northeast half of the island, and its southwestern half (where one finds Lakona Bay, and also where the Lakon language is spoken). Thus the Mota language, which missionaries used when naming most places in the Banks Islands, has the forms Gaua and Lakona ; Mwotlap has respectively Agō and Alkon ; Olrat and Lakon have Gaō and Lakon ; Mwerlap has Gō and Lakon . Some modern languages have generalised one of these two etyma to refer to the whole island. Thus it is called Gog in Nume, Gō in Koro (both < *ɣaua), Lkon in Dorig (< *laᵑgona). History Gaua was first sighted by Europeans during the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós, from 25 to 29 April 1606. The island’s name was then charted as Santa María. Gallery References External links Our Forest our Future; Managing Biodiversity in the South Pacific, Gaua Island, Vanuatu, Rudolf Hahn, CTA FAO 2013, youtube video Volcano World: Gaua Detailed list and map of the Banks and Torres languages, including those of Gaua Islands of Vanuatu Volcanoes of Vanuatu Calderas of Oceania Volcanic crater lakes Torba Province Stratovolcanoes Important Bird Areas of Vanuatu