Ua Huka

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Ua-Huka
Commune
Location of the commune (in red) within the Marquesas Islands
Location of the commune (in red) within the Marquesas Islands
Location of Ua-Huka
Coordinates: 8°54′S 139°33′W / 8.90°S 139.55°W / -8.90; -139.55Coordinates: 8°54′S 139°33′W / 8.90°S 139.55°W / -8.90; -139.55
CountryFrance
Overseas collectivityFrench Polynesia
SubdivisionMarquesas Islands
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Nestor Ohu[1]
Area
1
83.4 km2 (32.2 sq mi)
Population
 (2017)
674
 • Density8.1/km2 (21/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−09:30
INSEE/Postal code
98756 /98744
Elevation0–857 m (0–2,812 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Ua Huka is one of the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is situated in the northern group of the archipelago, approximately 25 mi (40 km) to the east of Nuku Hiva, at

 WikiMiniAtlas
8°54′S 139°33′W / 8.900°S 139.550°W / -8.900; -139.550.

Name[]

Ua Huka is sometimes also found spelled Roohka or Ua Huna. The first Western navigator to sight the island was U.S. Navy Capt. Joseph Ingraham in 1791. He named the island "Washington Island" in honor of U.S. President George Washington, a name which was eventually extended to include all of the northern group of the Marquesas Islands. Other names for the island include Riou and Solide. See also Names of the Marquesas Islands. The spider genus Uahuka is named after this island.

History[]

Although Ua Huka is located in the northern Marquesas, historically, culturally and linguistically the island's tribes were far more closely aligned with the southern Marquesas Islands, especially with the tribes from Pepane, in the eastern half of Hiva Oa.

Ua Huka was settled by Polynesians about 1700 years ago. The first settlers lived in settlements near the beach. At Hane, a French archaeological team explored in 1998 remains of settlements buried by a dune. It is the oldest settlement in the Marquesas so far, dating to 350 AD.5 Researchers found seventeen human skeletons, fishhooks, a harpoon point, net weights and scrapers. From the detritus of the settlement, it appears that the indigenous people fed mainly on fish, birds (skeletons of a dozen extinct bird species have been found) and shellfish.[2]

As in other islands of the Marquesas, as population density increased, people settled in the upper reaches of the valleys and, favored by the enclosed location, a strictly stratified tribal society developed. From the places of worship in the valleys, it can be seen that there must have been at least five independent tribes, possibly more.[3]

Archaeological remains of cult and residential platforms are still visible in the Vaipaee, Hanei, Hokatu, Hinaehi and Hane valleys.

American merchant captain Joseph Ingraham, who sailed on the brig Hope from Boston around Cape Horn to China, discovered Ua Huka on April 19, 1791 and named it "Washington Island" in honor of U.S. President George Washington.

Another early 18th century visitor was the Frenchman Étienne Marchand. He sailed from Marseilles on December 14, 1790 on the newly built merchant ship Solide, rounded Cape Horn and arrived at the Marquesas in June 1791. He named Ua Huka "Île du Solide" in honor of his ship.

Lieutenant Richard Hergest, commander of the Daedalus, the supply ship of the Vancouver expedition, arrived at Ua Huka on March 30, 1792 and christened it "Riou Island".

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

Geography[]

The island is shaped approximately like a crescent, with its concave edge facing the south. The land area is approximately 83 km2 (32 sq. mi.). The center of the island is a high plateau, deeply indented in places by narrow river valleys. The highest peak, Hitikau reaches an elevation of 884 metres (2,900 ft). Much of the island's native plant cover, which outside the valleys consists primarily of dryland scrub, has been devastated by herds of feral goats and horses, which are estimated to number upwards of 3,000.

Ua Huka is a shield volcano that was emplaced between 2.2 and 2.4 million years ago. It is thought to have formed by a center of upwelling magma called the Marquesas hotspot. The island is served by Ua Huka Airport.

In contrast to the lush, larger islands of the Marquesas, Ua Huka gives a rather arid and forbidding impression, the vegetation is sparse. The rugged peaks are not as high as those of the other islands of the archipelago, about 600 m in the west and up to 800 m in the east. The highest elevation is Mount Hitikau, at 857 meters. The lower overall altitude means less cloud rainfall. Ua Huka has a much drier climate than the neighboring islands. A large part of the island is made up of extensive, arid plateaus and deep, fertile valleys in which settlements are also found.

The coast, very rugged, is not protected by a coral reef, so the strong waves come directly to the shores. There are several rocky islets (motus) off the main island. Motu Hane ♁♁ is especially spectacular. It is a 163-meter-high, sugarloaf-shaped rock cone off Hane Bay on the south coast. The island is 410 meters long in a north-south direction and up to 210 meters wide, and lies 250 meters south of the Tekaepa headland, which separates the Hane and Hokatu valleys.

Geology[]

Ua Huka is formed by the northern half of two interlocking volcanoes.

The first caldera, about 10 km in diameter, contains the Vaipaee valley. The second caldera, included in the eastern half of the first, reaches 857 meters at Mount Hitikau, the highest point on the island. Its diameter is about 5 km and its age is estimated to be between 2.9 and 2.8 million years old. It contains the Hane and Hokatu valleys.

