Eretoka (also Hat Island, Érétoka, Retoka, Artok) is a small uninhabited island in
Shefa Province
Shefa is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the center of the country and including the islands of Epi and Efate and the Shepherd Islands.
The province's name is derived from the initial letters of SHepherd and EFAte.
It has a popula ...
of
Vanuatu
Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...
in the Pacific Ocean. The island lies off the western coast of
Efate Island. There is a
lighthouse built in the 1960s.
Geography
Eretoka spans 2.3 kilometers in northeast-southwestern direction and has a maximum width of 670 meters. The center of the island forms a cap of coral lime over stratified pumice and is 90 meters high. Around the island center extends a wide and flat area of sand and limestone, which was lifted over the water surface during the last elevation of the seabed. Most of this area is no higher than five meters above sea level.
History
Roy Mata, a powerful 16th-17th century Melanesian chief, was buried in the island. His elaborate grave was proclaimed a taboo and is supposed to contain the bodies of over 25 members of his retinue. The grave was studied by French archaeologist Jose Garranger in 1967, who analyzed the local folklore. In 2008, three sites associated with Roy Mata on the islands of
Efate
Efate (french: Éfaté) is an island in the Pacific Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu. It is also known as Île Vate.
Geography
It is the most populous (approx. 66,000) island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanu ...
,
Lelepa and Eretoka, were made
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
.
"Chief Roi Mata’s Domain"
UNESCO
References
{{authority control
Islands of Vanuatu
Shefa Province
Uninhabited islands of Vanuatu