Kao (island)
Encyclopedia
Kao is an island
and stratovolcano
in Tonga
. It reaches 1030 m (3,379 ft) above sea level, the highest point in Tonga. The date of its last eruption is unknown, and fresh lava flows are not seen, but the absence of deep erosion
al gullies or high sea cliffs suggests a very recent origin. It lies about 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Tofua island
. The slopes of the island rise at angles exceeding 35 degrees to the summit
, which has a series of small volcanic craters. The island is densely jungle
d on its lower flanks , while the upper slopes are almost bare.
"Three deities from Samoa, Tuvuvata, Sisi, and Faingaa, conspired to steal Tofua. So they came and tore up the high mountain by its very roots and its place was taken by a large lake. This enraged the Tongan gods very much and one of them, Tafakula, essayed to stop the thieves. He stood on the island of Luahako and bent over so as to show his anus. It shone so brilliantly that the Samoan deities were struck with fear, thinking that the sun was rising and that their dastardly work was about to be revealed. Hence, they dropped the mountain and fled to Samoa. The mountain became the island of Kao."
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
and stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
. It reaches 1030 m (3,379 ft) above sea level, the highest point in Tonga. The date of its last eruption is unknown, and fresh lava flows are not seen, but the absence of deep erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
al gullies or high sea cliffs suggests a very recent origin. It lies about 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Tofua island
Tofua
Tofua Caldera, in Tonga, is the summit caldera of a steep-sided composite cone that forms Tofua Island. Tofua Island is in Tonga's Ha'apai island group. Pre-caldera activity is recorded by a sequence of pyroclastic deposits and lavas constituting the older cone, followed on the northern part of the...
. The slopes of the island rise at angles exceeding 35 degrees to the summit
Summit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
, which has a series of small volcanic craters. The island is densely jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
d on its lower flanks , while the upper slopes are almost bare.
The Oral Tradition of Kao and Tofua
E. W. Gifford, recording Tongan myths and tales in the 19020s, documented this explanation for Tofua's caldera and the creation of Kao Island to the north:"Three deities from Samoa, Tuvuvata, Sisi, and Faingaa, conspired to steal Tofua. So they came and tore up the high mountain by its very roots and its place was taken by a large lake. This enraged the Tongan gods very much and one of them, Tafakula, essayed to stop the thieves. He stood on the island of Luahako and bent over so as to show his anus. It shone so brilliantly that the Samoan deities were struck with fear, thinking that the sun was rising and that their dastardly work was about to be revealed. Hence, they dropped the mountain and fled to Samoa. The mountain became the island of Kao."