Eigigu Day in Nauru Date in the current year: June 26, 2026

Nauru is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean with a population of approximately 12,000. In the early 20th century, Nauru’s economy was dominated by phosphate mining. First, Germany controlled the mining, and then the League of Nations took over after Germany’s defeat in World War I. As a result, Nauru’s economy was heavily dependent on foreign powers.

Local leaders wanted to reduce Nauru’s dependence on foreign merchants and gain greater control over the supply of everyday goods. Prominent local leader Timothy Detudamo came up with the idea of a cooperative store owned for the benefit of the Nauruans. The colonial authorities initially resisted the idea, but in 1923, when the League of Nations granted Australia a trustee mandate over Nauru, Detudamo and the other leaders were permitted to proceed.

The Nauru Cooperative Society was officially established that same year. Initially functioning as a consumer cooperative, it imported food, clothing, household goods, and other necessities for Nauruans and sold them at lower prices than foreign traders.

Over time, the society evolved into one of the island’s two main commercial organizations, alongside the phosphate industry. It managed retail stores, a butcher shop, a bakery, an ice cream manufacturing operation, a shoe repair service, and general import and distribution activities.

The society’s operations were interrupted by the Japanese occupation during World War II but resumed afterward. However, as Nauru’s economy developed, the Nauru Cooperative Society was replaced by several government-owned enterprises, including the Eigigu Holdings Corporation (EHC).

The EHC was named after Eigigu, a figure from Nauruan mythology. Initially a mortal girl, she was the youngest of three daughters. After being mistreated by her mother, she went to the shore, where she found and nurtured a seed that grew into a gigantic tree reaching the sky. Eigigu climbed the tree and entered the celestial world. There, she encountered an old blind woman named Enibarara. Eigigu cured Enibarara’s blindness and was eventually discovered by her youngest son, Maramen (the Moon), whom she married.

The EHC is a government-owned corporation that was established in 1996 to manage a portfolio of government-owned commercial enterprises. Operating as the government’s main business arm, it oversees subsidiaries in retail, hospitality, transportation, property management, and community services. These include Eigigu Supermarket, Eigigu Civic Center, Eigigu Hardware Enterprise, and Menen Hotel.

In 2023, the government of Nauru established Eigigu Day to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Nauru Cooperative Society and to highlight the contributions of the Eigigu Holdings Corporation to the nation’s economy. The holiday is typically celebrated with community events hosted by the EHC.