Raivavae


Raivavae is one of the Austral Islands in French Polynesia. Its total land area including offshore islets is. At the 2017 census it had a population of 903. The island is of volcanic origin, and rises to elevation at Mont Hiro.

History

Carbon-dating of archaeological remains allows settlement of these islands to be traced back to AD 1200–1450. The remains of some 100 marae platforms have been found on Ra`ivavae, at least 25 of them orientated to the rising and setting points of significant stars – a phenomenon potentially linked to the island's proximity to the Tropic of Capricorn. More than 60 huge stone tiki statues once stood on this island. The first sighting by Europeans was recorded by the Spanish naval officer Tomás Gayangos on board of the frigate "El Aguila" on 5 February 1775. Gayangos had taken over the command of the expedition of Domingo de Bonechea of 1774 after his death in Tahiti and was returning to the Viceroyalty of Peru. The main source describing this sighting is that of José Andía y Varela, pilot of the packet boat Jupiter that accompanied El Aguila in this return trip. On 6 February a boat was sent in, and made contact with the inhabitants at the shore edge, but landing was not made. Raivavae was charted as Santa Rosa by the Spaniards. The inhabitants said the name of their island was Oraibaba.
It was annexed by France in 1880.

Administration

The islands of Raivavae are administratively within the commune with the same name. Raivavae consists of the following associated communes: