Kitava

Kitava has primarily a subsistence economy. Food sources are mainly fish and yams. As in the other islands in the Trobriand group yams play a significant role in the culture and determine wealth. The islands have dark, rich soils that support diverse species beyond yams and coconuts, including mangoes, papayas and pineapple. Marine life flourishes in the clear seas and the coral reefs. However, deforestation is a growing concern. Kitava is a regular stop for tourist vessels, which provides some cash income.{{cite web |title=Kitava, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idfq_NGRa8k |website=YouTube |access-date=28 June 2025}}{{cite web |title=Kitava, Papua New Guinea |url=https://www.seabourn.com/en/eu/cruise-destinations/world-cruise-cruises/world-cruise-ports/kitava-papua-new-guinea-kta |website=Seabourn |access-date=28 June 2025}}

The inhabitants of this island and their lifestyle and diet have been the subject of study by researcher Staffan Lindeberg and his colleagues, due to their reported excellent health and traditional diet Staffan Lindeberg et al. have published several works in peer-reviewed journals outlining their discoveries. In a study of 1,200 subjects, including 300 adolescents and young adults, by Lindeberg and others over 843 days, not one example of western ailments, such as obesity, diabetes or acne, was found. Lindeberg attributed this to the islanders' diet of yams, sweet potatoes, and taro (all part of a group known as tubers), local fruits (namely coconut), fish, and vegetables.

{{cite web |url=http://www.staffanlindeberg.com/TheKitavaStudy.html |title=TheKitavaStudy |publisher=Staffanlindeberg.com |access-date=2013-12-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207163839/http://www.staffanlindeberg.com/TheKitavaStudy.html |archive-date=2013-12-07 }}{{cite web |last1=Krause |first1=Rachel |title=The Crazy Reason No One Living On This Island Has Ever Had Acne |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/02/142424/kitava-diet-skin-no-acne-study |website=Refinery29 |publisher=Skin Care |date=23 February 2017|access-date=28 June 2025}}

The American steamship Admiral Wiley (not to be mistaken for USS Riley) was wrecked at Kitava on 13 June 1940. In May 1940, Japanese ships passed Kitava on their way to the Battle of the Coral Sea. Wreckage from the battle washed up on Kitava's beaches for several months. Large quantities of American biscuits, coffee and benzine were found. On 2 October 1942, Japanese pilot, Shigenori Murakami, crash landed his plane on a nearby island through lack of fuel. He made his way to Kitava where Australian coastwatchers demanded that he surrender. Instead, he responded with fire and was killed. He died fully clothed, wearing his helmet, glasses, gloves, and overalls. Kitava is the only high island in the Trobriand group and an American radar station was established there to give warning on low-flying enemy aircraft. The island was accidentally bombed by Allied forces when blasting being carried out to build a new road was mistaken for enemy fire.{{cite web |last1=Cameron |first1=Caroline |title=The war on Kitava: |url=https://www.pngaa.net/Library/WarKitava.htm |website=Papua New Guinea Association of Australia |access-date=28 June 2025}}

• {{C|Trobriand Islands|Trobriand Islands topics}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://wikimapia.org/13767703/Kitava Kitava] at WikiMapia
• [http://www.pcrf.org/science/Kitava/reefreport.html Health of the Uratu Island Reef, Kitava, Papua New Guinea]

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Category:Trobriand Islands

Category:Islands of Milne Bay Province