The Republic of Nauru is a small island just south of the equator, now home to Nauruans, refugees, and fly-in-fly-out workers. Small, strategic islands like Nauru often become the playthings of larger forces. Twelve hundred Nauruans were deported to the remote Truk Islands by the Japanese occupying forces during the Second World War. Fewer than eight hundred survived to return. In the 1960s, Australia’s proposal to resettle the entire Nauruan population on Curtis Island, off the Queensland coast, was considered but eventually refused. Nauru’s celebrate their survival as a distinct human group each year on 26 October, Angam Day.

These images were taken over two trips to the Republic of Nauru in November 2014 and June 2015, and the accompanying edited caption is from the notes for an exhibition held at Janet Clayton Gallery, Sydney, in October 2015. The full gallery and notes, and other works from the artist, are available at www.sallymcinerney.com.