Monday 19 December 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
The Christmas lights came on around the island this past weekend. The simple coloured lights strung across from pole-to-pole zig zagging around the Are Tapu. It is magical to drive home from work at night and have them shine in the night sky. They remind me of our tree lights made to look like flowers, they always heralded the anticipation of the arrival of Santa.
Monday 12 December 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
There has been a lot of talk about culture lately and what constitutes how it defines us, as a society. If we accept culture is the ideas, customs and social behavior of a particular people, then we accept wearing ei katus and the giving of eis at the airport and award ceremonies as one of our more lovely cultural practices. If social behaviour defines us, then eating and drinking is foremost our larger problem of culture as we battle a health crisis of obesity and NCDs. Domestic violence and abuse are cultural too.
Monday 5 December 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
There are no good ends to those who like to gossip with unconstrained conversation about other people without confirming if they are true, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 28 November 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
Good people who see bad things and say nothing are as bad as the bad people doing them. We need people to stand up and say ‘The emperor is wearing no clothes’, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 14 November 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
It’s been a hard day’s night and I’ve been working like a dog (Beatles) – this has been a phrase used for ages to describe where an employee is at the mercy of the employer and is made to work on a task without taking any breaks, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 7 November 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
It is obvious the extent of Government’s promise to be transparent does not extend to letting the public know how much is being spent on the COP27 trip to Egypt, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 31 October 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Today is October 31st or Halloween where the ghosts and spirits are said to walk amongst us and to help them blend in, people dress up in costumes of the dead, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 17 October 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
I did not feel welcomed as similar, related or one people growing up in South Auckland. We were referred to as coons, bunga’s or coconuts by others including Maori and we in reply called them hori’s and kumara’s. Maybe Minister Nanaia Mahuta is right, the mana of the Cook Islands has matured. We hope it has for them too.
Monday 10 October 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
We may be small and unremarkable but we know how to punch it out to the big guns to stand up and call the large nations of the world to attention, to take heed and stock of themselves and look at us small minions.
Monday 3 October 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
Government is the largest employer in the Cook Islands so are they paying everyone to have the day off? Are they paying double time for all those employees who worked on September 30 for the opening of the Cook Island Games? Ruta Mave writes.
Monday 26 September 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
The food freight subsidy offered by government is not going to save the outer islands from an empty bank account, not when the same government sold our precious tuna to the European Union purse seine fishing boats for a lame $0.16 per kilo while we are expected to pay $30 per kilo for tuna caught in our own waters by our own fishermen.
Monday 19 September 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
Travel is the only thing we can buy that gives us nothing in our hands but can truly make us richer beyond material wealth, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 12 September 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
We have an award for a new designed waterfront area of climate change calculations that promises future protection, one hopes this is the case. We have a sad history of building buildings that don’t build confidence in this sector, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 5 September 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
If there is one room in the house that causes more marital discourse than any other it is the toilet. The most common arguments are the lid up or down, the loo paper falling to the front or the back of the roll, reading the paper, basically taking too long when others are waiting, leaving […]
Monday 29 August 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
“Rules were made for fools to follow and wise men to be guided by,” said British statesman Winston Churchill.
Monday 22 August 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
Opportunities seldom come when you are most ready, organised or feeling comfortable or sane. Opportunities have the tendency to come at the most inopportune moment.
Monday 15 August 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
We have an abundance of resources going unutilised because we want a certain way of life, a life that gives us the ability to choose rather than rely on existing cultural practices, writes Ruta Mave.
Monday 8 August 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Editorials, Opinion
Politics 101 – people don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you care, even if it’s all lies – people expect, accept politicians lie but they still vote in hope.
Monday 1 August 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Editorials, Opinion
This land is your land this land is my land from the deep blue ocean to the high green mountains, from the taro swamp lands to the outer islands, this land was made for you and me.
Monday 25 July 2022 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
It has been over a week of conferences and seminars here in Eugene, Oregon, United States during the World Athletics Championships.