The island of Pukapuka is one of the few remaining places in the world that still practices ancient tradition. One such tradition is kavekave, an annual fishing competition held between two districts from a village on the northern group island.

Pukapuka, one of the most remote islands of the Cooks group located 1150 kilometres northwest of Rarotonga, is a triangular atoll with three islets – Wale, Ko and Kotawa. The northern group island comprises little more than three square kilometres of land area, with all its inhabitants living on Wale.

This small island is immersed in its ancient culture and distinct language developed over many centuries, and is well known in the Cook Islands for having an “intact traditional conservation system”.

On Wale are three villages, Yato, Roto and Ngake. In 2015 the village of Roto was split into two districts known as Tawa – Tawa Lalo and Tawa Ngake.

The new principal of Pukapuka’s Niua School Poti Maeva, who has Pukapukan roots, moved to the island last month with his wife Nane and their five children.

The couple have embraced the culture and lifestyle of the community and shared their experiences of Pukapuka’s unique ‘kavekave’ fishing tournament which was held earlier this month.

The fishing competition held over two days saw fishermen from Tawa Ngake and Tawa Lalo battling for the top prize using a traditional island fishing method called “pakeke” (using a handline while anchored at sea) and “takayeu” (trolling). The Tawa that catches the most fish over the two days wins.

The kavekave was held last week on Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9, between the hours of 5am and 6pm.

Four days prior to the fishing tournament, the fishermen were forbidden to fish out in the ocean. This ritual is called “Na Tapu Te Moana”.

Tawa Lalo hosted this year’s kavekave in which they set the rules, times and the type of cooked taro to prepare for the island feast when the tournament ends.

The district chose the “likoliko” method of cooking taro which is a poke taro baked in a young mature coconut shell with coconut cream, and each woman on the island is expected to prepare four of these likoliko food dishes.

The number of participating boats for the kavekave was also limited to 18 for each of the Tawa. Sixteen boats were allocated to fish using the “pakeke” method or handline fishing, only two boats were permitted to do “takayeu” fishing or trolling. Each boat was limited to a maximum of three individuals.

Prior to the start of the event, the men worked on getting their vessels ready, making shelter on their boats, preparing bait, fixing and checking their outboard motors.

Rocks, leaves and fish bait were also collected for the pakeke fishing and some men were chosen to collect rocks to use as anchors for their fishing lines.

On first day of the kavekave, each Tawa had a catch of 45 fish each, resulting in a draw.

A whopping 98kg bluefin tuna was caught on the first day by Mukomuko Ataera from Tawa Lalo using a 100-pound fishing line. The catch was his first bluefin tuna – considered world’s expensive fish – and the third bluefin tuna caught in Pukapuka, according to island resident Kolee Tinga.

The village of Tawa Ngake gathered their fish at ‘Te Tukutai i Waletoa’ and Tawa Lalo met and gathered their fish at ‘Te Tukutai i te Wale Kopala i Yato’.

A committee for the kavekave competition is assigned to tally each Tawa’s catch for the day, explains Nane.

Once all the fish are counted, the fish is shared out equally according to the “Tuanga” – which are the groups within a Tawa. Tawa Ngake has 14 tuanga and Tawa Lalo has 10 tuanga, says Nane.

Students from the local Niua School also witnessed the event, and as the boats came ashore, the kids noted information on the catches of fish.

The fish caught from this competition is shared to the women in these tuanga. They take the fish home to prepare in an underground umu for the third day of the kavekave.

On the second day of the kavekave, both Tawas returned with more fish – normally surpassing the number of fish caught on day one of the competition.

Tawa Ngake had a count of 56 fish which brought their total two day catch to 101 fish, and Tawa Lalo returned with 83 fish which gave them a grand total of 128 fish, and the title of this year’s kavekave fishing competition.

In celebration of their win, Tawa Lalo began composing “patautau” (teasing songs) to sing to Tawa Ngake on the last day of the festivities.

Later in the night from 11pm, both Tawa start preparing their food, cooking the likoliko and fish in an umu (underground oven) for the last day of the kavekave celebrations to be held the following day.

The first part of the closing day started with the sharing of food called the “Ngaluenga” (wrap up).

“Each of the women brought with them four likoliko each with cooked fish, and the men did the same with their required ‘Yepulupulu’ (10 drinking coconuts each) which they had husked that morning,” says Nane.

Each Tawa had designated their men to take on the role and responsibility of “Tuakai” (sharing of the food). Tawa Ngake had eight tuakai and Tawa Lalo had six.

The tuakai have the knowledge of their respective communities. Nane explains: “They know exactly how many men, women and children are in each of their Tawa.”

“And prior to the food being shared, the tuakai from both Tawa come together to evenly distribute all the food according to the number of people in their Tawa.”

After the food has been evenly shared, there is still a lot left which is distributed amongst the “Kau Wowolo” – chiefs, pastors, Member of Parliament, mayor, Island Council, doctors, school principal and visitors.

After the food for the Kau Wowolo is shared, a tuakai announces how much food each person will get: “Nu/drinking coconuts, the men receive an ‘Awaniu’ (two drinking coconuts), women get two awaniu (four drinking coconuts) and the children receive an awaniu (same allocation as the men),” explains Nane. The men, women and children receive a likoliko each.

In the sharing of fish, the men are given a quarter of a medium sized tuna, the women receive half a tuna and the children get half of a small tuna.

After the blessing of food, everyone from each Tawa go to their tuanga to collect their portions of food as allocated by the tuakai.

“The tuaki don’t need to be present when people collect their share, everyone knows where their share is and they just pick it up,” says Nane.

“Then they go home and enjoy their food with their families, I was amazed at this tradition.”

To close the day’s festivities, the winning kavekave team ends with a celebration of “makomako” (ancient Pukapukan songs) and “patautau” (teasing songs).

While the winning team Tawa Lalo sang and celebrated, the losing team Tawa Ngake gave donations called “tali moni”.

Nane says: “It was amazing to witness the people and young generations of Pukapuka continue their island traditions and practices, and that no one on the island was left out in the sharing of food.”

“I’m fortunate to be here to witness these interesting and cultural events of Wale.”