Atiuans trace their ancestry from Tangaroa, the principal god of Atiu and
universally recognised in Polynesia as tutelary God of the Sea. Atiu's area is
about half that of Rarotonga. The low swampy land consists of taro plantations,
marshes and a lake, Te Roto. This fertile area also grows bananas, citrus
fruits, pawpaws, breadfruit and coconuts. The ancient name of the island was
Enuamanu, meaning the island of insects and animals, although there is some
dispute over whether 'animals' includes 'insects'. The Atiuans understand it as
meaning there were no previous inhabitants. The Atiuans call themselves 'worms
of
