Senator returns to Fanning Island

By Matt Sedensky
Associated Press

A state senator whose ancestors once owned Fanning Island set sail for the tiny Pacific landfall yesterday on a nostalgic visit.

Sen. J. Kalani English, the great-great-grandson of Fanning's onetime owner, headed for the South Pacific atoll that was annexed by Great Britain and now is part of the Republic of Kiribati.

"I grew up hearing my grandfather talk about it," English said before his departure aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Star. "For me, it's just sort of a chance to visit an ancestral homeland."

English, D-6th (E. Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i), is scheduled to arrive on Fanning on Wednesday and depart the following day. He says he and a cousin plan to meet with island residents, village chiefs, a member of Parliament and, perhaps, President Anote Tong.

Fanning — about 1,000 miles south of Hawai'i — is believed to have been inhabited since about the 15th century. Its name comes from Capt. Edmund Fanning, who arrived on the coral mass aboard the American ship Betsy in 1798.

English's family history on the island began with the arrival of Captain Henry English and 150 others in the 1850s. They established a cocoa plantation there, but eventually left as the island's guano caught the eye of the British.

After Great Britain annexed the atoll in 1888, the English family headed north to Hawai'i.

English said there are still outstanding land claims on Fanning because of the British takeover, but that is not a purpose of his visit.

"I'm sure that their government is very aware of this," English said. "But I tried to make it very clear that it's not my intent" to pursue such claims.

Since 1998, Fanning's presence on the Norwegian Star's weeklong interisland cruises has fueled tourism, though the island still has a decidedly small-town feel.

The island's main port is named English Harbor.

"That they still keep that in their local history is actually intriguing to me," English said. "For me it's really just a goodwill visit and a visit to see if anybody there still knows or maintains a family relationship."

Correction: A previous version of this story reported erroneously that Teburoro Tito is president of the Republic of Kiribati. Tito was re-elected to a third term in February, but lost power in a no-confidence vote. Anote Tong is president.