left to die after being arrested.
and the Polynesian Faga Uvea
, which is the only Polynesian language that has taken root in New Caledonia. Speakers of Faga Uvea have fully integrated into the Kanak society, and consider themselves Kanak.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Loyalty Islands Province
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
of New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, an overseas territory of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The settlement of Fayaoué faˈjawe, on Ouvéa Island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Ouvéa.
Geography
Ouvéa is made up of Ouvéa IslandOuvéa Island
Ouvéa Island is one of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the commune of Ouvéa, in the Islands Province of New Caledonia.-Geography:...
, the smaller Mouli Island
Mouli Island
Mouli Island is one of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean...
and Faiava Island
Faiava Island
Faiava Island is one of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the commune of Ouvéa, in the Islands Province of New Caledonia.Faiava Island lies in the atoll of Ouvéa, several yards off the pass...
, and several islet
Islet
An islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
s around these three islands. All these lie among the Loyalty Islands
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
, to the northeast of New Caledonia's mainland.
History
In April 1988, a bloody hostage takingOuvéa cave hostage taking
The Ouvéa cave hostage taking was an event occurring from April 22, 1988 to May 5, 1988 in which members of the separatist group the National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front took 27 including a French gendarme and a judge hostage in the island of Ouvéa, New...
took place on Ouvéa. Four gendarmes
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
were killed and twenty-seven were held hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
in a cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
by supporters of FLNKS. Twelve of the captured
Captured
Captured may refer to:* Captured , a 1981 live album by the American rock band Journey* Captured, Rockwell's 1985 follow-up to his platinum album, Somebody's Watching Me...
gendarmes
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
were released after a while, but six members of a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
anti-terrorist squad were also taken hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
. When negotiations
Hostage negotiator
Crisis negotiation is a technique for law enforcement to communicate with people who are threatening violence, including barricaded subjects, hostage takers, stalkers, threats, workplace violence, or persons threatening suicide....
to release those taken hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
did not succeed, French security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
forces besieged the cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
and freed the hostages. Eighteen Kanaks and two gendarmes
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
were left dead, and in the aftermath, it was alleged that three Kanaks had been executed or left to die after being arrested.
Languages
The two native languages of Ouvéa are the Melanesian IaaiIaai language
The Iaai language is a language of Ouvéa Island, New Caledonia. Although it had only 1,500 speakers as of 1996, it is becoming taught in schools in New Caledonia in an effort to preserve it....
and the Polynesian Faga Uvea
Fagauvea
West Uvean is a Polynesian outlier language spoken on the island of Ouvéa, in the Loyalty island group of New Caledonia...
, which is the only Polynesian language that has taken root in New Caledonia. Speakers of Faga Uvea have fully integrated into the Kanak society, and consider themselves Kanak.