in 1824 he returned and left behind two preachers from Taha'a, who began to convert the islands to Christianity. Before the arrival of the missionaries, Mangaian society was characterised by a violent struggle between war-leaders competing for the title of mangaia (supreme temporal power), with Ariki serving as priests rather than hereditary chiefs. The last mangaia, Pangemiro, died shortly after the missionaries' arrival, and the abolition of war under Christianity effectively froze the power structure and the division of land and titles in the state they had been in 1823. The Numangatini Ariki became dominant, with the title alternating between two branches of the family. In 1888 Mangaia became a British protectorate as part of the Cook Islands Federation. In 1901 it was annexed by New Zealand. Post-annexation the island exported citrus, bananas and coffee to New Zealand, but exports ceased during the First World War. In 1946 pineapple growing was introduced and in the 1960s and 1970s Mangaia had a thriving export industry. The collapse of this industry in the 1980s and a subsequent economic crisis in 1996 has led to the island's gradual depopulation. Mangaia was severely damaged by Cyclone Trina in December 2001. The slow-moving cyclone delivered eight days of heavy rain, resulting in the worst flooding in 50 years. Parts of the island were inundated with up to of water, and 95% of the taro crop and 60% of the livestock were destroyed. The resulting food shortage saw the IFRC distribute food to all of the island's residents. Due to the severity of damage caused by Trina, its name was later retired. Demographics and settlement Mangaia is divided into six districts (Puna): Tamarua, Veitatei, Kei'a, Tava'enga, Karanga, and Ivirua. The districts are very nearly sectors meeting at the highest point near the center of the island, Rangi-motia. The districts are, as on some other islands of the Southern Cook Islands, further subdivided into 38 traditional sub-districts called Tapere. In the Cook Islands constitution however, the six districts are listed as Tapere. The capital is the village of Oneroa, on the west coast, containing about half the population. Oneroa is in fact a contiguous village area that consists of three villages: Tavaʻenga, Kaumata and Temakatea. All of Oneroa is located within Keiʻa District, including its northernmost village Tavaʻenga, which is not in Tavaʻenga district as one might assume by the name. There are three more villages, Tamarua