If you ask Manongi Latham what she does for a living you are most likely to hear a very modest ‘i weave’ and even that is an understatement as she and other ladies on Penrhyn produce some of the finest rito hats and other handicrafts made from finely woven pandanus fibers.

A normal day for Manongi starts at 4:45 am in pitch darkness as the island’s generator only wakes up later, to prepare for church. Powerful hymns that nearly lift the roof of Tongareva’s beautiful CICC church accompany prayers for god to bless another day under the sun in this remote corner of the south pacific. Coming back from church Manongi stops home briefly to cook a delicious breakfast for her somewhat unannounced visitors then picks up the phone to relay the daily readings from the weather station she manages for her husband who has gone to ‘neighbouring’ Manihiki Atoll to repair Navigation Equipment for Aircraft.

That done and dusted she is off to open the local Telecom Shop. Recent introduction of cell phones and reliable internet services ensure this to be a busy job as well. Any break including lunch break is used to nip back home to sell fuel and other bare essentials from a congregation of chiller storage containers at her home. Based on the intricately woven Rito hats that are made out of pandanus fibers bleached by a combination of seawater and equatorial sun to have the appearance of fine canvas many late afternoons must have been spent weaving these as well.

Flying to these remote and far-flung atolls proves to be very challenging. All Airstrips are unsealed already severely limiting the number of Aircraft that can even fly there at all. Add to that the remoteness, lack of alternative airports, flying over vast expenses of ocean and the cost and logistical challenge of having fuel for the return trip available and it becomes clear that despite their stunning beauty, excellent diving and friendly people those atolls will remain untouched….