PUKAPUKA “ Island of Beautiful Girls”

Pukapuka is one of the most remote places on earth.   It's closer to Samoa than it is to the capital island of Rarotonga which is 1150 kms (715 miles) southeast.  It has its own language and customs and other Cook Islanders say its main asset is beautiful girls.   It's also the most densely populated part of the Cooks (390 people per square kilometer).

The Island's name is usually said to derive from the puka tree (Hernandia nymphaeifolia) which grows all over the place.  But Puka-Puka itself means 'land of little hills', and others say that's the real origin of the name which was given to the island by the first Polynesians who came here.   Some know it as 'Danger Island' because of an 8km submerged reef - Te Arai - and dangerous rip tides around it to the west.

There are three islets on the huge triangular shaped reef - Ko to the south east, Frigate Bird to the southwest and the main islet of Wale ("wah-lay") to the north where there are three villages.  They're called Ngake, Loto and Yato ("thar-toe") - or Windward, Central and Leeward.  The highest point is less than 5 meters (16.5 feet) above sea level.  The soil is infertile and coconut palms, pandanus, puraka - a variety of taro tolerant of the environment - and a few breadfruit trees make up the main vegetation.  And mosquitos are a particular pest....although they're not malarial.

 

Culture and traditions

They are like palm weaving (right) have remained unchanged for centuries. And even with the arrival of an irregular air service, the islands unlikely to be overwhelmed with tourists. 

The five hour flight from Rarotonga is scheduled to operate only once every six weeks or so, but it rarely does these days because of fuel shortages on the island.  The airport is about an hour's boat trip from the main settlement of Wale.

Communal Conservation

 Living on Pukapuka is like being in a commune. The islanders practice traditional conservation which calls for entire villages to move from atoll to atoll for periods of time.  But this is not a nomadic existence...rather it's one with a focus on maintaining the delicate ecological balance. The felling of trees is also prohibited without permission from village elders.

If a bird is killed out of season, or crabs or coconuts taken early, small but humiliating fines are imposed. For more serious offences, the person is treated as a child until sincere remorse is shown. The offender cannot speak at meetings and is given a child's food and wages.

Games

The islanders have a passion for their own form of cricket called kirikiti. It originated in Samoa.  Games are played with a long three-sided bat and a "ball" or "bowl" that can best be described as a solid block of wood. The number of players is decided by the challenging team, but it's never less than 20 or more than 40. The batsman - who doesn't wear shoes, let alone shin pads - doesn't run himself. He has a bunch of younger islanders who do it for him.

Every time a batsman is out, not only are there chants of triumph but also some provocative macho dances, before he's replaced with a batsman from the opposing team. Umpires use their whistle for any number of reasons (including just the sheer joy of being alive), and games continue for an indefinite number of days, before the winner is decided by a mysterious process that seems to be known only to participants. One report of a 35 a side match says pseudo karate routines, obscene speeches, ridiculing and teasing are an essential part of a good game.  There's also a women only version!  And in both cases, the match is played for food...which the losing team have to fish for.

Gardening for Health

Pukapuka is leading the rest of the islands in the fight against non-communicable diseases by establishing "healthy eating" gardens.  Each village is setting them up as part of an action plan to monitor and help reduce cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory conditions. 

  Vegetables, root crops and fruits are being planted and islanders are being encouraged to eat them in preference to packaged processed food.

Language

English is rarely spoken, although most locals know some and children are taught it in the local school. It's estimated just over 2,000 people in Oceania speak Pukapukan. If you want to impress, here are a few words:

PEWEA: Hello, how are you?
KO LELEI WUA: I'm fine
ATA WAI WOLO: Hello/Thank you

A written form of the language does not exist, but a unique project is underway to translate the Bible into Pukapukan.  New Zealand scholar, Dr Mary Sailsbury and her husband, Kevin are working with the Pukapuka community to produce what will be the very first work in the language.

Tsunami Survivors

The entire population is said to be descended from just 14 people who survived a catastrophic storm and tidal waves (a tsunami) over 500 years ago.  

Not surprising then that it was previously called Danger Island - a name it was given back in 1765 by English commodore, John Byrom who found himself unable to land because of the heavy seas pounding a large, submerged reef to the west.  The name still appears on some maps to this day.  The first European to sight it though was Spanish explorer, Alvaro de Mendana on 20 August, 1595 - St. Bernard's Day.   He named it San Bernando.

Celebrations

New year celebrations last almost to the end of February when  the Island Chiefs (Kau Wo Wolo) and the Island Council - pictured right -  hold their annual meeting to review the rules for governing the island in the coming year and the fines for breaking those rules.  The Chiefs then visit each village to share the rules and let islanders discuss and ask questions about them.  Caretakers or The Pules enforce the rules.

Each village then has a day long celebration (vananga) where the men of each village go to the other villages to share the rules, have a feed and dance with the women.  And that's followed by the annual imukai to celebrate and share food.   This year, Yato shared kaveu and birds, Ngake shared over three hundred fish and Loto shared fish and mawu (twice-baked imu taro mixed with coconut milk). The cooking of the mawu took over three days. The first day involved going to the taro patch and peeling and grating the taro. The second day involved gathering coconuts on the motu and making all the fresh coconut cream. The third day involved wrapping the mixture in banana leaves and baking it twice in the imu (underground oven).

How to Reach

Although the island features a well-maintained airstrip, flights from Rarotonga are very infrequent. The five hour flight from Rarotonga now operates when there is a Government charter once every six weeks or so. The island is closer to Samoa than to the rest of the Cook Islands and transport via Samoa is becoming a preferred option for Pukapukans visiting in organised groups (tele parties) from New Zealand and Australia.

The submerged Tema Reef is situated 23 km southeast of Pukapuka. About 60 km away is Nassau (Cook Islands) which is owned by the people of Pukapuka and considered part of it administratively. Since the 1950s it has been governed by a Council of Chiefs of Pukapuka. The Nassau Island Committee advises the Pukapuka Island Committee on matters relating to its own island.

A Few Facts & Figures

Area: 1.3 sq km

Population: approx. 300

Climate: Temperate

Languages: Cook Island Maori, English and their own Pukapuka dialiect.