ARU ISLANDS, in the residency of Amboina, Dutch East Indies, between 5° 18' and 5' S. and 134° and 135° E. The nearest point on the south-west coast of New Guinea is Tom. distant. They are composed of one large island, Tana-besar, 122M. long and 58m. wide, and nearly zoo smaller islands, the total area of the group being 3,244sq.m. Tana-besar, of irregular, oblong form and traversed by three narrow channels of varying width and less than three fathoms in depth, is almost divided into several separate islands, and A. R. Wallace, who lived in the Arus for several years, held that the land between the Arus and south-west New Guinea had subsided—the sea between is still very shallow —and that these rivers were once connected with present-day rivers in south-west New Guinea, and formed their mouths. All the islands are low, for the most part of coralline limestone, and covered with a dense forest ; the coast is often very swampy. The vegetation includes screw pines, palm trees, kanari and tree ferns; in Tarangan, the southern portion of Tana-besar, there are grassy plains, and along the coast and river banks are man groves. Pop. 17,590, of mixed Papuan blood, as in Tenimber, but of darker colour, smooth rather than curly-haired ; the skin less dark than that of Papuans proper; and lips thin. The natives, divided into Pata-lima and Pata-siwa, showing influence of Tidor and Ternate, are mostly pagan, though Christianity is now mak ing a little headway, and some are Mohammedans. In the western islands, the Voorwal, where the Mohammedans and Christians mostly live, including Chinese, Buginese, and Macassarese settlers, the villages are as in Amboina; near the coast and nearly hidden amongst clumps of trees. In the eastern islands, the Achterwal, they stand on high rocks. The houses of the pagans are often of rough wood and atop, crowded together, and crowded; they are entered by a trap-door in the middle of the floor.
Usually a shed in the centre of the village harbours the pro tective spirit of the community, to whom offerings are made. The Aru islanders are a gentle quiet race; there is little crime amongst them, and they retain their old laws and customs, and are largely governed by their own chiefs under Dutch surveillance. Many of the men wear a single short garment round the waist, and the women a very short and tight sarong, home woven, but they decorate themselves with bead necklaces, anklets, bracelets, ear-rings of copper, and plaited leaves, and combs of bone or wood. The fauna is quite Papuan and includes several birds of paradise, including the king bird of paradise. Many natives find occupation in hunting this magnificent bird for its plumes, which are used for ornaments. Little ground is tilled, except by the Christians and Mohammedans, and the communally owned uncultivated ground is hunted and explored for sago and other food products. Wives are purchased, a man becoming absolute master of his wife, and his brother having the right to marry her on his death. The principal means of sub sistence are agriculture (amongst the Voorwal peoples), sale of bird of paradise plumes, and collection of trepang and pearl and tortoiseshell for Chinese and Macassar traders.
The capital, and practically the only port, is Dobo, on the small island of Wamar in the west, though few Aru islanders live on it, only visiting it to take their produce there for sale. It has a very small population; but is the headquarters of the Dutch Controleur, and is a port of call for K.P.M. steamers en route to Merauke in south-west New Guinea. All trade centres there and there is much pearl fishing. The islanders still retain certain rights in the pearl fishing of the east coasts, but it has been leased by the Dutch government to an Australian concern, the Celebes Trading Company. The headquarters of the fleet of over 1 oo luggers are at Dobo : pearls and mother-of-pearl of the value of between L60,000 and 170,000 are obtained annually.
See A. R. Wallace, The Malay Archipelago (189o) .