Temoe

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Temoe, also Timoe, old name: Crescent Iceland, is a small atoll in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the southernmost atoll of French Polynesia and one of the most southern atolls of the earth. Geographically, the island is part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, more specifically to the Gambier Islands, and lies about 50 km from the nearest inhabited main island of Mangareva away. Temoe is not permanently inhabited and managed by the commune Gambier administrative subdivision of the Tuamotu - Gambier of the High Commissioner of French Polynesia (Haut- commissariat de la République française en Polynésie ).

Geography

The atoll consists of a ring of about 40 Motus, which surround a lagoon with an area of 13.1 km ². The lagoon is quite shallow, averaging only 13 m deep,: 309 and speckled with numerous coral rocks, which extend as far to the water surface. For the water exchange between the lagoon and the open ocean, numerous Hoa, especially on the south and southwest side. However Tidenkanäle are too shallow to allow boat traffic. Only two Hoa in the north- west and west are at high water levels restricted passable.

The land area of all islands together is only 2.1 km ².

Geology

Like all atolls also owes its existence to the Temoe volcanism. The approximately 15 million year old basaltic base of the island rises from a depth of 3700 m below sea level. Temoe forms an island chain with Oeno, Henderson and Ducie, who are probably all come from the same hotspot. 308 The existing volcanic rocks from central island, however, has long since sunk beneath the sea, so that protrude only the resting on the coral reef Motus.

Flora

The Motus of sand and coral rubble and are low in humus. Therefore, the soil provides plants only few nutrients, so the flora is very rich in species. The beach-front areas are covered by procumbens creeping growing Triumfetta. The subsequent vegetation consists mainly of Suriana maritima and pandanus. In the inner, slightly raised areas also thrive Scaevola and Pemphis acidula, dominated by coconut trees. 312 Wilson saw 1797 no coconut trees on the island, 115 nor Lucett in 1842. 285 The growing today there palm trees returnees from the neighboring Mangareva planted in the second half of the 19th century.

History

See also → History of the Gambier Islands

That Temoe was once inhabited, demonstrated by numerous relics of Polynesian natives, some of which, though not restored, are for today's visitors can still be seen. The American anthropologist and curator of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu Kenneth P. Emory (1897-1992), was the first university scholar who has studied and described the buildings of the early Polynesians during a two -day visit to Temoe in 1934.

One of the more visible legacies of the Polynesians is a four-stage, piled from raw blocks of coral temple platform ( Marae ) that the New Zealand anthropologist Peter Buck ( Te Rangi Hiroa ) has been photographed in the 1930s. Buck describes the marae as an open courtyard with a towering, on the front step- shaped stone platform, and ( funeral? ) Chambers at both ends. The plant is now in a much worse state of preservation than in 1934 and more like a disorderly collection of stones of about 2 ½ m. Peter Buck assumed that Temoe of refugees from Mangareva was settled.

In an excavation campaign in the years 2001 to 2003 French archaeologists have registered the remains of a total of 13 Zeremonialplattformen on the islands. They dug out also on the Motu Nui Omenii, a slightly larger Sauminsel in the Southwest, an extensive burial ground, were interred in the men, women and children. The graves were marked with pyramids of loosely stacked, unprocessed stones. They found no grave goods, except for a few fishing hooks from mussel shells. Radiocarbon dating showed that the cemetery 1410-1650 AD was used.

The archaeologist Marshall Weisler of the University of Queensland analyzed the waste pile of several settlements. The remains could infer that the Polynesian natives mainly of seabirds, the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans ), snails, clams, gastropods and fish fed. The most commonly consumed fish species were parrot fish. Human bones in the middens suggest that there has also been cannibalism. In the early 19th century, the settlements were abandoned.

1637 broke the pirate Edward Davis with his ship Bachelors Delight from the Galapagos Islands to circumnavigate Cape Horn and sail to the Caribbean. He passed this one surrounded by reefs, shallow and sandy island that appeared from then on the cards as Davis land ( Terra de Davis). The Scottish- New Zealand philologist and University Professor John Macmillan Brown participated in, the lost land Davis was the island Temoe. A confirmation of this there is not.

Discovered for Europe has Temoe Captain James Wilson, who took the mission ship Duff of the London Missionary Society in the South Pacific. On the morning of May 23, 1797 a flat island came in the form of a half moon in sight, who called Wilson after her appearance " Crescent Iceland ". When the Duff approached the following day, no navigable passage could be seen in the lagoon. Wilson himself rose with four sailors and a native of Tahiti, provided with some gifts, in a dinghy to land despite the strong surf on the ocean side. As the boat the island zustrebte about 25 gathered armed with spears Islander on the beach, including three or four women. They took a threatening stance to prevent the landing of the Europeans. Wilson thereupon broke off the landing maneuver and returned to the ship. He could still be seen on the island neither breadfruit trees coconut trees and no canoes, so he wondered how people could exist on the tiny island. :112 -115

The first European to set foot Temoe was the English naturalist and malacologist Hugh Cuming. He reached the island on December 6, 1827 its designed for research purposes Yacht The Discoverer. The team brought in a dinghy to go ashore. The armed with muskets Europeans were at the beach already expected by many warriors, whose bodies were painted black and white and the long spears brandished. Cuming found a slip through the reef, but had to pull the boat in the lagoon, as numerous, sharp coral rocks blocking the passage. With gestures, the islanders asked him to go on land, their armament but it would not let advisable. Then the warriors took a threatening attitude and circled the boat. The Europeans fired a few warning shots into the air and as it had no effect, Cuming preferring to retreat. However, the natives brought the boat to capsize and Cuming fell overboard. The team to right the boat again, and so they could all get on the moored yacht in safety succeeded.

1838 were the Catholic missionaries of the French Order " Pères et religieuses of Sacrés - Cœurs de Picpus " (short Picpusiens in Germany Arnstein Fathers ) Evacuate all residents Temoes to Mangareva. It is debatable whether they are as workers for the construction of the Cathédrale Saint -Michel in Rikitea, called " South Sea Cathedral ", abused or if they voluntarily left their island because of the meager living conditions. The construction of the church took place from January 17, 1839 ( foundation stone ) until April 1841.

The British merchant Tahitian Lucett Edward (1815 - 1853), the Temoe in November 1842 happened, the island already describes as uninhabited: 286.

". . . although designated on the maps as inhabited that has long since past. The residents have fled extreme poverty and lack of food on the Gambier Islands. "

1871 had Père Laval, head of the mission station of Picpus missionaries on Mangareva, leave at the behest of the Bishop of Tahiti, the Gambier Islands. At the end of the 19th century some families of Mangareva returned to Temoe and planted to coconut trees. Today Temoe is again uninhabited, but looking from time to time Mangarevaner the island to the coconut harvest.

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