Uninhabited Islands
BACKGROUND
There are three islands in the Cook Group without anyone living on it. Each one of them has a story linked to it. Please click here to watch videos of the islands.
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SUWARROW Suwarrow is the most southern atoll of the Northern Cooks. It does not have a Polynesian tradition or a Polynesian name. It was originally named after a Russian vessel, the “Suvorov” and later with New Zealand adopting the fourth and new official name “Suwarrow”. There was one Papa’a man that lived on Suwarrow from October 1952-June 1954 and from April 1960-December 1963. His name was Tom Neale. He returned to the atoll in July 1967 as a caretaker appointed by the Cook Islands Government. Tom Neale was also installed as a postmaster in 1969. Suwarrow has plenty of coconut trees, fish and sea food. |
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TAKUTEA This island is originally known as “Areuna”. It was later renamed by Mariri, one of Atiu’s ancestors, on his return from Avaiki for the third time. While fishing Mariri caught a “White Ku” that is “Ku tea”. Therefore, he called the island “Taku-Ku-Tea” meaning “My White Ku”. Later it was shortened to “Takute”. The “Ku” is a red fish from the family of squirrel fish. Takutea is just 20 kilometres northwest of Atiu. It is a customary land, where Atiuans use to go to Takutea to collect food such as coconut crab, fish, crayfish, paua, turtles and birds. It was declared by the Cook Islands Government over 35 years ago as a bird sanctuary. The island is surrounded by an unbroken reef. The reef is untouched, unbleached and unpolluted. Imene o Takutea Takutea, te enua. Enua no te tauranga o te manurewa Ko te manga uri e toro e Uritua ki Enua Manu Atiu nui taku ipukarea Mei muatangana roa mai e. |
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MANUAE Manuae is an uninhabited atoll, 100 kilometres southeast of Aitutaki. It has two horse-shoe shaped islets named “Manuae” and “Te Au-O-Tu”. Manuae was once known to belong to Mangaia even though it was part of Aitutaki. People from Mangaia once settled on Manuae in the olden times. The people of Aitutaki use to collect coconuts for food from Manuae. One day when they returned, the Mangaians were already there. A Mangaian warrior took a woman from Aitutaki to Manuae. Her name was Ripo. One of the warriors from Aitutaki went and told Ripo that they have come to kill the Mangaians. Every night, Ripo husked some coconuts in secret and took them to feed the Aitutaki warriors. Then one dark night, the Aitutaki warriors killed all the Mangaians on Manuae except for Ripo. One of the warriors named Teaitu wanted to kill Ripo as well. But Ripo’s brothers from Tautu, Tuaretoa and More said to Teaitu and all the Aitutaki warriors remember the one who fed you. So they did not kill Ripo. They took her back to Aitutaki. Today Manuae belongs to Aitutaki on a Government lease. It is a marine park and an important breeding ground for seabirds and marine turtles. Manuae’s offshore waters are good fishing grounds. |