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Ethnology of Tokelau Islands

Olosenga

Olosenga

Olosenga lies in lat. 11° 3′ 30″ S. and long. 171° 5′ 30″ W., 110 miles south of Fakaofu and about 200 miles north of Samoa. Because of its geographical separation from the northern atolls it is not always included within the Tokelau group. The native population seen by Quiros in 1606 had disappeared by 1841. It is now owned by the Jennings family, who page 8
Figure 3.—Map of Nukunono. Numbers refer to place names as follows: 1. Talikilangi (old malae, site of present Catholic Church) 2. La vaka (land between church and cemetery, formerly a canoe passage to lagoon until filled by tidal wave) 3. Asulu (site of present cemetery, and land beyond) 4. Muli 5. Takeletu 6. Tumulivaka 7. Mulifanua (piece of land and tip of island) 8. Te Kamu (islet) 10. Te Fakanavataulotu (islet) 11. Vini (islet) 16. Avakilikili (islet) 17. Nuialemo (islet) 18. Te Palaoa (islet) 19. Laulauia (islet) 20. Saumangalu (islet, name means “the coming of waves”) 22. Lalosumu (northern end of island, land division) 81. Matautu (land division and end of island) 83. Motufala (islet) 84. Motuakea (islet) 85. Manuisi (islet) 86. Tui Masanga (islet) 87. Fatingausu (islet) 88. Ahua (islet) 90. Motusanga (southern end of village island) 91. Sulu-o-kafa (land division in village) 92. Tafata (division in village Talikilangi) The following names which appear on the map of the Government Report were not in the list given me at Nukunono: Falafala (another name for Natoli?), Atukavakava (general name for the group of islets from Avakiliki to Niututahi?), Lalo (north division of the long eastern island), Mataulanga (central division of the long eastern island), Vaitupu (southern division of the long eastern island), Nasapiti (name for Motuakea and Manuisi), Teguatautafa (name for Te Ahua), A'ai (Samoan word, probably a name given for Motosanga after the hurricane).

Figure 3.—Map of Nukunono. Numbers refer to place names as follows:
1. Talikilangi (old malae, site of present Catholic Church)
2. La vaka (land between church and cemetery, formerly a canoe passage to lagoon until filled by tidal wave)
3. Asulu (site of present cemetery, and land beyond)
4. Muli
5. Takeletu
6. Tumulivaka
7. Mulifanua (piece of land and tip of island)
8. Te Kamu (islet)
10. Te Fakanavataulotu (islet)
11. Vini (islet)
16. Avakilikili (islet)
17. Nuialemo (islet)
18. Te Palaoa (islet)
19. Laulauia (islet)
20. Saumangalu (islet, name means “the coming of waves”)
22. Lalosumu (northern end of island, land division)
81. Matautu (land division and end of island)
83. Motufala (islet)
84. Motuakea (islet)
85. Manuisi (islet)
86. Tui Masanga (islet)
87. Fatingausu (islet)
88. Ahua (islet)
90. Motusanga (southern end of village island)
91. Sulu-o-kafa (land division in village)
92. Tafata (division in village Talikilangi)
The following names which appear on the map of the Government Report were not in the list given me at Nukunono: Falafala (another name for Natoli?), Atukavakava (general name for the group of islets from Avakiliki to Niututahi?), Lalo (north division of the long eastern island), Mataulanga (central division of the long eastern island), Vaitupu (southern division of the long eastern island), Nasapiti (name for Motuakea and Manuisi), Teguatautafa (name for Te Ahua), A'ai (Samoan word, probably a name given for Motosanga after the hurricane).

