Researchers have reported the possible existence of the lost island of Teonimanu, referred to as the «real Atlantis.» According to local legends, the island was part of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean and was home to hundreds of people more than 300 years ago. Professor Patrick Nunn from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia claims that «two or three islands may have disappeared very quickly several hundred years ago.»
According to Nunn, Teonimanu most likely disappeared between the late 16th and late 18th centuries. During this period, Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña and his English counterpart James Cook were in the region. In his 2009 book «Vanished Islands and Hidden Continents of the Pacific,» Nunn emphasizes that these stories, despite their myths, may contain a kernel of truth.
Although Teonimanu has long disappeared, its story continues. Tony Heorake, director of the National Museum of the Solomon Islands, claims that his family has been passing down this story for generations. «I am one of the direct descendants of Teonimanu residents on my mother’s side. After the island sank, some of my ancestors survived by floating on banana tree trunks and other debris,» says Heorake. His ancestors settled in the south of Ulawa Island, where their descendants still live. Stories about the lost island are often discussed in the family. «Every evening after dinner, we usually hear the elders telling these stories,» adds Heorake.
