Ninety descendants of Nassau have returned to Rarotonga after a month in their homeland. Alongside a group of 76 who visited Pukapuka, the Nassau community of Auckland, with some from Australia, reconnected with their people, places, and unique cultures of their respective islands. Candice Luke reports.

Nassau Auckland community member Poila Poila and community leaders have been working for four years to take a group home to Nassau. This summer, their dream finally came true.

They set sail on the Lady Samoa IV in mid-December, and returned to Rarotonga this week. 

“It’s the place of birth for many of our group. They’ve stayed in New Zealand for a long time. For some it’s their first trip home in 50 years.”

The group was made up of elders born in Nassau, their children and grandchildren who were mostly born overseas, and the newest additions to the Nassau community, their babies. 

The tere went with a goal to give back and support the community. There was a headstone unveiling, three birthdays celebrated together, and the group tidied up a cemetery in record time with more hands-on deck from the ship than the population of the island. 

Poila said it was a chance for the group to practice the reo: “The whole community speaks Nassau language so when the kids came, they had to speak. A lot of them understand but usually reply in English. But now they know they have to speak it to keep the language.” 

Cleaning up the cemetery was easy with so many helpers and weeds growing from the sand. NASSAU AUCKLAND COMMUNITY/ 240124143/ 240124144/ 240124145

They enjoyed local hospitality, being housed easily in the island’s many new home builds. Local food was also a favourite: “We ate natural foods. Coconuts, frigatebirds, noddy, white tern. We eat those only in Nassau. They’re very meaty.”

“There were three turtles that came to shore. Usually, it’s customary to eat them but we let them go,” says Poila. 

The tere and the locals challenged each other daily playing cricket, tennis and volleyball. The losing side would be tasked with collecting uto, or pulling the trolley of bonito and tuna fish up from the beach. 

Poila says: “The island beat us! They’re too good! Even though we train in New Zealand it’s different because it’s very hot there.” 

The heat was a challenge for the tere, and “the mosquitos had a great time”. 

Tiare Vila, 15, from Auckland, attends the prestigious secondary school, Epsom Girls Grammar School

This trip was her first time on home soil: “It was really fun even though the sea was rough and a few of us got sick.”

“When we arrived near the island we had to wait because they don’t work at night,” says Vila, but she enjoyed watching the sunset view of her ipukarea from the Lady Samoa IV. 

Vila enjoyed quality time with the other young people in the tere and on the island.

“All the kids would go to the ava together.

“Everyone got bike rides around. It’s just a small island so it would only take about 10 minutes and we got free rides every day.”

Vila built family connections during her stay: “Everyone got pretty close fast. We’re going to stay connected on Facebook. They were adding everyone. We’re doing a video call tonight (Tuesday).”

Central Auckland couple Tiere (57) and Takere Makea (60) have been away from Nassau for decades. 

Tiere and Takere Makea returned to Nassau after 50 years away, and didn’t want to leave. CANDICE LUKE/ 240124142

Tiere spent his pre-school years in Nassau. His family moved to Pukapuka for schooling and medical reasons.

He only found out as a teen that he was “born in Wale, not Nassau” but has fond memories of his childhood in Nassau.

“I remember playing with the other little ones, and some of the elders that are still there now. They remember me when I was small, and naughty. They were excited to see us there.” 

The last time he stepped foot on the island was 52 years ago. 

“Everything has changed. The buildings I remember are gone. But the rock in the reef I used to play on is still there. I remember the little fish that would get stuck in the rock pools,” shares Tiere.

“We would get a brown coconut and sit there eating it with the fish, like our own rawfish.” 

He basked in a moment when the tere kids played in the rain in the dark, remembering the poignant but beautiful scene: “I was sad and happy at the same time.” 

“It’s a good life. I can’t wait to go back,” says Tiere. 

Takere was born in Rarotonga, raised in New Zealand, but she went to the Northern group after high school to reconnect with family. 

“I went to see my namesake in Wale then I found out I have a brother in Nassau. I went to see him. I stayed and loved it.”

She says back then the island had a much higher population of “about 600 people”. 

On this trip Takere admired the hardworking culture.

“Money isn’t really needed. You just live off the land. If you’re lazy you’re going to go hungry so you have to plant and fish,” says Takere.

“They communicate with the bell and pate drum. That’s how you know it’s time to prepare, time for church, and everything runs on time.

“For us it’s a privilege to be on this trip. I wish we could stay there.” 

Nassau life … The visiting group was made up of elders born in Nassau, their children and grandchildren who were mostly born overseas, and the newest additions to the Nassau community, their babies. NASSAU AUCKLAND COMMUNITY/ 240124146

Over in Pukapuka, roofer and agriculturalist Anoop Kumar (37) accompanied his wife Tukana Paulo and their four children, back to her homeland. 

“It’s been 17 or 18 years since she went home. She’s been with me to Punjab, so she really wanted me to come with her to Wale.” 

Kumar was impressed by the Wale way of life as locals stay busy, children are safe to explore, and the food was a hit too. 

“Coconut crab, fish, pawpaw, all the vegetables,” Kumar gushed. 

He has ideas for agriculture on the island and his wife wants to go home to start a business, so this trip may plant the seed for them to make the big move over. 

The trip was supported through fundraising by the respective groups in New Zealand and Australia, and the chartered ship was funded by the Cook Islands Government.

Pukapuka-Nassau MP Tingika Elikana told Cook Islands News that the total cost for chartering the vessel, including taxes and agency fees, amounted to $637,000.

Passenger fares and subsidised freight costs covered a portion of the expense. Adults paid $1000 each way, while children were charged at $250 each way. Poila says the Nassau Auckland community are preparing for another trip in three years.