More than 1400 performers participated in the world’s largest Cook Islands event in Auckland this weekend as tens of thousands made their way through the gates of the Trust Arena to celebrate who we are, our culture, our Reo and each other, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Te Maeva Nui Aotearoa is the biggest Māori Cook Island Festival in Aotearoa and each year it has grown as it showcases and celebrates the uniqueness of our Pe’u Maori, our culture, Kapa Rima, Ura Pa’u, and Ute and arts and crafts from the Cook Islands, including our very own Mrs Q.

Te Maeva Nui Festival Aotearoa is a celebration of us all who have called Aotearoa home and yet are deeply connected to our Ipukarea and Islands back home, because this is what it means to be a Maori from the Cook Islands in 2023. The 2023 theme, “Te ora’anga keretitiano i roto ite matakeinanga”, links to the 200 years celebration of Christianity in the Cook Islands held this year.

Eleven teams from all over Aotearoa celebrated Cook Islands culture at its finest, including a delegation from the Cook Islands of Sir Tom and Lady Tuaine Marsters, Minister for Culture George Maggie Angene, acting Head of Culture Emile Kairua, our High Commissioner Nani Samuela and Consular General Te Pini Rangatira Keukarakia Mataroa. Traditional leader Pa Tepaeru Teariki Upokotini Marie Ariki represented our traditional leaders along with other Rangatira and Mataiapo. Our deep bonds between Aotearoa and our Ipukarea are ever deepened by Te Maeva Nui Aotearoa but it is what happens internally for everyone involved and those looking on from afar where the toketoke burrows deeper into the enua and the Uto’s green shoots take sprout.

In Wellington, Poneke, we celebrated with Kia Orana Day and hundreds gathered in the cold to celebrate also our Māori Cook Islands culture in song, dance and arts and crafts and in other towns around Aotearoa they were doing the same. Wherever our people are we gather, and when we do, we celebrate because it is who we are not matter where we took our first breath and no matter what others may think about our Cook Islands-ness. Despite the few that consider the thousands that come to these events, as being not Cook Islands enough, as many do not speak the Reo and some have grown up in two very distinct worlds, Te Maeva Nui Aotearoa gives everyone involved, and Kia Orana Day here in Poneke, the opportunity to grow that part of them and to celebrate the uto of identity just that little bit more.

And like the Uto, it is resilient, strong and can withstand the ravages of wind, sea and time, and will take sprout and grow just about anywhere no matter where it lands after its fall from the coconut tree. The Uto that is our people here in Aotearoa and the now two or three generations since the first migrations, have utilised events like Te Maeva Nui to grow to feed their hunger and desire for identity, connection and culture. To all Te Maeva Nui Aotearoa committee in Tamaki Makaurau, meitaki ranuinui katoatoa. To all involved, including the festival directors Duane and Tutereva Wichman-Evans, event coordinator Kimi Marsters, and Te Maeva Nui Aotearoa Charitable Trust directors, Papa Mai Nio-Aporo, Noo Pare, Charlie Borell, Mama Rosie Blake and Aunty Francis Topa- Fariu, this Uto grows because of all your love and work and deepens our connection with home.

Our people are and always have been our greatest asset, we have all we need to feed, grow and build the Vaka that is the Cook Islands, both here in Aotearoa and in the Cook Islands. All our people need is someone to lower the taura, and to pull them up and not push them down, because in working together, nothing is impossible for the Cook Islands and its people.