page 9
Figure 4.—Map of Atafu. Numbers refer to place names as follows: 1. Fongalaki-ke-lalo 2. Fongalaki-matangi 3. Te Oki 4. Ofangamatuku 5. Te Kokoloa 6. Land division 7. Tungafulu 8. Te Sepu 9. Tuangafulu 10. Laualalava 10a. Tatapiu (small division separating Laualalava into two pieces) 11. Napuku 12. Te Kapi 13. Te Laulasi (land division, land on sea side) 13a. Te Tipi (land division, land on lagoon side) 14. Moutoki vaealua 15. Te Fue 22. Part of Na Utua called Avainia 23. Na Utua 31. Sa-i-fafine 32. Te Olopuka (land division, end of long island) 33. Motufakalalo (two islets) 34. Sakea o Asafo (first of several islets known together as Sakea) 35. Motuatea 36. Sakea o Lupo 37. Sakea Lahi 38. Tangiakuli 39. Tulua-a-langi-maina 40. Sakea o Simi 41. Tulukava 42. Motu te niu 43. Malatea 44. Kauafua-o-sumu 45. Sakea-o-soi 46. Te Motu o Tenumi 47. Veva 48. Kenakena 49. Te Fakaolu-o-fafine 50. Motu-ite Lakia 51. Motu-faka-kakai 52. Tufa 53. Kauafua-o-vae 54. Te Malo o Futa 55. Motu-ite Fala 56. Tafenga 57. Motu o Veku 58. Kauafua to Vake 59. Sakea-lahi 60. Sotoma (“Sodom”) 61. Komoro (“Gomorrah”) 62. Sakea o Kaleopa 63. Sapiti 64. Motu Ateakiaki 65. Niuefa 66. Motu Ngangie 68. Kauafua o Laua 69. Te Puka 71. Tulua o Tiu 74. Kauafua o Folasanga 75. Hanuia i te Tonuia (rocks) 76. Islet

Figure 4.—Map of Atafu. Numbers refer to place names as follows:
1. Fongalaki-ke-lalo
2. Fongalaki-matangi
3. Te Oki
4. Ofangamatuku
5. Te Kokoloa
6. Land division
7. Tungafulu
8. Te Sepu
9. Tuangafulu
10. Laualalava
10a. Tatapiu (small division separating Laualalava into two pieces)
11. Napuku
12. Te Kapi
13. Te Laulasi (land division, land on sea side)
13a. Te Tipi (land division, land on lagoon side)
14. Moutoki vaealua
15. Te Fue
22. Part of Na Utua called Avainia
23. Na Utua
31. Sa-i-fafine
32. Te Olopuka (land division, end of long island)
33. Motufakalalo (two islets)
34. Sakea o Asafo (first of several islets known together as Sakea)
35. Motuatea
36. Sakea o Lupo
37. Sakea Lahi
38. Tangiakuli
39. Tulua-a-langi-maina
40. Sakea o Simi
41. Tulukava
42. Motu te niu
43. Malatea
44. Kauafua-o-sumu
45. Sakea-o-soi
46. Te Motu o Tenumi
47. Veva
48. Kenakena
49. Te Fakaolu-o-fafine
50. Motu-ite Lakia
51. Motu-faka-kakai
52. Tufa
53. Kauafua-o-vae
54. Te Malo o Futa
55. Motu-ite Fala
56. Tafenga
57. Motu o Veku
58. Kauafua to Vake
59. Sakea-lahi
60. Sotoma (“Sodom”)
61. Komoro (“Gomorrah”)
62. Sakea o Kaleopa
63. Sapiti
64. Motu Ateakiaki
65. Niuefa
66. Motu Ngangie
68. Kauafua o Laua
69. Te Puka
71. Tulua o Tiu
74. Kauafua o Folasanga
75. Hanuia i te Tonuia (rocks)
76. Islet

page 10 have held it since 1856. Less than a hundred people now live on the island, most of them laborers from Fakaofu and Atafu.

The land was raised at one time so that the atoll formed an unbroken ring enclosing the lagoon. This became landlocked, and the water is now not too brackish for animals to drink. The greatest elevation of the island is about 20 feet. It has good soil and supports a far better vegetation and gardens than are to be found on the northern atolls.

The reef completely surrounds the island and has no opening for the passage of canoes. On the western side, where the reef is narrower, a passage has been blasted out to allow whale boats to enter to transport copra. Opposite this passage is the storage shed for copra, the small village of native laborers' houses, and a church. A road goes from this settlement around the island. Along the western shore of the lagoon are deep pits bordered by mounds 8 to 10 feet high, the taro beds of the former population. These are unused today. Their depth and extent imply a population of several hundred people, at least, and a residence on the island for many generations.