The island then underwent another volcanic period in the southwest (Tepeopo scoriaceous volcano and Tahoatikihau Hawaiian volcano) dated around 1.6 - 1.4 Ma. This shows a long geological activity compared to the other islands, at least 1.5 Ma.

Tahoatikihau crater contains a fossil lava lake. At the western end of the island there are several sea caves.

Flora[]

The vegetation of the plateaus of Ua Huka is poorer than that of the other Marquesan islands. Especially the northwestern part of the island, corresponding to the outer side of the large crater.

Unlike the plateaus and hills, the valleys have a much more exuberant vegetation, similar to that of the other islands of the archipelago. This diversity has been enhanced by the creation of the Papuakeikaa arboretum near Vaipaee. This unique achievement in Polynesia brings together more than a thousand species of trees from all over the world, including one of the largest collections of citrus trees in the world (almost three hundred varieties). It is intended to serve as a reserve for the reforestation of the island.

The impoverishment of the vegetation is largely due to domestic animals introduced by man, which have then been reintroduced into the wild. Goats, pigs and horses have largely destroyed the vegetation. Ua Huka proudly calls itself the "Island of Horses", but the serious damage they have caused is hidden.

In the valleys there are small remnants of the original rainforest, consisting of Hibiscus tiliaceus, Piper latifolium and Metrosideros and Weinmannia. In the humid and shady areas of the narrow gorges grow lush masses of moss and ferns. In the west of the island, the rainforest changes to a drier forest, composed mainly of hibiscus, pandanus, guavas and glochidion. In the lower areas of the large valleys, coconut and breadfruit trees have been planted. There is still a remnant of Pisonia grandis in the lower reaches of Hane Bay.[4]

The short valleys of the north coast are almost devoid of vegetation, and the upper parts of the mountains are even arid and desert-like.

Fauna[]

Because of the sparse vegetation, there are only a few species of native land animals on Ua Huka, mainly insects, lizards, land birds and spiders. The island has given its name to a genus of spiders endemic to the Marquesas, which belongs to the canopy spider family (Linyphiidae).

This is due to two main factors: the drier climate and the large number of goats and horses that graze freely there, contributing to deforestation. Ua Huka is also known as the "horse island" and it is said that there are more horses than people on the island. The number of horses and goats is said to be around 3,000.[5]

Life is richer around the island: giant tortoises in Haavei Bay, sharks, dolphins, manta rays and thousands of seabirds live on the islets. In particular, Hemeni and Teuaua, also known as the "bird islands", are home to a large colony of terns. The Polynesian Ornithological Society "MANU" lists 35 species of birds on Ua Huka, 16 marine and 17 terrestrial, 8 of which are endemic.[6]

Its forests also contain the last specimens of the Monarch butterfly.[7]

There are six endemic and critically endangered[8] landbird species in Ua Huka:

As for large animals, there are only species introduced by man: horses, goats and feral pigs.

Administration[]

Administratively Ua Huka forms the commune (municipality) of Ua-Huka, part of the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas Islands.[9] This commune consists solely of the island of Ua Huka itself.[10]

The administrative centre of the commune is the settlement of Hane.[10]

Demography[]

Its population was 674 at the 2017 census.[11] There are three villages: Vaipaee, Hane, and Hokatu.

Population[]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
2002582—    
2007570−2.1%
2012621+8.9%
2017678+9.2%

Economy[]

Although the primary economic activity remains the production of copra, Ua Huka has rich resources for tourism, including restorations of various archæological sites, museums displaying the former glory of Marquesan civilization, and the preservation of the island's unique flora. Among the archæological remains at sites such as and are ancient petroglyphs and thousands of bird bones.[12] The consists of 42 acres (17 ha) planted with over 300 species of trees. It is hoped that one day this wealth of species will be able to be used to reforest the island. On the western end of the island are found a number of sea-caves.

References[]

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. ^ ----↑ Eric Conte: Current Research on the Island of Ua Huka, Marquesas Archipelago, French Polynesia. In: Asian Perspectives. Band 41, Nr. 2, Honolulu 2002, S. 258–268.
  3. ^ Ralph Linton: Archaeology of the Marquesas Islands. Honolulu 1925, S. 119–129.
  4. ^ Dieter Mueller-Dombois, Raymond Fosberg: Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands. New York 1998, S. 456–457.
  5. ^ Chiffre invérifiable, mais fréquemment avancé.
  6. ^ « Oiseaux de Ua Huka » [archive], sur http://www.manu.pf/ [archive], MANU Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie
  7. ^ Référence UICN : espèce Pomarea iphis
  8. ^ List of the “protected areas” of French Polynesia. Société d’Ornithologie de Polynésie, archiviert vom Original am 20. Oktober 2012; abgerufen am 23. Dezember 2015.
  9. ^ Décret n° 2005-1611 du 20 décembre 2005 pris pour l'application du statut d'autonomie de la Polynésie française, Légifrance
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française, Légifrance
  11. ^ Répartition de la population en Polynésie française en 2017, Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française
  12. ^ Reaka-Kudla, Marjorie L.; Wilson, Don E.; Wilson, Edward O. (30 September 1996). Biodiversity II: Understanding and Protecting Our Biological Resources. Joseph Henry Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-309-52075-1.
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