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Features

Master Navigator and Canadian journalist team up on a history of voyaging

It has been almost 40 years since the first ocean-going vaka of the modern age arrived to the Cook Islands. Some readers will remember Hōkūle’a’s first visit in September 1985, and since then a growing fleet of canoes has come and gone from these shores, including several built or based here, such as Takitumu, Te Au O Tonga, Marumaru Atua, Paikea, and canoes built for the Festival of Pacific Arts in 1992. Jennifer Kingsley writes.

Education

Read, read, read

To be a writer, you need to read, read, read, says children’s book author Karen McMillan, who recently wrote Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga.

Fundraisers still counting proceeds

Funds are still flowing in from Thursday’s national fundraiser day for the victims of the natural disasters in Australia and Christchurch. A total of $14,005 was pledged by Cook Islanders during the six-hour radiothon and funds raised by the entertaining concert at the national auditorium and from food sales have not been counted yet. But […]

Features

Instalment symbolises intersection of two cultures

The final instalment of one of local artist Krick Barraud’s ongoing projects is now on display at Beachcomber Art Gallery and will remain there until April. Krick is pictured here with BCA owner Ben Bergman. The instalment features an assortment of photographs, text, linen, a life-sized ‘feather’ made of palm frond and Aitutaki lime, and […]

Features

Bernard represents Cooks at Poly events

For New Zealand-based Cook Islands radio producer and journalist Bernard Tairea, volunteering at Auckland’s annual Pasifika and Polyfest cultural events is a highlight of the year. Tairea, who moved to New Zealand from the Cook Islands in 2002, hosts the Cook Islands programming on various Auckland-based radio stations, announces the news in Cook Islands Maori […]

Features

Local remembers Hawaiian pioneer

Herb Kawainui Kane, 83, the celebrated Hawaiian artist, historian, and a founder of the Polynesia Voyaging Society (PVS) who passed away earlier this month, was a pioneer whose work paved the way for many a Cook Islands voyager. He was instrumental in designing the Hokule’a, and passed on the anniversary of the date she set […]

Features

Sea Eagles stop the Sharks

A last minute surge by the Aitutaki Sharks wasn’t enough to contain the soaring Ngatangiia Sea Eagles on Saturday who put away the Sharks 32-20 at Nukupure Park. The first half of the game was all Sea Eagles as veteran Thomas Toa directed the team around the park with his boots. The Sea Eagles front […]

Features

Sunny Stroll among Pasifika

A huge sand-pit filled with buried treasure and artificial coconut trees gave added tropical flavour to Auckland City’s 19th Pasifika Festival at Western Springs Lakeside Park on Saturday March 12. While crowd numbers were down on previous years, the annual New Zealand event still proved to be a major Auckland attraction with a steady flow […]

Features

Passionate jazz and blues at Little Poly

The Little Polynesian was packed to capacity on both Tuesday and Thursday with diners who booked to hear sultry California blues and jazz singer Diana Harris, who performs on Rarotonga each year. Both nights, Harris sang to over 30 guests with such emotion and feeling that she was much more than background dinner music. Her […]

Features

From stage to Te Papa

Cook Islander choreographer and dancer Teokotai Paitai has swapped a long stage career for a job at Te Papa Museum, Wellington. Paitai joined Te Papa’s events team of six staff earlier this year as events producer. The team organise all events for Te Papa from exhibitions to special commemorative celebrations, aligning with major events like […]

Features

CI village busy at Pasifika

Cook Islanders selling local products at the 19th annual Pasifika Festival in Auckland are celebrating a successful day. Of the 40-odd stalls within the festival’s Cook Islands village, 11 boasted traditional and contemporary merchandise made within the Cook Islands. As well as the 11 stall vendors, Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB) trade and marketing […]

Features

Precious tivaivai for show in Spain

Atiuan Fibre Arts Studio owner Andrea Eimke tonight boards a plane for Spain with several travel companions – Atiuan and Rarotongan tivaivai that have never before seen Europe. From March 17 to 20, Eimke will display her collection of tivaivai at the International Patchwork Festival in Sitges, Spain. She has also agreed to teach four […]

Features

Cleaner aircon service

A new addition to the fleet of machines at Eric Short Automotive – an air conditioning servicing machine – makes the Avarua shop the only place on Rarotonga that can service vehicle aircon systems and properly dispose of the gases they emit. Air conditioning gas – or R-134a (1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane) – is an inert gas used […]

Features

Vaka TV free tunes 700 sets

Vaka Television chief executive Dave Reuther says he has tuned between 600 and 700 television sets into the company’s new free-to-air station since it started to be broadcast in Rarotonga late last year. Reuther has turned his work truck into a mobile tuning device, and is fielding requests from television owners throughout villages in Rarotonga […]

Features

Textile art on show

Wellington’s Te Papa Tongarewa Museum is planning a June celebration of Maori and Pacific textiles – loom weavings, bark cloth pieces, examples of plaiting and knotting – and now accepting submissions. The inaugural Maori and Pacific Textile Symposium, which enjoys support from the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand, will on June 10 and […]

Features

'There's nowhere like Aitutaki'

Though he is reluctant to say goodbye, Pacific Resort Aitutaki general manager Michael Shah is leaving on a high note. Last year he won the South Pacific General Manager of the Year award – which he called the highlight of his experience managing Pacific Resort Aitutaki – and he was in charge when the resort […]

Features

Te Mana o Te Moana draws near

In recent weeks, Marumaru Atua captain Peia Patai has been stepping up the crew’s training regimen. Crew have been doing swim tests and regular jogs through town, first aid courses, day sails and overnight trips. Those who didn’t already have a boat master’s qualification finished a two-week course with Steve Simpson, the Ministry of Marine […]

Features

Aere ra e Papa OJ Joseph

On Thursday evening Papa Ota Joseph, 73, passed away at home in the arms of his beloved wife of 49 years, Ngatangata Puapii Rongo and granddaughter Nicole. Tama Parei Joseph, better known as Papa Ota or OJ, was born on 23 December 1937, the 11th child of 14 children in Aitutaki. Although many people called […]

Features

Love for Nassau in Poti's winning song

Takitumu Primary School teacher Poti Maeva’s original compilation titled Ongalewu was judged the best song at Thursday night’s Mire Atu composer’s competition. Singing his own song – Maeva had the 400 strong crowd at the national auditorium in awe as he sang about the longing one has for their island home. Ongalewu is the original […]

Features

Fresh fish draws them to Moko's Mooring

Moored at one of the most idyllic locations on Rarotonga is The Mooring, a brightly-coloured container-turned-cafe specialising in fresh fish, healthy sandwiches and passion fruit-infused smoothies. Located on the Muri lagoon, the cafe will soon share its space with the newly-refurbished Avana Fishing Club, which is set to open its doors in about two weeks. […]

Features

'Masterminds' pick up crossword

The masterminds behind the new Cook Islands News weekend crossword are Australian couple John and Lyn Hobbs, who recently signed on to create a regular puzzle for weekend readers. They initially agreed to fill in for crossword creator Louise Wittwer while she was away, but are keen to continue doing the job on a shared […]

Features

Globetrotters consider Raro the gift of a lifetime

German-born Helmut Ruedel and his South African wife Dricki Verwoerd have been around the world – from Antarctica to the fabled North Pole and everywhere in between – more than once. But of all the places they’ve seen, the long-time cruise ship director and his travel guide bride consider Rarotonga their ‘place’ and have chosen […]

Features

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