Wallis (island)

For the chiefdom of the island, see Uvea (Wallis and Futuna).
Kingdom of ʻUvea
Puleʻaga Hau ʻo ʻUvea
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité"
(Motto of France)
Capital
and largest city		Matāʻutu
13°16′S 176°12′W / 13.267°S 176.200°W / -13.267; -176.200
Official languages
Demonym Wallisian
Government Overseas collectivity
 •  King (Lavelua) Kapeliele Faupala
 •  Prime Minister (Kalae Kivalu) Setefano Hanisi
 •  Bishop of Diocese Ghislain de Rasilly
Traditional customary kingdom
 •  Overseas collectivity 29 July 1961 
Area
 •  Total 96 km2 (211th)
29.93 sq mi
 •  Water (%) negligible
Population
 •  2008 estimate 10,731
 •  Density 111,36/km2
149.9/sq mi
Currency CFP franc
Time zone (UTC+12)
Drives on the right
Calling code +681
Internet TLD .wf

Wallis (Wallisian: ʻUvea) is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity (collectivité d'outre-mer, or COM) of Wallis and Futuna.

Geography

The island has an area of 77,5 km² and a circumference of c. 50 km. Its highest point is Mount Lulu Fakahega (131 m). There are also a handful of large lakes such as Lake Lalolalo, a sign of the island's volcanic origin, some of them almost perfect circles and with straight vertical walls, like Lalolalo, Lanu'tavake.

Lake Lalolalo

Uvea is located 240 km northeast of Futuna and Alofi islands. Together with some 15 smaller islands surrounding it, on its huge barrier reef, it forms the Wallis archipelago. Wallis has a fertile volcanic soil and sufficient rainfall to allow subsistence farming.

Uvea is subdivided into three districts (north to south):

Map of the Uvea Islands
District ("meaning") Capital Area
(km²) 		Population
(2003 census) 		Villages
Hihifo ("West") Vaitupu 23.4 2422 5
Hahake ("East") Matāʻutu 27.8 3950 6
Mu'a ("First") Mala'efo'ouA 26.3 3699 10
'Uvea (Wallis) chiefdom Matāʻutu 77.5 10071 21

A Formerly called "Mua".

Sub-equatorial oceanic trade wind, hot and humid . The average temperature is around 26 °C (79 °F) all year round and there is almost never drops below 24 °C (75 °F), and in the rainy season is held in the mark 28–32 °C (82–90 °F).

Rainfall is 2500–3000 mm per year in 4000 to Wallis and Futuna mm . This rain is likely at least 260 days in a year, and the humidity is 80%. The rainy season lasts from November to April. For the same period (November to March) and the season of storms have associated with the passage over the territory of the islands of powerful tropical cyclones. A few more cool and dry season - May to October–December - due to the predominance of this period, the south- east trade winds .

History

Archaeological excavations have identified sites on Wallis dating from circa 1400 AD. It was part of the Tongan maritime empire from around the 13th to 16th century. By that time the influence of the Tuʻi Tonga had declined so much that ʻUvea became important in itself. Several current, high ranking Tongan titles, like Halaevalu, trace their descent from ʻUvea. A legendary large canoe, the Lomipeau, was built on the island as a donation to the Tuʻi Tonga. The big fortress of Talietumu close to Lotoalahi in Mua was the last holdout of the Tongans until they were defeated. The ruins of the place are still a tourist attraction:

The island was renamed "Wallis" after a Cornish navigator, Captain Samuel Wallis, who discovered it while sailing the HMS Dolphin on 16 August 1767, following his discovery of Tahiti.[1]

Ruins of the fortress of Talietumu

On 5 April 1842, the authorities of Wallis Island requested protection by France with a protectorate treaty signed in April 1887.[2]

During World War II the island's administration was pro-Vichy until a Free French corvette from New Caledonia deposed the regime on 26 May 1942. Units of the US Marine Corps landed on Wallis on 29 May 1942.[3]

After a referendum in 1959, Wallis became a French Overseas Territory in 1961.

Demographics

The population of the island was 10,071 in 2003 (67% of the territory's population). Most of the inhabitants speak ʻUvean (or Wallisian) as their mother tongue.

Culture and religion

Religion ("Lotu") and culture ("Aga'ifenua") are very close in Wallis. Everyday life is heavily influenced by Polynesian traditions and especially by the Roman Catholic Feasts. Each Village has its own Patron Saint. Each District has its Great Church. (the Chief Cathedral is Cathedral of Mata-Utu). Almost all the people are Roman Catholic ("Lotu Katolika"), and there are numerous religious buildings on the island.

At their arrival, Catholic missionaries were welcomed by the King Vaimua Lavelua then baptized "Soane-Patita Vaimua". Bishop Bataillon developed close relationships with the Royal Families, as Private Councellar of the Queen Amelia, he established in 1847 the "Lano Seminary". (First Catholic Seminary of Oceania). Lano celebrated 150 years in 1997, the Anniversary was also attended by Samoan Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, who studied there in the 1940s, and big delegation from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and New-Caledonia.

Wallis and Futuna was Established as Apostolic Vicariate on 11 November 1935 and promoted as Diocese on 21 June 1966.

Transportation

The only commercial flights that go to Wallis are operated by the New Caledonia based Aircalin. There is an Aircalin office in Matāʻutu in Hahake.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Hawkesworth et al, Volume 1, p 498
  2. ↑ http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Wallis_Futuna2.shtml
  3. ↑ p.213 Rottman, Gordon L. U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939-1945 Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002

References

External links

Coordinates: 13°16′S 176°12′W / 13.267°S 176.200°W / -13.267; -176.200

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