In 1819 an American Captain of the sea, Arent de Peyster, was passing by. His ship was owned by Englishman and politician Edward Ellice, and so it was named Ellice Island.
Peruvians arrived in 1863 and loaded 450 Tuvalu onto their ship as slaves, dropping the male Tuvalu population by 80 per cent. Then Brit George Frederick Ernest Albert decided in 1916 that the Gilbert Islanders should be part of the Ellice Islanders, even though they are very different people.
Gilbert Islanders are Micronesians while Tuvalu is a part of Polynesia.
Gilbert Islanders also outnumbered the Tuvalu six to one. It would be like merging the British and the Russians as one people.
Then the British decided that Tokelau should be part of the Gilbert Ellice mix, making a complete colonial mess. In 1926 Britain handed it over to New Zealand to run.
The name Tuvalu means eight standing - tu, to stand, and valu, eight, (the number of islands). In the 1950s Niulakita island was added making it in actual fact nine (iva) islands.
The language is very similar to Māori.
As with the Tuvaluan language, Tuvalu the country is also endangered, a nation home that is gradually disappearing. Waves are washing over Tuvalu and salt water infiltration has spoiled many kai pits and gardens. Sea levels have risen and are continuously on the rise due the impact of climate change.
The future of Tuvalu is in the hands of global leaders.
Rains, winds and storms were a seasonal thing around November, but now besiege the country all year round.
Tuvalu's past Prime Minister Saufatu Sopo'aga once said he was "deeply dismayed that industrialised nations do not share their concern".
Tuvalu, a country without traffic lights, is placed in an unjustified position by the large powers of the world.
These major powers, with all resources of the world to build themselves up and maintain themselves as an economic base, have done so at the expense of others.
Tuvalu has not created this situation, yet the people there face "imminent evacuation".
A perfect tropical Pacific Island postcard, the true Tuvalu picture is now far from perfect.
Tuvalu, he mihi tangi, he mihi aroha.
* Te Hira Henderson is the curator for Taonga Māori at MTG Hawke's Bay.
