Landmark· Mopelia (Maupiha'a)· French Polynesia — Society Islands
Mopelia Copra Community (gifts & trade)
16° 46.9′ S · 153° 56.4′ W · approximate
A handful of families live on Mopelia making copra, fishing and keeping the atoll. They welcome the few yachts that come and often invite crews to share lobster, fish or coconut crab. Bringing useful gifts is the custom.
Practical
Coordinate is approximate: a house mapped on OSM at the north end of the eastern motu, where Noonsite places the Raioho family. Noonsite (June 2024): about 18 people live along the 8 km main island. Residents are mostly Ma'ohi or French speaking; the daughters speak good English. They appreciate useful gifts, from tobacco and jam to LED bulbs and boat parts. Wikipedia reports 7 residents in August 2023; French Wikipedia says about 20 in 2017 (around ten families) living from copra (30-40 t a year) and pearl oysters, with the supply ship from Maupiti scheduled about twice a year. Go ashore with a gift on your first visit and ask before collecting coconuts, crabs or anything else, because it all belongs to someone. Good gifts: fishing gear, engine oil, tools, batteries, LED bulbs, rice, flour and fresh produce.
Best for
Meeting one of the remotest communities in the Society Islands
Nearby
- Mopelia Landing & Copra EtiquetteRight here
- Mopelia (Maupiha'a) Lagoon Anchorage0.3 NM away
- Mopelia Lagoon Coral Heads & Pearl-Farm Debris1.1 NM away
- Mopelia Access & Protected-Status Check1.2 NM away
- Mopelia Cyclone Season & No-Shelter Warning1.2 NM away
- Mopelia Seabird Nesting Motus (Aveu & Tavae)1.3 NM away
- Mopelia Supply & Self-Sufficiency1.5 NM away
- Mopelia Coconut Crabs1.6 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).