Articles by Utopia Support

Don't be fooled

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your smoke signallers might very well be the only two people on Raro who do not watch pirate films. That’s because they are either blind or very close-minded. They should get it in perspective. How is watching a pirate film encouraging criminality on Raro exactly? When you are seated while absorbed in a […]

Bring back originals

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In reply to ‘Market forces’, who said anything about Cook Islanders “giving up” their DVDs so Empire Theatre can survive? If all the DVDs in the shops were legitimate, the DVD shops would still make money, the public would enjoy their DVDs more (with top quality picture, sound and bonus features), and those […]

Road works are atrocious

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have finally succumbed to writing a letter regarding the atrocity of the new-found curb side road changes. I would have thought that a large number of residents would have written in or commented on the fact they have, without any consultation or previous “tests on areas”, lost their lovely green grass curbs […]

Monument Builder strikes again

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Olympic House? You’ve got to be kidding!” exclaims a smoke signaller in reference to the proposed new building that would primarily house the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee. “The Monument Builder is at it again, and will most likely name it after himself if given a chance (after a naming competition has been […]

McCully has $2m for jetty

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Environment

Minister of infrastructure and planning Teariki Heather met Murray McCully to discuss plans for the Arorangi jetty and new strategies for waste management. “The jetty has been confirmed by the chiefs and the people have agreed to it,” Heather said. “Minister McCully said there is $2 million funding there for when we are ready to […]

Bid to wind up Vaka TV

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Local

Australian investor Christine Backer has petitioned the High Court to get back her investment in Vaka TV and have the company wound up. Backer is a shareholder in Vaka Television – having secured 20% of the business for $105,000. That money, as well as $20,000 for establishing a bistro at Chillis, was transferred to Vaka […]

NZ to commit more resources

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Local

Metua Hawkins No, because we need that money for other things like education, our health and especially our roads. Why don’t they just use the money to help with future sports men and women and use the TSA building as their office? “/> Kieran Topui No they shouldn’t. $1.5 million just for an office is […]

Taking Aotearoa sounds to the world

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Wellington, December 16 – Taking New Zealand’s rich and diverse music scene to the world is the aim of Womad’s Emere Wano, who has launched the music expo Sounds Aotearoa to provide an opportunity for NZ artists to be heard overseas. Scheduled for the week the music festival Womad attracts hundreds of musicians from around […]

From near death to new CD

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

A few months ago, Papa Taura Mani was bedridden in Auckland Hospital, unable to move, talk or hear. Doctors were fairly certain he wouldn’t survive, but fast forward some weeks and countless prayers, and he’s back home on Rarotonga and ready to release his third CD. Taura, 66, caught pneumonia in June, which soon developed […]

Late night Xmas shopping action

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Shopping was a breeze on Thursday at the newly revamped CITC main store in Avarua when the company opened till late and provided plenty of games and entertainment to keep Christmas shoppers happy. Kids were kept busy with dress up and hula hoop competitions while adults took advantage of the hourly specials at the store. […]

In pursuit of brewing perfection

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Rekareka Brewery directors Teariki Pennycook and Edward Nee Nee are in pursuit of perfection. Since purchasing the Avarua brewery in 2008, they and business partner Stuart Davies have been tweaking the taste of their three beers – Cooks Lager, Cooks Blonde, and Cooks Darkie. Just over a year on from opening the business doors on […]

Te reo stronger in outer islands

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

University of Auckland academics John McCaffery’s and Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery’s report on the decline of Pacific languages states that Cook Islands Maori is stronger in the outer islands than in Rarotonga. They stated that the teaching of Maori up to grade three or four is consistent and works well. Ina Herrmann, CEO of School Support […]

Teachers lack Maori books

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Teachers had been using a series, published in New Zealand, called Tupu. The books were published to support learning the learning of Pacific languages by children of communities from Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Niue, and the Cook Islands. But that support for language teaching dried up when the New Zealand government announced an end to the […]

Fears for language

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Cook Islands Maori is not being passed on to new generations in traditional ways and runs the risk of dying out altogether. Those are the warnings of two New Zealand academics, John McCaffery and Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery, who published a paper on the strength of Pacific languages. In the Alternative Journal’s Special Pacific Edition, McCaffery […]

'We need to wake up'

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Concerned citizens speak out on preserving Maori Ina Herrmann, chief executive of School Support at the Ministry of Education, says that she has grave fears for the continuation of the Cook Islands Maori language in Rarotonga. She reports that more and more children are coming to school who are do not speak Maori as a […]

Mauke revives an old art with launch of 15 paiere

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Features

Showers of blessing greeted a very proud Mauke community as they witnessed the ‘Akatapu i te paiere’ (blessing of fishing canoes) where the new fleet of 15 paiere were officially handed over to young men who have eagerly worked alongside experienced men to build them. Teachers Vaine Aberahama and Teina Enua spoke with great pride, […]

Les Priest could sue for $1.?m

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter is in defence of my friend Les Priest who was depicted in your December 15 edition in Kata’s cartoon as poking a walking stick (which he doesn’t own) into the visceral part of Hon. Murray McCully’s abdomen. Your newspaper cartooned a total misrepresentation of Les’s physyiognamy, demeaning his lack of stature.Furthermore, […]

Market forces rule

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Why should 99 percent of Cook Islanders give up their DVDs because one man is losing money at his movie theatre business? Instead of campaigning to put other video outlets out of business, why doesn’t Empire Theatre consider diversification? It doesn’t take an MBA graduate to figure out that the tastes and preferences […]

Tread carefully

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We all know that the tourism industry is recognised as the largest contributor to the country’s economy, injecting massive financial benefits and prosperity over the years to the economy. However, when considering implementing specific policies and programmes aimed at boosting tourism numbers over the next 5-10 years by up to 50%, it is […]

Kata - December 18, 2010

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Kata