Exploring Nauru’s Ancient Legends

For centuries, the people of Nauru passed down their history, beliefs and values through storytelling. Long before these stories were written down, they were shared between generations preserving knowledge about the island's origins, customs and relationship with nature.

Many of these stories were recorded by Timothy Detudamo – who served as Head Chief of Nauru -- in his book ‘Legends, Traditions and Tales of Nauru’, helping preserve an important part of Nauruan cultural heritage. By documenting stories that had traditionally existed only in oral form, he ensured that future generations could continue to learn from and appreciate the legends that shaped Nauruan identity.

Many of the legends seek to explain how the world and the island of Nauru came into existence. A central creation narrative describes a god climbing the sacred douwogira tree. Its falling leaves and branches are said to have formed the islands of the Pacific, with Nauru’s position determined by where the leaves landed.

Other stories explain key features of island life through ancestral figures and supernatural transformation. The coconut palm for example, is said to have grown from the grave of a buried ancestor, with the markings on the nut reflecting human facial features. Another account explains the hammerhead shark – a child named Gob who wriggled free during washing, escaped into the sea and became the animal after flattening his head against coral.

These narratives often repeat familiar motifs, animal protagonists and dramatic twists to teach social values around responsibility, neglect and impulsive actions, while also being entertaining. One tale follows a crab father who while caring for a child born to a rat mother, accidentally injures the baby with his pincers, prompting the mother’s rebuke and his vow never to touch the child again. Another tells of a man who abandons his wife and thirty daughters only to return too late to prevent their tragic deaths, ultimately taking his own life in remorse. 

One of the most beloved Nauruan stories is the Story of Eigigu's Tree, a woman whose tears cause a seedling to grow into a tree that reaches the sky. She climbs it, ascending into the heavens, where she meets Enibarara, a blind old woman, and restores her sight. In gratitude, Enibarara takes her in, and Eigigu eventually marries Maramen, Enibarara’s youngest son - the moon. At night, Maramen can be seen holding Eigigu in his arms in the sky, the old moon cradling the young moon. The steam rising from coconut shells is also said to be the old woman Enibarara – cooking her toddy syrup – forming the clouds above.

Another famous story is Detora, King of the Sea. Often underestimated by his older brothers, Detora receives guidance from his father and a magical fishing hook from his grandparents beneath the ocean. His adventures take him across distant islands through fishing contests and encounters with supernatural beings. Ultimately, Detora chooses to return to the sea, where he becomes the great spirit of fishing and fishermen. The legend reflects the deep importance of the ocean to Nauruan life and the respect traditionally given to skill and perseverance.

These stories offer a glimpse into the imagination, values and worldview of generations of Nauruans. They are are embedded in familiar Nauruan places and experiences, offering explanations for what is seen and guidance for how life is lived.