Maupihaa, also known as Mopelia, is an atoll in the Leeward group (Iles sous le Vent) of the Society Islands. This atoll is located 72 km southeast of Manuae, its nearest neighbor.
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Geography
Maupihaa atoll is roughly 8 km in length and contains a lagoon that is up to 40 m in depth and is surrounded by submerged reefs on three sides[1]. The atoll's outer reefs are continuous except for a small passage on the western side of the atoll. The eastern side consists of a narrow, thickly vegetated, islet (Motu Maupihaa) and a number of smaller islets bring the total land area of Maupihaa to 2.6 km². The only village on the atoll is located on Motu Maupihaa and as of 1985, the population consisted of just 10 people[2].
History
Maupihaa Atoll was inhabited in very ancient times by Polynesians; archaeological remains and fish hooks have been found. The first European to arrive on Maupihaa, along with neighboring Fenua Ura and Motu One, was Samuel Wallis in 1767. In 1917, the atoll was leased to a Papeete company, with three employees making copra, and raising pigs and chickens and collecting turtles. It was later leased to another copra company and entirely planted with coconut palms.
Also in 1917, Count Felix von Luckner visited the island and established a small colony, via the SMS Seeadler, during his voyage to raid Allied shipping in the South Pacific during the First World War. The purpose of the stop was to make repairs to the Seedler's hull after a long journey through the Atlantic ocean and around South America. SMS Seeadler was too large to enter Mopelia lagoon, therefore she was anchored on the outside of the atoll. After a short time, rough seas and wind caused the Seeadler to run aground on Mopelia's reef, leaving Luckner and about 50 others marooned. Some of the stranded sailors were American POWs captured on the ocean by Luckner's raiders. Eventually Luckner chose a few men and rigged a long boat with a sail to journey about 2000 miles to the Fiji islands where Luckner intended to capture another sailing ship and go back and rescue the remaining seamen on Mopelia. The plan did not work very well, however, Luckner was able to reach his destination only to surrender to a British lieutenant. Felix von Luckner spent the rest of the Great War as a POW in New Zealand, while the rest of his crew captured a French schooner, Lutece, which called at Mopelia, and sailed it to Easter Island arriving on 4 October and running aground there, after which they were interned by the Chilean authorities. Four American seamen then sailed an open boat 1600 km to Pago Pago, where they arranged for their colleagues' rescue from Mopelia.
Administration
The atoll is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Maupiti, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands. Presently Maupihaa is listed as permanently uninhabited.
Alternate names
- Mopelia
- Maupelia
- Mopihaa
- Maupihoa
- Mapetia
References
- ^ "Society Islands - Maupihaa". oceandots.com. 2007-01-14. http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/society/maupihaa.php.
- ^ "Living Archipelagos - Proposed Sites". livingarchipelagos.org. 2007-01-14. http://www.livingarchipelagos.org/sitepage.asp?name=Mopelia%20Atoll.
External links
Coordinates: 16°48′S 153°57′W / 16.8°S 153.95°W
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