Thanks to the introduction of new digitising kits, Cook Islands history and culture can now be preserved and promoted, ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to explore and understand them.

Tauranga Vananga (Ministry of Culture) hosted a special ceremony to acknowledge and bless the two new Rokirokitia Digitising Kits donated by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision (Ngā Taonga), the audio-visual archive of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Cook Islands Voyaging Society (CIVS) was also gifted a Rokirokitia Digitising Kit.

Rokirokitia is about local-based preservation of at-risk magnetic media tapes, such as VHS and audio cassettes, before they degrade and lose their content.

Cook Islander Susan Love from Ngā Taonga said it was an absolute privilege to be on Rarotonga to celebrate another step in the vital work of Tauranga Vananga and CIVS.

Love said Ngā Taonga also provided training for Tauranga Vananga staff and members of CIVS so that the Cook Islands can continue preserving “at-risk” tapes here on the island.

In her previous role with Tauranga Vananga, Love worked alongside Paula Paniani and Kate Ngatokorua to help document and preserve the Cook Islands audio-visual collection stored in the vaults of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision in Wellington, New Zealand.

“Our work over six years led to the inclusion of the Utaina mass digitisation project in Wellington,” said Love.

Mass digitisation is a worldwide response to saving content recorded on at-risk magnetic media tapes, which have been estimated to degrade by 2025.

She said the 10 years of collaboration between Tauranga Vananga and Ngā Taonga enabled the recent discussions about the Rokirokitia project.

Love recommends “tight quality control of the condition of the tapes to be digitised – they must be mould and dirt free and mouldy and dirty tapes require specialist manual conservation”.

She acknowledged Tauranga Vananga and CIVS for taking up the challenge of “saving our valuable recorded history”.

Speeches were delivered by acting Secretary of Tauranga Vananga - Emile Kairua, Tui Tupa, Susan Love, Tetini Pekepo and Anthony Turua

Makea Karika George Ariki, New Zealand High Commissioner Tui Dewes, and Cook Islands Voyaging Society members also attended the event.