More Top Stories
$541.7m tourism earnings
25 January 2025
‘Paedophile’ gets 13 years in prison
22 January 2025
Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?
25 January 2025
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Features
Exhibition showcases Aus-Cooks connections
The Australian High Commission in Rarotonga celebrated Australia Day with a beach barbeque and the launch of the ‘Stories of Friendship’ exhibition highlighting Cook Islanders’ connections to Australia.
Balancing tourism and culture
Cook Islands Tourism’s transparent, inclusive and practical planning public consultation which explored the challenges and opportunities tourism brings in all areas of wellbeing, drew a good number of community members.
New CI playing cards sell out
Local artist Joan Gragg started selling her original Cook Islands-themed decks of playing cards on Monday night, which proved so popular that not 24 hours later she was sold out. Dozens of people poured into the BCA Gallery to celebrate the launch of the exhibition on Monday. Over wine, conversation and fast-paced games of Uka, […]
All things whale on show
Herds of people both tourists and locals flocked to the grand reopening of the Cook Islands Whale and Wildlife Centre in Atupa yesterday. For about a year the centres doors have remained closed, as director Nan Hauser and new management team Sheryl and Huw John put together new displays and sourced new artefacts from Trademe […]
Teachers provide thin-spiration
A group of Tereora College teachers have made efforts to thin-spire their students to shape up and lose weight. Twelve teachers have been participating in a Biggest Loser-inspired competition in the past eight weeks. The winner from the group lost eight kilograms through the programme, with other participants losing about two to three kilograms. Healthy […]
Whale work a labour of love
The whales are starting to trickle back into Cook Islands waters. Whale lady Nan Hauser officially marked the start of her 14th season researching Cook Islands whales on Thursday. After just a few hours on the water, she and her team of research assistants which included her daughter Alexanna Haible had identified two flukes and […]
Everyday life captured on cards
Local artist Joan Rolls-Gragg has captured the spirit of the Cook Islands 52 ways, using a pack of playing cards. Her newest exhibition, which opens on Monday night at the Beachcomber Art Gallery (BCA) in Taputapuatea, features decks of playing cards superimposed with paintings shes done. The original prints are water soluble crayons on paper. […]
Painting the town blue, white and red
The Cook Islands French fraternity came together this week to paint the town blue, white and red in celebration of La Fete Nationale the National Day. Le Bon Vivant cafe in Avarua hosted all things French on Thursday for the Bastille Day revelry, with games, food and drink bringing a taste of life on the […]
Te Maeva Nui seeks partners
Te Maeva Nui is this year creating a bold new look by going back to the old days and creating more opportunities for the wider community to become a partner of the event. Cook Islands Tourism and the Ministry of Cultural Development are working together with BTIB to ensure that the essence of the iconic […]
Students face last test before event
Raratongas emerging top chefs have sharpened their knives and straightened their jackets in preparation for this months student culinary competition Nestle Toque dOr. Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC) culinary students Josephine Moeroa Rattle, Kevin Wichman and restaurant service students Xenia Kae and Deana Paiti, will vie against 33 other hospitality students from around New […]
Master navigator Peia Patai invested by traditional voyagers in Hawaii
Cook Islands vaka captain Peia Patai has been invested as a master navigator. In a moving ceremony at Kualoa on Oahu a few weeks ago, he humbly accepted the honour. Several years ago Papa Mau Pialug chose Patai and Tua Pittman who have been studying traditional navigation together for decades to carry the Pwo (pronounced […]
Cowboys on winning streak
The Arorangi Cowboys senior A grade continued their winning streak at the weekend thanks to a late 2-try burst that gave them a 31-12 win over the Takuvaine Reds. A resistant Reds team, led by the Samania brothers Ailaoa and Vaivase and busy loose forward Rodney Tiro, kept the Cowboys honest throughout the physical match […]
Singing for peace in Songquest
Student peace ambassadors are hosting a Songquest next month. The Songquest is the first of its kind, says PPSEAWA (Pan-Pacific and Southeast Asia Womens Association) peace council chairwoman Johanna Simiona-Gifford. The purpose of the function is to promote peace, and proceeds will go toward the peace ambassadors upcoming projects – upgrading peace gardens in schools […]
New business offers water sports
Coinciding with the Cook Islands first kitesurfing competition is the launch of a Muri-based beach business specialising in kitesurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Kitesurfing and stand-up paddling are quickly emerging popular water sports, and Lee Dawson has made a business of combining them. Dawson recently set up shop in front of and together with Te Vakaroa […]
Top kitesurfers impressed
Marketing experts will attest to the power of word-of-mouth promotion and that champion riders and a top circuit judge were impressed by what Aitutaki has to offer is more valuable than any half-page magazine advertisement. Though the wind tapered off early this week, cutting Manureva International Competition in half, and the event was considerably less […]
Governments priorities detailed
The Speech from the Throne, delivered at a ceremonial parliamentary opening by Queens Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin yesterday, formally outlines the governments priorities for the forthcoming years. The speech, delivered on behalf of the government and echoed in Cook Islands Maori by parliament clerk Tupuna Rakanui, was about 45 minutes long. On 17 November 2010 […]
Seeking the last puzzle piece
Anthony Francis says he has settled in to life in the Cook Islands he has a house he loves, a job that he enjoys and the sun on his back. All he needs now, he says, is a boat. After three months of living at Arorangi, the new Cook Islands Trading Corporation (CITC) Building Centre […]
Taste of Thailand in Rarotonga
Asian fusion restaurant Bamboo Jacks is officially open. The Tupapa restaurant opened its doors to the public on Thursday, but owner Jack Cooper says it was an unpublicised soft opening so as to ease staff into it. The chefs, a husband and wife who go by the nicknames of Bear and Oil, arrived from Eastern […]
Atmosphere study a snapshot in time
Rarotonga was this week a stopping point for a group of jet-setting US scientists undertaking to produce the most detailed profile of the atmosphere yet. They arrived on Wednesday evening in an $85 million modified Gulfstream V jet and this morning leave for Christchurch. The group was scheduled to fly out yesterday but was forced […]
Campbell to be honoured here
Early next month the Cook Islands Library & Museum will host an exhibition in honour of the late Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, arguably the countrys most famous literary export. The exhibition will mirror the one currently on display at Pataka Museum in Wellington, but will also incorporate tributes from local artists in the form of […]
Tributes flow for Te Tika Mataiapo
Lady Carla Davis, the widow of Sir Thomas Davis, former Cook Islands Prime Minister shares her sorrow over the death of Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid: It is with deep sadness and shock, that many of us have just learned about the sudden passing of Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid. Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid […]
Spreading peace in the Pacific
Two young Cook Islands adults have been enlisted to help spread peace in the Pacific with the message one ocean, one people. John Taivairanga and Tamara File will travel to Auckland this month as the Cook Islands representatives for the 2011 Wansolwara Youth Peace-building Training Conference. They will meet with 18 other delegates aged between […]