The Northern atolls of
Manihiki and Rakahanga are separated by 42 kilometres of sea,
with Rakahanga lying a few points west of due north from Manihiki.
Although they are sister atolls in close proximity to one another,
there are significant geographical differences between the two
islands.
Manihiki is larger and roughly triangular in shape, Rakahanga
is neatly rectangular. Manihiki has the larger population, but
Rakahanga has more fertile soil, producing puraka - a coarse
dry species of taro - breadfruit, pawpaw and bananas. |
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| Rakahanga |
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Manihiki, in contrast,
produces copra, but little in the way of food crops. Today,
the pearl farming industry occupies almost every working age
person on the atoll.
The lagoon is dotted with seeding houses precariously perched
on coral heads, providing the platform for the diving, cleaning
and harvesting of pearl oysters.
Lustrous black pearls, produced in the deep lagoon waters of
Manihiki find their way as finished jewellery, into the fashion
houses of the world. |
 Manihiki
from the Air |
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