Editing Atafu (section)

==Population{{anchor|Atafu Village}}==
According to the 2016 census, 541 people officially live on Atafu (although only 413 were present the night the census was taken).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tokelau.org.nz/site/tokelau/files/TokelauNSO/2016Census/Atafu%20atoll%20profile%202016%20Census.pdf|title=2016 Tokelau Census atoll profiles|website=tokelau.org.nz}}</ref> Of those present, 78% belong to the [[Congregational church|Congregational Church]].<ref name="Census 2006">"[http://www.tokelau.org.nz/Tokelau+Government/Government+Departments/Office+of+the+Council+for+the+Ongoing+Government+OCOG/Tokelau+National+Statistics+Office/census.html 2016 Final data tables]" Retrieved 13-07-2017</ref> The main settlement on the atoll is located on Atafu Island in its northwestern corner. The [[Presbyterian]] church was established on the island in 1858, but today almost all of the residents belong to the Congregational Christian Church.<ref name="Census 2006"/> The first village on Atafu was established at its southern end: Residents built houses along the lagoon shore to take best advantage of the cooling [[trade wind]]s.

Fishing is traditionally done by the men on Atafu, and they are highly skilled at it. They use many traditional methods that are passed on from fathers to sons. They create very effective lures, fish traps, nets, and seines. They commonly use the technique called "noose fishing", in which a circle of rope, tied with a noose knot, is dangled in the water; a large fish swims into the rope circle, lured by bait, and the noose is then tightened around its body, holding it fast.<ref name="Council Staff">{{cite web|url=http://www.tokelau.org.nz/faq/atafu.htm |title=Atafu |publisher=Council for the Ongoing Government for Tokelau |accessdate=2008-04-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815182738/http://www.tokelau.org.nz/faq/atafu.htm |archive-date=15 August 2007 }}</ref> They also make well-crafted canoes, which they use for their fishing expeditions.