Te Ulu-o-Te-Watu

Te Ulu-o-Te-Watu is the traditional name of Pukapuka, an atoll in the northern Cook Islands. Its lagoon is enclosed by reefs and three main islets. Fish and other marine foods, together with crops cultivated on the low islands, supported its inhabitants. Fresh water and productive land were limited, and ocean conditions shaped travel and access to the reef.

Pukapukans maintained a distinct language and traditions within the wider Polynesian world. The traditional name is associated with the island's creation story. Neighboring Nassau was occupied by people from Pukapuka and later used for harvesting and fishing even after settlement there had ceased. In 1765 John Byron sighted Pukapuka and called it the Islands of Danger, reflecting the difficulty of landing through the surf.