The volcanic island of ‘Ata, Tonga.
Six Tongans aged 13 to 19 ran away to have an adventure, but ended up stranded on a desert island. It was nothing like “Lord of the Flies”.
Quando Luke Veikoso, “Stephen” Tevita Fatai Latu, Sione Fataua, “David” Tevita Siolaʻa, Kolo Fekitoa e “Mano” Sione Filipe Totau, com idades between 13 and 19 years oldthey ran away from the boarding school where they studied, in the capital of Tonga, they never thought they would become famous.
The six boys from Nuku’alofa set out with dreams of sailing to Fiji or New Zealand. They stole a boat and ventured out, but a storm changed their plans: tearing the sail pushed them south that June 1965: the teenagers were adrift in the pacificwithout sail, without rudder, without map, without compass, for a week.
On the eighth day, the group saw land. On the desert island of ‘Atato everyone’s surprise, the six young people would survive for 15 months until they were rescued, by “miracle”.
What we know about his experience comes from his own accounts. And the various photographs seen on social media are photos of the moment of rescue and of subsequent reconstructions made on the island where it all happened.
The Tongans recalled that they soon made a covenant when they found themselves stranded in ‘Ata: do not conflict and help each other. And they created simple rules to maintain order. They began and ended the day with songs and prayers, divided tasks and discussed problems in groups.
The six said it was this organization which allowed them to transform an isolated island into a habitable space. They built a shelter covered with woven coconut leaves and improvised beds with banana leaves. Inside the volcanic crater of ʻAta they found traces of the island’s ancient inhabitants and some useful resources.
A food began to depend on what they could collect and hunt: fruits, fish, coconuts, birds and seabird eggs.
One of the biggest challenges was being able to fogo: It took them about three months to achieve it, but that’s what allowed them to survive the 15 months until rescue.
Everyone participated in the cultivation and preparation of food, everyone helped keep the fire going and everyone took on responsibilities, according to the reports.
The rescue actually took place, in September 1966. Australian Peter Warner was sailing on a fishing boat when he passed close to ʻAta and when viewing the island with binoculars, he saw areas of burnt land: he thought it was strange. Shortly after, he saw a boy and was spotted by the boys. One of them got on the boat, introduced himself and explained that there were six of them and that they believed they had been there for 15 months.
Warner radioed Nuku’alofa to confirm the story. On the other side, total shock: The boys had been presumed dead, and their families had already held funerals for them.
Upon arriving in the capital, the teenagers were detained because the owner of the stolen boat wanted to press charges. The Australian who ended up intervening, remembers: he sold the rights to the story to an Australian television company to pay compensation to the owner of the vessel.
