Tui Tokelau Coral Slab
An upright coral slab on Fakaofo, the focus of worship before Christianity.
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Before missionaries reached Tokelau the atolls worshipped Tui Tokelau, and on Fakaofo the god was represented by a slab of coral set upright in the village and dressed with fine mats at the annual ceremony. The slab is still standing. It is one of very few physical traces of the pre-Christian religion left anywhere in the group, and it sits among the houses on Fale rather than apart from them.
What you actually see
- The upright slab - the coral stone standing in the village.
- The pre-Christian role - the focus of worship before the missions.
- The village setting - the stone standing among the houses.
- The rarity - one of few such traces surviving in Tokelau.
When to go
May to October is drier and calmer. Ships from Samoa run every few weeks at best. The stone is there year round.
Honest expectations
This is a site of real significance to the community and not a curiosity; ask before approaching or photographing. Fale islet is small and crowded. There is no interpretation of any kind.
Nearby
Fenua Fala is across the lagoon, and the village is around it.
What to pack for Tui Tokelau Coral Slab
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.