The son of King Tutuk and Queen Timirik was named Tisiniriak. He was raised up to be a King as he would follow his father on the Puakonakai throne. In about 1840, at approximately 30 years old, Tisiniriak took a wife from Tapewa village that the King and Queen approved of. Her name was Karianna and was the daughter of a village Chief. She was a very pretty girl, much sought after for her beauty. A hut was made for them near the Royal water Well which was discovered by Queen Nei-Kamoa (Timirik) in about 1810. She was awakened by a wet crab that had crawled up across her stomach. Following the crab to a cave where it disappeared into the cracks of the rocks. The rocks were dug up and revealed a fresh water well. The first stone turned up was taken and carved into the likeness of a turtle. Thus originated the symbol of the Puakonakai Royal Crown in stone. This stone turtle has never left the home of the King or Queen of Puakonakai and is still in the possession of the present day rightful owner/heir, Te’Moi Wahine.

Tisiniriak and Karianna had three children, Tekoniti, Tinterunga, and the last child was named after her mother. Karianna died giving birth to the last child, thus the child was named in her honor, Karianna II. Tisiniriak became King of Puakonakai at the death of his father around 1868. The old King, original founder of Puakonakai was approximately 98 years old at the time of his death. It is not told when his wife Nei-Kamoa had died but it is said she was approximately 80 years old at the time of her death. Both are buried in Ooma village. The King was buried under his hut as was the custom of the days. King Tisiniriak had lost his wife at childbirth in about 1845, but being King, he would take which ever concubine he desired and slept with her. This was a practice that was common among Royalty before the arrival of missionaries. By custom, only the first children of the first wife were considered Royal Family members. Any other offspring were children of their mother only and not entitled to be called Te”Moi or Ali’I Family. The Royal Crown owned the land and all the people who lived on this land was under their rule (Te’Moi)

The Royal Family does not recount when the missionaries arrived on Puakonakai but due to its isolation and remoteness they probably didn’t stumble across the island until the 1880s. Missionaries were all around the other island groups from the 1840s. They came from America, Spain, France and England. To the knowledge of the Family, King Tisiniriak never did embrace Christianity and this was the reason he and his three children along with many loyal workers/commoners were removed from the island by a British Sea Captain and his crew at gun point. This was accomplished so that the remaining commoners would convert to Christianity.

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