Everything about life on Kiribati is simple, even the food by necessity. However, the food is also healthy and reflects an exotic island lifestyle.
- By John Jacobs

Once upon time the British ruled the Gilbert Islands. Today those islands are the Republic of Kiribati (pronounced Kiri-bas).

The republic is made up of 33 atolls in the Pacific at the equator. They cover 3.5 million sq. km of area but only have 810 sq. km (284 sq. miles) of land. The 33 islands are comprised of the Tungaru chain (16 islands), the Line Islands (eight islands), the Phoenix Islands (eight islands), and the Banaba or Ocean Island. Banaba is the only raised limestone island, and the other 32 islands are coral atolls with lagoons.

An alkaline soil layer and limited fresh water forced the residents to look to the sea for their main source of food because growing large crops is not feasible. If you had to choose one word to describe the traditional Kiribati food, it would have to be "fish."

Adapting to Life on an Atoll Of Coral
The Tungaru chain and Banaba have been inhabited for thousands of years, and traditionalists call themselves I-Tungaru. The other islands were not inhabited until before the 20th century. Today, contemporary residents call themselves I-Kiribati. Most of the people live in the Tungaru chain, and half of them live in South Tarawa, a crowded capital city.

No matter where they live, I-Kiribati have one thing in common according to visitors – unparalleled hospitality. The upbeat people are hardy and have proven their ability to adapt to what many would consider a harsh environment despite an exotic location.

Imagine being unable to grow potatoes and a variety of vegetables, or not having pasture land for beef cows or sheep. The Kiribati cuisine is fascinating as an example of how people adjust and thrive in whatever environment they find themselves in.

The cuisine is simple because the ingredients are limited. The main food item is fish – yellowfin, lobster, skipjack tuna, shrimp, shellfish, crabs and any other seafood hauled in from the sea. The fish is cooked in every way imaginable, likely a way to diversify the menu – grilled, braised, battered, broiled, baked and fried. Sometimes, the fish is marinated in a vinaigrette mixture or stuffed with onions that are wrapped in banana leaves.

One of the unique aspects of I-Kiribati cuisine is that there really are few traditional recipes, once again reflecting the simplicity of island life. Besides fish, the other important staple is rice, so if there was a national recipe, it would be fish and rice. Sashimi is popular on the islands and is a thinly sliced raw fish. It is delightfully fresh because it comes straight from the ocean to the plate.

Sauces are the Spice of Life
Only the hardiest of plants can grow on the island and atolls. They include breadfruit trees, coconut trees, native fig, pandanus (type of monocots) and the giant swamp taro.

The giant swamp taro is a remarkably hardy plant that is planted in purpose-built swamp pits and can be stored in the ground for 30 years or more, creating an important food crop for times when food may be scarce. The swamp taro produces a variety of products. The corm can be roasted, mashed, baked, boiled, grated and combined with other starches. The young leaves and flower head (inflorescence) become vegetables, and the big leaves are used as food wrappers.

Another popular food is the Kabocha pumpkin which is a squash. Cube it; cook with coconut milk, sugar and pandanus leaves; and enjoy a delectable dish.

Some Western vegetables have been introduced like cabbage, pumpkin and bananas, and some processed food is imported out of necessity. However, the I-Kiribati people have become experts at livening up their diet with sauces.

Sauces are the spice of Kiribati life. In this case, the sauce may be as simple as coconut milk and curry powder for dipping shellfish. The sauce only requires some vegetable oil, curry powder, a dash of salt and coconut milk.

What is so interesting is that the meals the I-Kiribati consider ordinary, like lobster and coconut sauce, are gourmet meals anywhere else. The sap cut from the flower spathe of the coconut is called a toddy and is a source of vitamin C. Toddy is used to make syrup, vinegar and an alcoholic drink.

Coconuts and More Coconuts
The traditional breakfast is a local cereal made from crated coconut (shredded white coconut) or tekabubu, a mix of a sweet powder made from the ripe fruit of the pandanus and tea. Coconut appears in many dishes.

Teiaia is sea noodles mixed with coconut creams, diced onions and lemon juice. Sea sand worms are grilled with coconut for a delicious snack. Kiribati shrimp is grilled with coconut and rice. Tuna is marinated in coconut curry sauce. Coconut in some form appears in so many dishes, including dessert like te roro made with boiled pandanus fruit that is dried in sheets and soaked in coconut cream.

Innovation defines Kiribati's traditional food, and daily life includes many activities focused on living off the island's resources. They include cutting toddy, harvesting breadfruit and coconuts, and fishing. To truly experience the lifestyle, the government recommends spending some time in the outer islands where life has not changed much over the centuries.

This is a country in harmony with its locale. Unfortunately, this is also a locale threatened by rising sea levels. Most atolls are no more than 13 feet above sea level, creating an uncertain future for the I-Kiribati.

This is a place to move to the top of the travel agenda, and if that is not possible, then add coconut to your list of foods to include in your culinary experiences. From now on, when dipping your fish in coconut sauce, think of beautiful Kiribati.

About DiversityPlus Magazine:
DiversityPlus is much more than “just” a supplier diversity magazine.Thanks to its strong media platform, which includes the print edition, digital magazine, website, weekly newsletter, social media, blogs, and video, DiversityPlus is able to provide print readers in seven countries and more than 117,000 digital readers worldwide with access to leading-edge supplier diversity content, webinars, and events.

What you’ll read in the pages of DiversityPlus represents the most current and impactful thinking about diverse supplier relationships. Plus, with over 17 years in print, our trend research, interviews, and feature articles showcase a depth of industry relationships unmatched by any other supplier diversity publication.