Apii Takitumu was thrilled to receive a brand-new set of drums from Titikaveka College through Te Rito O Taku Peu Tupuna last month.

Apii Takitumu was thrilled to receive a brand-new set of drums from Titikaveka College through Te Rito O Taku Peu Tupuna last month.

Maui Joseph, principal of Apii Takitumu, said: “We are very grateful to Titikaveka College for purchasing this drum set for our school.”

“Our kids are excited; we are all excited to receive these drums that will support our kids in our culture.”

Raewyn Morgan, principal of Titikaveka College, was pleased to see the Apii Takitumu drummers were “happy” to finally receive their new drum set.

“When you learn your drumming and enter the Tangi Ka’ara and later bring your drumming skills to Titikaveka College,” said Morgan.

“The idea of this project is a collaboration between our two schools so that we can improve the drumming for Vaka Takitumu, and drumming is an important part of Cook Islands culture.

“We are very pleased that Te Rito O Taku Peu Tupuna out of all the applications they got chose our project.”

The drum set which consists of a pa’u, pa’u mango, big, pate, pate and the taku rua pate was carved by Teariki Unuka, a brother to Vae Unuku, the culture teacher/leader at Apii Takitumu.

“This is a good initiative for Apii Takitumu, since we know that for the past few years, they have been struggling to purchase a drum set,” said Unuka.