Students of Nukutere College who participated in the traditional umu making and string band competitions this week were grateful for the opportunities to connect more deeply with the lifestyles of their ancestors.

Over 100 students took up the challenge of preserving their culture, even if it meant staying overnight at the school to prepare their umu pits and putting the food into the pit early on Thursday morning.

Nukutere College concluded their third term with the final events of the 2024 Interhouse Competition – the umu making and string band competitions. The students were divided into four groups (houses).

The goal was to keep the students updated with their culture and ensure they learned the ways of traditional living.

Some students spent the night on Wednesday at the school campus with the staff, preparing firewood, meat, crops and digging the pits for their umu. They woke up early next morning to start covering their umu before getting ready for the string band competition in the afternoon.

Nukutere College students perform in the string band competition on Thursday. TALAIA MIKA/24100323/24100324/24100325

Following the string band performances, the students uncovered the umu for the judges to have the final inspection of their cooked food before they all shared the feed.

One of the students, Joseph Rua, says it was a great experience and a reminder of who he is, as well as learning about the ways of life in the Cook Islands.

“For me I felt happy because I got to experience what our ancestors used to do back in the days like the string band, the umu, I find it was a really exciting event,” shares Rua.

“It’s really important in the future for me because it is my culture and everything that I do is part of my culture.”

Nukutere College students perform in the string band competition on Thursday. TALAIA MIKA/24100323/24100324/24100325

Another student, George Tanu, shared similar sentiments stressing that umu-making is one of his best experiences as a young Cook Islander growing up.

“I felt really excited and interested because of the kind of things that we learned along the way like making the umu and making plates out of it,” says Tanu.

“It was really an important event for us especially for the future because it helps us to learn to live in our cultural lifestyle like our ancestors used to live back then … it was a very nice experience.”

According to a female student, burning her hands while taking food out of the pit was a great experience.

“It was useful because we got to learn how to bring the burning food (umu), burn yourself and eat it properly,” she explains.

“We got to eat the food and put it in at night and I do believe it is useful.”