Puka Rua

Template: Infobox Atoll / Maintenance / height Missing

Puka Rua ( alternate spelling: Pukaruha, old name: Serle Serle or Iceland ) is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago far east of the South Pacific.

Geography

Puka Rua consists of an elongated main island with 64 small and very small motus. The atoll is a total of 15 km long and 3.5 km wide. The somewhat reminiscent of a fishhook main island extends over the entire length of the east side and is only 300 m wide. The land area of all islands combined is 6.5 km ², lagoon, however, is much larger at 23 km ²

The former volcanic center island of the atoll is already for a long time lost, which suggests a geologically very old age. The atoll is surrounded by a coral reef, with only an artificially depressed, narrow passage in the level of the village.

From the original flora small residues can only be obtained on some smaller Motus. The vegetation of the main island was redesigned over a large area in the 19th and 20th centuries for the investment of coconut plantations.

Administration and infrastructure

Politically Puka Rua is a part of community ( commune associée ) Reao the community and belongs to French Polynesia. The only village Marautagaroa in the north of the main island, has 207 inhabitants. At the edge of the village is still a shelter of the Centre d' Expérimentation du Pacifique (CEP ), where the residents to seek shelter during the French nuclear tests on Mururoa and Fangataufa.

In 2000, an airstrip was opened with a 1,000 m long runway and extended in April 2006 to 1,200 meters. The regional airport is served only by small propeller aircraft the Air Tahiti. A predominantly dirt road crosses the main island from north to south and provides access to the airfield and coconut plantations.

The island exported on a small scale copra, which is dried in two open warehouses and stored. They are shipped from a jetty, which allows only start with small boats.

The relatively shallow lagoon is because of the numerous giant or giant clams ( Tridacna gigas ) ( Polynesian: paua ), sea cucumbers and pink oysters for divers and snorkelers interesting. However, tourist infrastructure is completely lacking.

History

Systematic archaeological excavations, it has not been given to Puka Rua. The American anthropologist Kenneth P. Emory of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu in 1930 sought the surface for remains of building structures from the natives. In the southeastern part of the island, he found the remains of a Zeremonialplattform, the Marae Heragi whose major axis is still preserved, built parallel to the lagoon. To the east of this system saw Emory remnants of another small, about 3 m long and 1.5 m wide platform from which only a heap of stones is left today. Also behind the church there should have been a Marae Aboriginal, however, he is now completely destroyed.

At the southern end of the atoll, Maite, the traces of planting pits of the Polynesian natives are still in a coconut grove to detect. With long trenches Ghyben - Herzberg lens was cut and the depression then filled with humus and compost, so as to allow the only low water content and less fertile sandy soils the cultivation of taro, a plant, the preferred swampy terrain.

With high probability Puka Rua is identical to the island on June 28, 1797, discovered by James Wilson, captain of the British mission ship Duff:

" On the 28th we discovered again one of the low islands where coconut trees grew which made ​​us eager to land on the same in order to gain some of these refreshing fruit for the team and fresh grass for our goats. The landing was us, though., With much difficulty due to the strong surf, who finds herself constantly on the coral rocks Much larger but were the difficulties, again accessible from the island the boats and only after we had spent a sad night bey heavy rain weather there, we were so happy to arrive with life-threatening and major complaints back to our boats, what did we do a vow, we never complete without the utmost necessity to venture to one of these semi- flooded islands. The island was Serlesinsel [ in engl. Original: serle Iceland 's ] called. "

Wilson named the island after Ambrose Serle (1742 - 1812), secretary to Lord Howe, author of " Horae Solitariae ", a then very popular, religious treatise.

The Wilson's report can be found does not indicate residents. A first indication of the Polynesian inhabitants are Frederick William Beechey, the Puka Rua visited on 21 January 1826 but did not go ashore. When the Blossom sailed around the north-western tip at a slight distance, Beechey could see several tattooed warriors, armed with spears or long sticks and clubs as well as several scantily clad women. Behind the trees rose to some columns of smoke, which made him suspect a settlement. Beechey estimates the population to no more than one hundred persons, boats or canoes he could not see.

The first detailed map was during the United States Exploring Expedition (U.S. Ex Ex ) drawn, the Pacific and the Antarctic region explored by the United States Navy from 1838 to 1842 under the command of Charles Wilkes. The researchers from the U.S. Ex Ex landed under the command of Lieutenant Alden on August 16, 1839 Puka Rua and explored the island for a day. Alden reported by only a few residents who met the visitors peaceful and curious. Some of the men were tattooed and armed with spears.

• Views

Church of Marautagaroa

Puka Rua

Palm grove on Puka Rua, in the background the lagoon