Ua Huka

Ua Huka, other names: Roahonga, Huahuna, old names: Washington Iceland ( Ingraham ), Ile du Solid ( Marchand ), Riou 's Iceland ( Hergest ), is a sparsely populated island in the Pacific Ocean, which is geographically the northern group of the Marquesas and politically French Polynesia is.

Geography

Ua Huka is one of the smaller islands of the Marquesas and is located 42 km east of Nuku Hiva, 98 km north- west of Hiva Oa and 56 km north-east of Ua Pou. The island is 14 km long and up to 10 km wide and has the shape of a half moon, which opens to the south. It is crossed from east to west by a mountain range which forms a watershed. Go north from short or long to the south, deeply incised canyons. In some ravines, small objects were formed. On the south coast open three large populated valleys which widen towards the sea.

In contrast to the lush larger islands of the Marquesas Ua Huka conveys rather a bare and repellent impression, the vegetation is sparse. The craggy peaks are not as high as in the other islands of the archipelago, to the west about 600 m and in the east to 800 m. The highest point is Mount Hitikau with 857 meters. The total height less causes fewer clouds rain down. Ua Huka has a much drier climate than the neighboring islands. A large part of the island consists of extensive, arid plateaus and deep, fertile valleys in which lie the settlements.

The highly indented coastline is not protected by a coral reef, so that a strong surf reach the shore immediately. The main island are some rocky islets upstream ( Motus ). Particularly spectacular is Motu Hane, a 163 meters high, like a sugar loaf shaped cone of rock that blocks the Bay of Hane on the west coast.

Geology

Ua Huka is, like the other islands of the Marquesas volcanic origin. It is the northern fragment of a collapsed caldera of a long ago grown up from the depths of the sea volcano. At the bottom of a geologically recent volcano has again formed, the Caldera almost completely collapsed also. For their remnant also of the 857 m high Mont Hitikau heard in the West. The oldest rocks so far examined from Ua Huka have been dated to 2.9 to 2.8 million years. Younger basaltic rocks from volcanic activity in the southwest region of the island are 1.6 to 1.4 million years old.

Flora

For the poverty of vegetation by man introduced, now feral pets are largely responsible. Goats, pigs and horses have largely destroyed the vegetation. Ua Huka proudly calls itself the "Island of Horses", this is displaced, what serious damage they have caused.

In the valleys there are small remnants of the original rain forest, consisting of Hibiscus tiliaceus, Piper latifolium and Metrosideros (iron wood ) and Weinmannia trees. In damp and shady areas of the narrow gorges thrive lush moss and Farnbestände. To the west of the island of rainforest turns into drier forest, composed mainly of hibiscus, pandanus, guava and Glochidion. In the lower regions of the large valleys coconut palms and breadfruit trees were planted. At the bottom of the Bay of Hane there is still a residue of Pisonia grandis.

The short valleys on the north coast are almost without vegetation, the upper layers of the mountains even arid desert-like.

Fauna

Due to the sparse vegetation there to Ua Huka only a few species of indigenous land animals, mainly insects, lizards, land birds and spiders. The island has given its name to an endemic genus of spiders in the Marquesas, the family of the canopy spiders ( Linyphiidae ) belongs to (see → Uahuka ).

On Ua Huka, there are six endemic and now highly endangered land birds:

  • Iphis - flycatchers ( Pomarea Iphis )
  • Marquesas reed warbler (Acrocephalus mendanae )
  • Marquesas swiftlet ( Callocalia ocista )
  • Marquesasfruchttaube ( Ducula galeata )
  • Ultramarinlori ( Vini ultramarina )
  • White Cap fruit dove ( Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii )

At large animals imported exclusively by humans species occur: ausgewilderte horses, goats and pigs.

Ua Huka has several small secondary islands on which large seabird colonies have settled. In particular, situated in the southwest, the Gulf of Haavei offshore rocky islands Hemeni Teuaua and are important breeding areas for terns and are now protected.

History

Ua Huka was colonized about 1700 years ago by Polynesians. The first settlers lived in beach nearby settlements. In Hane in 1998 a French team of archaeologists explored by a dune -buried settlement remains. It is the oldest known settlement in the Marquesas, it is dated to 350 AD. The researchers found seventeen human skeletons, fish hooks, harpoon lace, net weights and scraper. From the wastes of the settlement can be seen that the natives mainly of fish, birds (there were skeletons of a dozen extinct bird species found) have nourished and shells.

As on the other islands of the Marquesas also, people populated with increasing population density, the upper portions of the valleys and it developed, favored by the closed position, a strictly stratified tribal society. At the places of worship in the valleys can be seen that there are possibly more, must have been at least five independent tribes.

Charles of the stones assigns the tribes the valleys as follows:

Today visible archaeological remains of cult and residential platforms, there is in the valleys of Vaipaee, Hanei, Hokatu, Hinaehi and Hane.

The American sea captain Joseph Ingraham, who sailed around Cape Horn to the Brigantine Hope from Boston to China, discovered Ua Huka on April 19, 1791. He named the island " Washington Iceland " by U.S. President George Washington.

