According to abbreviationfinder, the Collectivity of Wallis and Futuna (French: Collectivité de Wallis et Futuna) is a group of three tropical islands of volcanic origin located in the South Pacific Ocean, between Fiji and Samoa. The Futuna coastline, devoid of beaches, is rocky and wild, without any kind of concession. The Wallis lagoon is home to a large number of desert islands with beautiful beaches.
History
- Between 1500 and 500 BC, Wallis and Futuna are populated with populations originating from New Caledonia.
- In the 15th century, Futuna passed into the hands of Samoa and populations from Tonga invaded Wallis.
- In 1616, the Dutch explorers Jacques Le Maire and William Schouten discovered the archipelago.
- In 1767, the British navigator Samuel Wallis, having discovered Tahiti, arrived on the island that bears his name.
- In 1887, Wallis became a French protectorate. Futuna will do the same a year later.
- In 1961, the archipelago became an Overseas Territory of France.
- In 1993, Wallis and Futuna suffered a major earthquake.
- In 2002, Christian Job is elected Administrator of Wallis and Futuna.
- In January 2004, the law on secularism was put into practice (which prohibits the wearing of any religious symbol in public schools).
Geography
Located in the Pacific Ocean, between the Fiji Islands to the west, Samoa to the east and the Tonga Islands to the southeast, Wallis and Futuna is a group of three tropical islands of volcanic origin, on the way between Hawaii and New Zealand. See Wallis and Futuna facts.
The territory is divided into three traditional kingdoms: Uvea, on the island of Wallis; Sigave, in the western part of Futuna; and Alo, on the island of Alofí and in the eastern part of Futuna. Among the geographical attractions, the following stand out: Mount Puké with 524 m, the underwater cave of Loka, and Lake Lalolalo located in the crater of a volcano.
Climate
The climate is tropical, with two seasons. The rainy season is from November to March. During this period it is hot (30 ºC) and the climate is humid, with heavy rains and risks of cyclones. The dry season runs from April to October. The temperatures are more temperate (25 ºC) and the less important precipitations.
Vegetation
Its vegetation is exuberant and offers a mixture of trees: pine, coconut, mango, papaya, along paths that lead to natural landscapes or surprising historical sites. You can also see crater lakes or bathe in waterfalls.
Mountains
Wallis presents a landscape of hills reaching 145 m with Mount Lulu Fakahega. You can take a road that leaves from Mata Utu to reach the top. At the top there is a small chapel.
The highest peak in Futuna is Mount Puke (524 m). It cannot be reached by road, so you have to go on foot, starting from the Vaisei road.
Culture
The culture of the islands is typically Polynesian. Craftsmanship is a women’s business, their expert hands know the secrets of this age-old skill. The most beautiful testimonies of this thousand-year-old artistic tradition are undoubtedly the tapas, bark boards adorned with plant paintings, the sculptures and the shell necklaces.
Traditions
The insulares have the tradition of meeting in the fale fono, huts crowned by a roof of palms, to drink kava. The preparation of this decoction of roots and its consumption obey specific rules. The men are served according to their rank and each member of the assembly drinks in silence, while the others applaud. Kava has several effects: it produces euphoria like alcohol, makes it sensitive to light and can cause hallucinations in case of excessive consumption.
