Features

The dos and don'ts of whale watching

Watching whales is an extraordinary experience and a rare privilege. For locals and visitors alike – watching the majestic humpback whales play in our waters from land is a huge buzz. But land based whale watchers have been alarmed at the number of times that boats have been seen chasing whales. And while whale harassment […]

An island celebration

While August 4, Constitution Day, was a quiet day on Rarotonga – it was the complete opposite on the outer island of Mauke when the community came together to celebrate the Cook Islands’ self-governance. And so with the theme ‘No taku ipukarea kia rangatira” and a gift of $2000 from the Ministry of Culture providing […]

Reaching out through music

Samoan hip-hop legend King Kapisi performed for a crowded Rehab on Wednesday night alongside his wife, fellow hip-hop artist Teremoana Rapley, originally from Rarotonga and a legend in her own right. He said he’s wanted to do a show on Rarotonga for awhile, but there’s something else that motivated this recent trip. King Kapisi and […]

Keeping the tradition alive

This week’s tivaevae exhibition at Akaoa Hall was hugely successful, a well-attended display about which people are still raving. Brilliantly coloured and artfully hung, 28 tivaevae from Rarotonga and Atiu brightened the empty room. Local artist Andrea Eimke curated the exhibition, which included tivaevae from the private collections of Tata Crocombe and Cassey Eggleton. The […]

Arts action around Raro

A number of events were held around the Pacific Arts Association symposium this week including a craft fair, tivaevae exhibition and a show at Staircase. Artists, scholars and curators from across the Pacific and around the world gathered at Crown Beach to discuss Pacific art and the issues surrounding it. Here is some of the […]

Tavionis on the state of art

This week’s Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium, a major event for the local art community, generated some interesting discussion amongst attendees and raised some pertinent questions about Pacific art. An issue to which artists returned throughout was the repatriation of Pacific art, or the transfer of Pacific artefacts from overseas museums back to their islands […]

Sights set on affordable health

Improving the health of all Cook Islanders through accessible and affordable health services is the objective of newly appointed director of funding and planning for of the Ministry of Health Dr Fran McGrath. Dr McGrath began in her new role this week with the Ministry of Health and brings with her a wealth of knowledge […]

A big fan of green energy

Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruises has already gone green with a compost toilet on Motu Koromiri and now owner Tamaiva Tuavera is applying the same green principle to his home. But this time, Tauavera is harnessing wind power and this week he installed a wind turbine at his hillside home in Muri. The wind turbine, which […]

Carnival adds to colourful day

The Queen Carnival on Mauke was one of several colourful events organised on the island to celebrate self-governance on August 4. An air of expectation and excitement greeted the queen carnival, which sounds like an event more appropriate to the US culture unless one is aware that the infamous Tangiia chose two wives from Mauke […]

Exhibit explores new media

PAA participants on Tuesday night attended The Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery’s opening of an exhibit by Janet Lilo. Lilo, who is of Maori, Samoan and Niuean descent, is based in Auckland and could not be in Rarotonga for the symposium, so curator Ron Brownson presented her exhibit to the artists and scholars present. The exhibit, […]

Tongan concepts of time and space

Last year, artist Semisi Fetokai Potauaine was one of seven recipients of the Commonwealth Connections International Residency. He is the second Tongan to win the coveted spot. ‘Okusitino Mahina, Jocelyne Dudding and Kolokesa Uafa Mahina-Tuai have recently published a book about his work and the philosophies that motivate it. Yesterday at the PAA symposium, they […]

Inspirational artist returns

Well-known Tongan artist Filipe Tohi is back on the island for the Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium. A long-time visitor to the Cook Islands, Tohi completed an artist-in-residency on Mangaia in 2004 and has since inspired many a local artist. Master lasher, carver, painter and sculptor, Tohi has to a great extent influenced local artist […]

Exhibition reflects old and new

Local artist Krick Barraud hosted a public exhibition of a piece of artwork she’s been crafting at Avana on Saturday evening. The work, housed in the remains of an old coral limestone building on the beach, represents a portion of the visual exam she took this weekend – the culmination of a Master’s in Art […]

Craft show

Pacific Sisters perform at Staircase

The Pacific Sisters are performing at Staircase at 9pm on Tuesday. Founded in Auckland in 1990s, the group of Pacific artists and entertainers is coming together here on Rarotonga after a 10-year hiatus. They’ll be putting on an hour-long show involving poetry reading, story-telling, fashion modelling, body art, live graffiti art and more, and warn […]

Mo just keeps on drumming

Rarotonga man Maurice ‘Mo’ Newport manages a production and marketing company with his wife Glenda Tuaine, but still finds time to drum for a band in New Zealand. For four years, Newport has been commuting between Rarotonga and New Zealand to practice and play shows with well-known Kiwi country-rock band The Warratahs. “When I told […]

Plenty of art to see

Though next week’s Pacific Arts Association symposium is not open to the public, anyone is free to attend post-conference exhibitions and functions. Long days of lectures, presentations and panels will end in celebrations both official and unofficial – four of which are open to everyone. On Monday night, Samoan artist Nanette Lela’ulu will present her […]

Voyagers training to be skippers

Duncan Morrison, who skippered vaka Marumaru Atua on its journey from New Zealand to the Cooks, is training six local voyagers to be certified skippers. Morrison hails from New Zealand and was earlier this year asked to captain the vaka during her recent voyage. He’s now on Rarotonga and plans to be here until September. […]

New grocery store opens

There’s a new one-stop shop in town. Raina Traders has expanded to include Supa Saver, which offers groceries – local fresh fish, local fresh vegetables, dry goods and frozen goods – and home-grown plants. Raina will continue to sell the same products, including black pearls and solar hot water heaters. Owner June Baudinet and her […]

Stunning shows 'raise the roof'

While Te Maeva Nui crowds have been small to moderate throughout the week-long competition – the shows on stage have brought on cheers and applause that have almost lifted the roof. And the biggest cheers on Thursday night were for the outstanding Pukapuka team who took to the stage last. In fact, the northern island […]