The Tokelau
Islands (or Union Islands) is an island group is made up of three flat,
coral atolls - Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo - with reef islands around
their lagoons. The Tokelau Islands are territories of New Zealand and
have a surface area of 10 kms.
Beautiful
and remote, the islands were some of the last to be explored and settled
by Europeans. They were virtually forgotten during the period of colonisation
in the Pacific and only became a British Protectorate in 1889 to protect
the island from ruthless black birders and beachcombers.
This was
a necessary move as only six years earlier, Peruvian slavers had kidnapped
hundreds of mostly Tokelaun men and took them to work in South America.
Also in 1863, dysentery struck the islands and the population was reduced
to only 200 people.
In 1916,
Tokelau was annexed by Britain and included in the Gilbert and Ellice
Islands colony. This arrangement ended in 1925 when Tokelau was mandated
to New Zealand.
In 1949
Tokelau officially became part of New Zealand and eventually given limited
self-government in 1996.
Tokelauns are New Zealand citizens. Today only 1500 people live on the
three
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Letele, Roshni, Sham, Teleiai Su’a
Edwin, Ruta & Olo Elise on arrival at Faleolo Airport. |
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