The Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña saw it on the feast day of Saint Bernard, on Sunday 20 August 1595 and named it San Bernardo.
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Thirty years later, Pukapuka was given the name "Isles de la Loutre" (Isles of the Otter) by Pierre François Péron, a French adventurer who was acting as first mate on board the American merchant ship, Otter (Captain Ebenezer Dorr) after it was sighted on 3 April 1796.
Pukapuka |
Probably near Pukapuka (Cook Islands), it met another slaver, the General Prim, which had left Callao in March.
From that point on, the 1st constituency will consist in the communes of Anaa, Arue, Arutua, Fakarava, Fangatau, Fatu-Hiva, Gambier, Hao, Hikueru, Hiva-Oa, Makemo, Manihi, Moorea-Maiao, Napuka, Nuku-Hiva, Nukutavake, Papeete, Pirae, Pukapuka, Rangiroa, Reao, Tahuata, Takaroa, Tatakoto, Tureia, Ua-Huka, and Ua-Pou.
Ten MPs are elected from constituencies on the main island of Rarotonga, three each from the islands of Aitutaki and Mangaia, two from Atiu, and one each from the islands of Manihiki, Mauke, Mitiaro, Penrhyn, Pukapuka and Rakahanga.
Peua was born on Rarotonga and educated at Pukapuka Primary school and Aitutaki Junior High School.