P. L 
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ROBERT o. STANDEN DRAFT P. L 
TONGAREVA ATOLL DESCRIPTION 
Tongqreva Atoll is located 1800 nautical miles 
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due southof Oahu. Itis situated 9 South of the 
equator at longitude 158° West. The nearest land 
is Rakahanga Island n i^5 i railes WSW. There are 
about 600 people living in two villages on opposite 
sides of the lagoon^§ miles apart. ^he lagoon 
measures 14 statute miles ling NW*SE and is about 
4 3 miles around. It is a circular atoll with sever 
al teftta#? tea?*is lacated on the south 
side of West Pass. The people are very friendly an 
and willing to trade all sorts of native crafts for 
clothing or money. Pearl shell is used in many 
items and is quite beautiful. There is a XX school 
and a Catholic and Morman churches. 
The n.tives who ar descendants of the Mauri 
natives of New Zealand, grow sweet potatoes, banana 
s, coconuts, papaya, and raise pigs and chickens. 
Fishing adds the only other meat to theier diet 
and the people have built many small sailing craft 
for this purpose. Wood for these and for building 
houses has been frought in from New Zealand and 
Australia. The people appear to ahave little 
culture of their own, living in thatched roof 
houses with cement walls arid luvef*e§ S windows. ' 
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They also havk some electricity but most people 
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use kerosene lanterns for light. 
The village was very clean. There were some dogs 
and cats. The wet climate seems to agree with 
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the flies and mosquitows however. 
There is a new coral runway on the southern-most 
" '■ 1 iiT wwt. i .1 . , 
