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The most far-flung of all the islands under the Cook Islands mantle, Tongareva, also known as Penrhyn, lies 848 miles (1365 km) north-north-east of Rarotonga. It is the largest atoll in the group of 15 islands and has superb lagoon covering 90 square miles (233 sq km) of which 24 (62 sq km) is covered with pearlshell.
And it, as well as Manahiki, is enjoying the fruits of it's booming black pearl industry. Sparsely populated even today, Tongareva history has often been a patchy one - In 1864 the villages were almost depopulated by Peruvian slavers. Some 1,000 men, women, and children are believed to have been taken to South America from this island.
Native pastors of the London Missionary Society had introduced Christianity from Rarotonga in 1854. The new religion had been accepted enthusiastically, and the villagers immediately wanted to build churches. Promise of good pay and safe return from the slavers offered a way to obtain money for churches.
In 1863 some 410 of the total population of about 500 were removed by trickery, the Spanish Peruvian perpetrators being abetted by four native missionary teachers who sold these unfortunates for five dollars a head! But most of those taken never returned, dying in exile as slaves.
Tongareva has had a few different names - Penrhyn came about after the "Lady Penrhyn" commanded by Captain William Cropton Lever who landed on August 8 1788. Another European name was Bennett Island. Accommodation is available and there are regular flights via Air Rarotonga to Tongareva each Saturday from Rarotonga with a brief stop at Aitutaki. Flight time is four hours.
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