Customer Reviews

The Book of Puka-Puka: A Lone Trader On a South Seas Atoll

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I am the President of the Pukapuka people in New Zealand. I was born [1960] and raised on the island atoll of Pukapuka in the northern group of the Cook Islands.

Pukapuka lies 10.53 degrees due South by 165.49 degrees due West. Readers should not be confused with another island of the same name in the Tuamotu archipelago, French Polynesia. Please also note the correct spelling of the name, Pukapuka.

Commodore John Byron of the British ship "HMS Dolphin" sighted Pukapuka in 1765 but could not land due to rough waves breaking across the coral reef, named Pukapuka "Isles of Danger" or Danger Island as it is sometimes shown on nautical maps.

Ropati[Robert], has captured for me a panoramic glimpse of my 'tupuna' [ancestors]. Several of the charaters in his book are in my geneology. In fact William the heathen is actually my great great grand father who passed away at the age of 116. Through the genes in my body I proud to be their link into the future.

Ropati, through his marrige to Nga has contributed to the survival of our people which is estimated to be around 5000 worldwide.

Our people will always be greatful to Ropati for the part he played in the recording of our culture through his writings, much of which I would love to get my hands on particularly the articles he wrote for The Atlantic Monthly 1928 - 1936. Would appreciate any help and please look us up.

One small correction: Puka-Puka is *not* in French Polynesia, but in the northern group of Cook Islands (NZ).And an expansion: The author's daughter, Florence Frisbie, a.k.a. Whiskey Johnnie, a.k.a. Tiani, herself wrote two books of enduring interest on this and allied subjects: *Miss Ulysses of Puka-Puka* and *The Frisbies of the South Seas.* The former was described by her father, accurately enough for its time, as the first book ever published by a native Polynesian.Whether she is still alive I do not know. (She would be about 67.) If so, she still owes us a third book, on the historical and navigational chants of the old-timers.

If you want to learn more about Frisbie, stuff that will break your heart, read the final chapter in "The Forgotten One and other true tales of the South Seas" by James Normal Hall. Hall was the first person to meet Frisbie when the latter stepped off the boat in Tahiti, and remained Frisbie's mentor and friend for almost 40 years. Frisbie sacrificed his life for a book he never wrote, and left his four kids orphans. Hall also mentions that Frisbie actually wrote the two books credited to his daughter.

Frisbie's account (as much as it can be accepted as fact) provides a personal view of one who actually was able to "escape" post WWI western culture, and live an island life many have dreamed of.

This book reveals many day to day details of life on this island during his stay. The accounts of the actions, words and customs of the Pukapuka people is detailed, and will provide readers interested in the pre-western island era an enjoyable 2 - 3 hours reading.

Frisbie's tone at times is a little less than inviting; you can almost sense an attitude of "I have escaped, but you haven't..." Some may find this fascinating, as it is human nature to desire to be set apart from the crowd. This spirit in which the book was written adds an interesting undertone and food for thought, especially upon repeated readings.

Even as an "escapee", Frisbie's life was anything but a success, but this book continues to be a fresh picture into island ways.

Any who longs to escape, and has not yet read Black and White by Eguene Burdick, might find it a thought provoking alternate to Frisbie's enjoyable, but by no means complete, snapshot of the Pacific in the early part of this century.

This was one of the best books I've ever read. The book is a long narrative of past events and times that Robert Frisbie spent on Puka Puka, one of the most secluded atolls of the Cook Islands. If anyone out there has read and enjoyed "An Island to Oneself" by Tom Neale (of Suwarrow fame), then I HIGHLY recommend this book.
Some of Frisbie's descriptions of the atoll itself left me wanting to be there more than anything in the world. He really allows the reader to see just how splendid Puka Puka is.
As a warning I would say DON'T read this book UNLESS you are 100% secure with where you are right now...by the time you're done with it, you'll be looking for your own private island.

I just came back from Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, where I read The Book of Puka Puka, and met Johnnie Frisbie, his daughter. The book contains wonderful stories from Maori history and culture on an island that had not been wrecked by the English missionaries.
Johnnie would like to republish her books, but they are out of print now. Any ideas on how to get a copy?

A long time ago when I was in Second Grade, I found these two words, on a globe, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean: Puka Puka. After I researched it, I looked up "Puka Puka" on Amazon.com, and asked my librarian to do a world search for it. Finally it was found in the Providence, Rhode Island Public Library. I reccomended this book to my friend, who loved it, and wrote a review of it here. And so, The Book of Puka Puka came into my life.

The book begins with Ropati (Robert Dean Frisbie,South Sea Trader), sailing with Captain Viggo to Puka Puka, where Ropati decides to reside. He soon goes native and takes part in many of the Puka Pukan customs, and learns the Island's way of life. Ropati finds happiness in this isolated atoll, and has many amazing adventures, which are thrilling to read about.

The Book of Puka Puka is made up of 29 chapters, each approximatly 15 pages long. The book is 356 pages long-I wish it was longer-It never gets boring,because it's packed with adventures,and, you can't put it down.

Puka Puka, itself, is an island in French Polynesia, due south from the Alaska-Canada border, and directly west from Brasilia, Brazil. Puka Puka is a small coral atoll, not far from Tahiti, and is also known as Danger Island. It is about 1000 miles south of the Equator.

reviewed by: Oziak Ikswonsauce (also known as Kazio).

The book of Puka Puka is a great glimse of polenesain life. At the time the book was written(1929) the pacific was still viewed as a mysterious paridise. I find the life of Robert dean Frisbie much more interesting. As an American living in the cook islands,he did what many people wished the could do-leave the rat race and life on an exotic island.

"The book of Pukapuka" is a beautiful book. I have travelled around the world, lived abroad, and been to the Cook islands(Aitutaki and Rarotonga) twice and i have fantasized very often about doing what Frisbie did in the 30's. I had enough of the so called "civilized" society, its falsity and its rules. That's what i have always felt since i was a kid.So far i have always done what i felt inside of me and want to go on like that. This book is so refreshing, so true in its simplicity.
My favourite chapter is when Frsibie describes his encounter with the new resident agent on the island, who wanted to impose his "western values" on the indigenous people's lifestyle, without success. Frisbie criticizes openly the missionary values imposed on the atoll inhabitants. The indigenous people, having been colonized by christianity have partly lost their istinctive side, their ingenuity and part of their customs. . the book is a spark of youth, intelligent account of the life on the island of Pukapuka. even if written many years ago, the book is incredibly modern and written with a very simple, straight and young style. sorry for the "personal" viewpoint in this review but i felt so connected with what Frisbie wrote that i had to say it...

"THESE memories of a few of my years

on Puka-Puka are dedicated to the man

who urged me to write them down

JAMES NORMAN HALL" - Robert Dean Frisbie

Robert Dean Frisbie became a noteworthy author and individual following his move from California to the Tahiti in the early 1920s. Being an appreciator of tropical islands and of solitude, Mr. Frisbie settled in the Cook Islands in 1924 on the Island of Puka Puka producing his first literary work of consequence immortalizing his island in this, THE BOOK OF PUKA PUKA.

Despite embracing South Sea isolation, the Author's publications became very well known in the 1930s with portions appearing first in serial form in Atlantic Magazine. Presently the original First Editions are true collection pieces, prize additions to any South Sea Library. Jean Souza, MANDARIN BOOKS HAWAII, Hilo Hawaii