Culture
Tributes flow for fallen kapa haka icon
Monday 8 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
The body of Te Arawa kapa haka stalwart Sally-Ann Roberts (Ngāti Hinemihi, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi) was repatriated back to Aotearoa New Zealand yesterday.
Atiu wins top Te Maeva Nui awards
Monday 8 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Atiu’s spectacular performances and creative costumes helped the southern group island’s dancing troops clean sweep the top awards in Te Maeva Nui 2022 cultural festival.
Te Maeva Nui: The gospel of healing
Saturday 6 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Teams taking part in the 2022 Te Maeva Nui cultural festival sang their hearts out in harmony in the Imene Pupu (Choir) and Imene Tuki (Traditional Hymn) categories on Thursday night at the National Auditorium.
Learning to live a subsistence lifestyle
Saturday 6 August 2022 | Written by Matthew Littlewood | Published in Culture, National
A group of more than 40 Rarotongan students from an environmental advocacy group have been learning about the lifestyles of the people of Atiu, and sharing their own knowledge.
Youngsters excited to learn their reo
Saturday 6 August 2022 | Written by Supplied | Published in Culture, National
Cook Islanders in Auckland are optimistic their reo will survive into the future, thanks to growing enthusiasm among the community’s youngest members.
Songs of hope
Saturday 6 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
The National Auditorium came alive this week with powerful songs of the Gospel and Vairakau Maori (traditional remedies) echoing through the hall.
Te Maeva Nui performers dazzle crowd
Friday 5 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Te Maeva Nui, the nation’s biggest and best cultural extravaganza, hit off to a great start with over 1000 people cheering and welcoming the first night of performers onstage at the National Auditorium on Wednesday.
Celebrating 57 years of self-governance
Friday 5 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Dignitaries, members of the public, Te Maeva Nui dance groups and visitors gathered at the National Auditorium yesterday to mark the Constitution Day – 57 years of self-governance from New Zealand.
Atiu ready to hit the stage in Ura Pau category
Wednesday 3 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Atiu’s Te Maeva Nui cultural team is set and ready to hit the stage tonight in the Ura Pau category with a unique portrayal of the theme – “Te au Vairakau Tupuna o toku Matakeinanga/Enua or the Traditional Medicine of my Community/Island”.
Fishy find sparks Cook Islands linguistic lesson at Auckland Museum
Tuesday 2 August 2022 | Written by Supplied | Published in Culture, National
Records dating back almost 100 years could hold dialectical differences or lost words in Cook Islands Māori – and they have been sitting in a box at the Auckland Museum for all those years.
Cook Islands Language Week opens with new digital hub for kōrero Kūki 'Āirani
Monday 1 August 2022 | Written by Supplied | Published in Culture, National
New Zealand Government is opening an online hub for young Cook Islanders to tuatua (talk) about their culture, in honour of Cook Islands Language Week.
Te Pa o Rākaihautū Kapa Haka group put on spectacular show
Monday 1 August 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
The Te Pa o Rākaihautū Kapa Haka group from New Zealand have wowed crowds at the National Auditorium with their tuneful melodious voices, dance and Haka performances in Te Maeva Nui International Night on Saturday.
Colourful float parades get Te Maeva Nui festival underway
Saturday 30 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Welcoming light rain cooled off the waiting audience and the float parade participants at the opening event of the 2022 Te Maeva Nui cultural festival yesterday.
Voices of Rakahanga
Saturday 30 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Voices of Rakahanga will be singing loud and proud in the 2022 Te Maeva Nui cultural festival next week in the Ute, Imene Tuki and Choir performances.
Celebrating Vairakau Maori
Saturday 30 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Teariki Pureau (pictured), Iriea Tangapiri and Puna Kamoe from the Ministry of Agriculture portrayed the making of “vairakau ati” and “maoro akairi kumu” at the official opening of the 2022 Te Maeva Nui and float parade yesterday.
Final touches before cultural festival gets underway
Friday 29 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
The young dancers of Pukapuka’s Te Maeva Nui team are excited and looking forward to their performances in the Tauranga Vananga (Ministry of Cultural Development) organised cultural festival which starts today with the official opening and float parade at the Constitution Park.
‘The struggle is real’: Mitiaro prepares for Te Maeva Nui
Wednesday 27 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
For most teams participating in Te Maeva Nui cultural festival, “the struggle is real” to acquire enough dancers to perform in next week’s event, says the leader of Mitiaro’s cultural group, Matavaine (Tuvaine) Numanga.
Singing their hearts out
Monday 25 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Fisherman Kirikavaka Tutavake showed off his musical talent strumming and singing away in the Nga Oire e Rua string band during the Cook Islands Game Fishing Club String Band competition on Saturday.
Strumming the heartstrings
Saturday 23 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Island string bands are not about harmonious pitch perfect songs – it’s about singing loud, joyously and expressively straight from the heart, radiating emotions to the audience.
Promoting Cook Islands language and culture
Wednesday 20 July 2022 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Culture, National
Determined to keep the language and traditions of Reo Maori thriving, Pa Tepaeru Teariki Upokotini Marie Ariki has welcomed the start of Te Vānanga Are Tapere O Takitumu (Takitumu Performing Arts School), which has a first cohort of 10 students.
