Articles by Utopia Support

Heavenly harmony

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Local

Enuamanu warriors and maidens sang with big hearts and big voices on Sunday night when they gathered at the National Auditorium for the choir and imene tuki competition of Te Maeva Nui. Beautiful sounds of praise page 10. 10080215

Major arts gathering all go

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Features

Prominent artists and academics heading to Raro for symposium The Pacific Arts Association’s 10th International Symposium, for which scores of prominent artists and academics are travelling to Rarotonga’s shores, is less than a week away. Crown Beach Resort is hosting the symposium, which is themed ‘Pacific Art in the 21st Century: Museums, New Global Communities […]

Wendt keynote at Festschrift

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Features

The much-anticipated Festschrift for Papa Ron Crocombe opens next week, and those planning to attend look forward to hearing from keynote speaker Albert Wendt on the conference’s inaugural day. Wendt has been influential in Pacific literary circles since the 1970s. He’s known for his award-winning novels and most recently for winning the Commonwealth Writers Prize […]

Sea life worry

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your article “sea life declining” was something that I really think needs to be given more attention. Our sea life is dying out and I think that people should know that. I think that more research should be done on this and that more articles should be written to bring this to people’s […]

LA prices high

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I saw your article regarding the flights from LA maybe cancelled due to the dropping of numbers, firstly let me say that would be such a shame as the Cook Islands are such a wonderful place to visit. My wife and I visited last year we were lucky as Air NZ was running […]

Issues with Pui's letter

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am disappointed that you bannered my response to Pui’s earlier letter as “Battle of the Henrys”. While I understand that every business competitively employs every marketing trick in the book (including the one yet to be written) to increase sales, with respect, in this instance your bottom line avidity is beneath good […]

Get off your high horse

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Well, well, well! I find it most interesting that the person who has been so quick to inundate the public with the morals and virtues we should be looking in a candidate has already stumbled at the first hurdle. I suggest Mr Beer hop down from his self-righteous horse and have a good […]

Make way! Make way!

Tuesday 3 August 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“One does have to wonder why the Minister of Culture requires a police escort to take her to the opening of the Te Maeva Nui,” a smoke signaller writes. “This entourage included two uniformed police officers on motor bikes, lights flashing, a driver driving the Minister, while she sat in the back seat doing her […]

Taxation unchanged

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Local

The Government expects tax revenue to grow by 0.2 per cent in the coming year, significantly slower than previous years according to the 2010-11 Budget. The total take in tax revenue is expected to be $83.8 million. There have been no changes to the rate of VAT, income tax, or any of the other tax […]

Vaka arrives

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Local

Tahiti outrigger voyaging canoe Te Vaka no Te Tau A Uiui arrived into Avatiu harbour last night and an official welcoming ceremony will be held today at 10am. The outrigger vaka is retracing the ancestral voyage of the Polynesia people from Asia as part of the O Tahiti Nui Freedom project. The voyagers will remain […]

Election date demand

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Local

Opposition deputy leader Teina Bishop is going to have a lot to say today and will be firing on all pistons when Parliament resumes at 1pm. Bishop will be demanding an election date, among other things, from acting Prime Minister Wilkie Rasmussen. “I’ll be demanding an election date be set before the end of September,” […]

Slovakia flavour at celebrations

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Local

Short bursts of heavy rain on Saturday did little to dampen the festive atmosphere at the opening of the 2010 Te Maeva Nui celebrations at the Punanga Nui Market. Teams taking part in this year’s weeklong celebrations and cultural competition marched through Avarua from the courthouse to the market in Avatiu for the official opening […]

Thefts must stop

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am saddened to read the C I News each week from NZ of the thefts on Rarotonga of tourists’ belongings, let alone locals and businesses. Tourists save very hard for their holidays, a fact that some low life seem to ignore. For some tourists it may be a once in a life […]

Country in constitutional strife

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Readers of my letter back in January in which I defended the Prime Minister and the QR from unwarranted and unsupported legal attack bordering on the seditious may also recall that I sounded a warning that the Jim Marurai administration would at some point need to call Parliament together, if for no other […]

Kata - August 2, 2010

Monday 2 August 2010 | Published in Kata

Police warn of thieves

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Local

Police are again appealing to people, especially tourists, not to leave valuables under their motorbike seat, even if it’s locked, as it’s not secure. This week a tourist couple reported that someone had stolen a wallet, a backpack, a camera, cell phone, watch and a Visa card from underneath the seat of their rental motorbike. […]

Budget fears

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Local

Silent protest by Demo MPs worries president The Democratic Party is still fearful that the passing of the national Budget may be opposed by the faction of MPs led by former DPM Sir Terepai Maoate. The new $157.6 million Budget for 2010-11 and the now reduced $184.6 million Budget for 2009-10 have been tabled in […]

It's dancing time!

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Local

This little dancer from the Avarua Ekalesia got straight into her dancing to warm up while the rest of her team organised themselves on stage at Monday’s Gospel Day nuku. Young talent will shine during Maeva Nui dancing competitions over the next week. 10072648

Chloe off on Hawaii adventure

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

Tereora College fourth form student Chloe Wragg will soon be greeted with mahalos, and choking under beautiful leis, as she has been chosen as the 2010-2011 exchange student to Kamehameha School in Hawaii. The cultural exchange is for eight months and will allow Wragg to experience a new culture, new experiences and life outside the […]

Symbols and flags, and the feel good factor

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

If you were at Avana on May 29 when the waka arrived on their round voyage from Aotearoa, you would have noticed that the Maori waka – Te Matau A Maui – was flying a red white and black flag. This week there has been chatter and angst that perhaps that ‘Maori’ flag might be […]