Oral History of Moroni High School

1. Oral History of Moroni High School

2. AuriariaKokoiAtaria School (AKAS) • Attending Auriaria Kokori Ataria School (AKAS) • Memories of AKAS • Mr Waitea Ataria • His vision • Attending Liahona High School 1975 • Selection process • Learning English • Adjusting to a new culture • Conversion to the Church • Returning to Tarawa (1979) • The Early Church [1979-1981; 1988-1996] • Early Church Leaders and missionaries • Missionary work • First branches of the church • Organization of the District Kiribati District • Others • Other church information • Establishment of the First Stake • President Hinckley’ visit

3. Moroni Community to Moroni High School • The beginning of Moroni Community School • Church taking over AKAS • Students – faculty – administration (leadership) • Other interesting stories/information • Transition to Moroni High School • Being a Principal • First Buildings at School Moroni High • Early Builders (employees & students)

4. Attending AKAS • Significant years (1972-1974) • Church official visited AKAS (1972) • First group of AKAS students went to Tonga (1973) • Hospitalization • Attended AKAS (1974)

5. Memories of AKAS • MrWaiteaAtaria • His Vision - • 1967 Strong feeling came to MrWaitea to leave the public school and start his own school • “E a bon rokoteiangoaekamimibwa I a kankitanateBotaki n Reirei n teTautaeka..” • Difficulties: (1) Prohibited under the NCS (2) Had no Land to build on (3) Building material • Feb 2, 1967 - MrRobutiTabanou offered his personal land in Eita. • “On Feb 2, 1967 MrRobutiTabanou came to offer me a land to build a home on for my family. I went with him to inspect the land .. It was big enough for what I had in mind so I immediately went there with my father and my mother to build a small local flat roof house and they moved into it right away. Luckily it wasn’t raining that day. Everyday after work I would go there to help my parents complete the house and build other local houses. I then went from house to house within the Eita village to share my vision with the people. There were those who shared my ideas as well as those who did not. “ (WaiteaAtaria, school written history). • Inspired School Songs “Te tai nikukurei “ and “A rokotainraureningao”

6. Memories of AKAS • Humble teachers and classrooms • Food (NeiTene’s soup recipe) • Daily work program • Morning parade and flag ceremonies • Devotionals led by Pastor Ataria • Fund raising activities (dances at TUC Maneaba) • Mockeries from other schools • Cooking Day!

7. Memories of AKAS • MrWaitea: Man of • great vision • In 1967 he wanted to • leave the Public School • “E a bon rokoteiangoaekamimiiroubwa I a kankitanateBotaki n Reirei n teTauraeka ma nikateaoin au reirei” (Waitea ‘s written personal history, p.1).

8. Mr. WaiteaAtariaAbiuta “On Feb 2, 1967 MrRobutiTabanou came to offer me a land to build a home on for my family. I went with him to inspect the land . It was big enough for what I had in mind so I immediately went there with my father and my mother to build a small local flat roof house and they moved into it right away. Luckily it wasn’t raining that day. Everyday after work I would go there to help my parents complete the house and build other local houses. I then went from house to house within the Eita village to share my vision with the people. There were those who shared my ideas as well as those who did not. “(Waitea ‘s personal written history, p.1).

9. Girls Dormitory, about 1973

10. Maneaba 1973

11. Classrooms 1974

12. Te Tai niKukurei 1. Te tai nimarurungtekukurei Bwa e a kateakiiaonibouana N aroniiangoanaao n arontaekana Bwa e a tia e a bobonga AKAS aearareirei 2. Te tai nikukureite tai ningarenare Bwa e a tiaraoi are bobouaki N aroniiangoanaao n arontaekana Bwa e a tia e a bobonga AKAS aearareirei 3. Te tai n takaruate tai n ebiebi Bwa e a tio manna te man tokanikai N aroniangoanaao n arontaekana Bwa e a tiabobonga AKAS aearareirei

15. AKAS to Liahona High School AKAS Liahona High School Challenges: 1. New Language 2. New Culture3. Faith

16. Early Missionary Work in Kiribati • First 6 local missionaries arrived in Tarawa 16 October 1975 • 20 October 1975 President Kenneth M. Palmer’s dedicatory prayer • Baptism of WaiteaAtariaAbiuta late 1975 24 January 1976 Waitea become first local branch president • Opposition force Waitea to ask help from CES officials: • Some financial relief • Grant & Pat Howlett Family • President Waitea left the school in 1977 and Grant Howlett became principal of MoroniComminuty School

17. Grant and Pat Howlett Family

18. 1979

19. 1981

20. 1988

21. August 1996

22. 1996

23. 2000

24. 2000