Another early visitor of the 18th century was the Frenchman Etienne Marchand. He sailed on 14 December 1790 the newly built merchant ship from Marseille Solid, rounded Cape Horn and arrived in the Marquesas in June 1791. He called Ua Huka after his ship " Ile du Solid ".

Lieutenant Richard Hergest, commander of the Daedalus, the supply ship of the Vancouver expedition, reached Ua Huka on 30 March 1792 and named the island " Riou 's Iceland ."

On 2 June 1842, the French Rear Admiral Abel Aubert Dupetit - Thouars took the northern group of the Marquesas for France in possession. Ua Huka became a French colony.

Politics and Administration

Today, the island belongs politically to the French overseas country ( pays d' outre- mer - POM) French Polynesia and is the EU attached. It is of a subdivision ( subdivision administrative des Îles Marquises ) of the High Commissioner of French Polynesia (Haut- commissariat de la République française en Polynésie ) managed with its headquarters in Papeete. Ua Huka forms a separate municipality (Commune de Ua Huka ) with 633 inhabitants ( 2012). The population density is around 7 Ew. / Km ².

The official language is French; Currency is (still) bound to the Euro CFP Franc. On Ua Huka, there are three villages, all located on the south coast: Vaipaee, Hane and Hokatu. Capital and seat of local government is the village Vaipaee. Vaipaee is the largest, Hokatu the smallest of the three settlements. The entire northern part of the island is uninhabited.

Infrastructure

Ua Huka is supplied with a regularly scheduled cargo and passenger ship from Tahiti with goods which are not produced on the island. The Aranui 3 runs once a month on Ua Huka. This is the best way for tourists to reach the island. The ship can not invest at the small pier of Vaipaee, so it must be with boats loaded and unloaded.

The airfield was opened in 1972 (IATA: UAH, ICAO: NTMU ) only consists of a 755 m long asphalt runway and is located between the villages Vaipaee and Hane. It is served exclusively by Air Tahiti with small aircraft on Nuku Hiva ( flight time 30 minutes ).

The three villages and the airport are connected to a paved road, the rest of the island is undeveloped, or only on roads and footpaths accessible.

The tourist infrastructure is modest. There is not a hotel, but some privately run guesthouses and restaurants and small shops with limited menus which are opened at the discretion of the owner. A bank is available on the island does not, credit cards are not accepted (as of 2000).

In Vaipaee, the place with the most inhabitants, it is the town hall with the local administration, a post office (with a satellite phone ), a first-aid station and a kindergarten and primary school ( école maternelle et primaire ). Secondary schools and a qualified medical care is only available on Nuku Hiva and in Papeete.

Economy

The inhabitants are predominantly self-sufficient. Their food source is the cultivation of taro, yams and tropical fruits of all kinds and the use of cultured, fruit -bearing trees ( breadfruit, coconut). A slurry of mashed and fermented breadfruit, called Popoi is still part of almost every meal. For protein supply pigs and chickens are kept and operated fishing. The island exported a little copra, which is shipped with the regularly scheduled supply ship to Tahiti. Lately, even citrus fruits for export are grown.

Ua Huka supposedly has the best wood carver and sculptor of the Marquesas. Their products are sold to the few tourists who visit the island with the Aranui.

Attractions

  • In Vaipaee is the Archaeological Museum, which was opened in 1989. It shows everyday objects and traditional handicrafts of the islanders: Tiki, wood carvings, tapa bark cloth, decorated Popoi - bowls, bracelets, earrings, paddle, u'u lobes and stone tools of the natives.
  • The most important archaeological site on the island is at the foot of Mont Meiaute Hitikau on the south coast. There is an extensive, only partially exposed complex of stone platforms with paepae ( residential sites ) and Mea ` e ( Zeremonialplattformen ) and three up to one meter high Tiki from red tuff.
  • In Vaikivi to achieve in Vaipaee Valley and a walk, there are about fifty incised petroglyphs, including faces ( masks? ), Geometric figures and are - unique in the Marquesas - a sailing canoe ready. More petroglyphs are found in the upper, now uninhabited area of ​​the Hane Valley, as well as numerous remains of living and Zeremonialplattformen.
  • The village of Hokatu, the smallest of the three villages on the island, is known for its excellent wood carvers. There is also a small community museum with an interesting collection of shells and marine gastropods and historical objects, dating from the family of the villagers.
  • In Manihina, a few kilometers east of the village Vaipaee, founded in 1974 by the then Mayor Leon Litchlé a botanical garden ( arboretum Papuakeikaa ) in which many of the original home on the island species are conserved. Are particularly interesting for the visitor the unique large-leaved palms Marquesas ( Pelagodoxa henryana ) and the collection of more than one hundred species of citrus.
  • The most beautiful white beach of the island is Manihina, also a good place for snorkeling. Other small sandy beaches with black - gray sand there are in the bays of Haavai and Hane.
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