Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau’s ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango (AKTT) youth programme offers year-long holistic learning activities for youth and families to combat recent youth crime and promote cultural connection. Candice Luke reports.

‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango youth programme has kicked off for 2024.

Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau has been running the week-long holiday programme since 2018. This year the team is extending their teachings throughout holidays and school terms to give families a chance to learn over time.

The non-government organisation is doing its part to combat recent spates of youth crime, providing an on-going support system for young people in 2024.

“It truly takes a whole community to raise our children in the right way,” says Jackie Rongo, secretary of Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau. 

“We understand a lot of the issues our youth are facing stem from an unstable household and upbringing as well as absent parents due to heavy work obligations.”  

Many of the youth Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau supports come from broken households or households that abuse substances and have addictions. This can result in dropping out of school, committing theft, becoming young parents, and “so much worse”.  

Even children from seemingly stable households can lack parental attention and support due to busy lives.  

AKTT Atiu students cut down invasive trees to carve paiere fishing canoes. KŌRERO O TE ‘ŌRAU/ 24020240

“We continue to try and bring our people together, pushing clean habits (no smoking/vaping and no alcohol or drug consumption) and good core values while working with our families to achieve this.”

AKTT offers pathways and activities for youth and their families, uplifting youth and community through holistic teaching that aims for spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional development.

Young people have the opportunity to engage in environmental conservation through projects like “Operation Taramea”, removing the invasive taramea starfish from Cook Islands reefs. 

Activities started this week with a new intake and returning participants, in junior and senior groups, connecting young people to community and culture. 

“Uncle Sunshine” George taught rangaranga (weaving) to make pare ‘ukarau. 

Time was spent out in the pa’i taro with Dr Teina Rongo, Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau chairperson and programme lead, throwing in a bit of scientific learning mixed with traditional knowledge. 

Young people learn step-by-step how to work in the pa’i taro, fishing, rangaranga, music, volleyball, fitness and seniors have the opportunity to travel to the Pa Enua and abroad for cultural exchanges. 

AKTT kids swap screen time for a science and culture lesson in the pa’i taro after school. KŌRERO O TE ‘ŌRAU/ 24020221

Travel within the Cook Islands connects young people with their families, and teaches them the best their home has to offer.

“This fosters appreciation and love so we will be the indigenous guardians we need to be going forward,” says Rongo.

“Overseas travel is also important for us to see how other places have been eroded and degraded by living a Western lifestyle. It can open our eyes and help us fight to maintain the beauty we have so it’s not lost to what we see elsewhere.”

The senior programme has travelled to Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia and New Zealand. This year they’re aiming for Hawai’i in July.

The transition from school holiday programme to year-long learning comes in the wake of recent incidents involving youth. 

This week multiple men appeared in court relating to an alleged brawl where Police were called about a large number of youths fighting on the roadside. The youngest of the groups involved was 15-year-old. 

The Juvenile Crime Prevention Committee (JCPC) is dealing with a backlog of cases including a burglary involving a 13-year-old suspect.

Rongo says there are still spaces on the AKTT programme: “We continue to hope that more and more parents and families can see our vision.”

To register with AKTT contact Jackie Rongo at korerooteorau@gmail.com, send a message on Facebook messenger, ring 73560, or visit the team at ‘Uritaua House in Avatiu.