National
College project going well
Wednesday 26 April 2017 | Published in Local
Local contractors, Land Holdings Ltd, continue to make headway on the Tereora College project over Easter weekend, safe in the knowledge that key construction materials for the advancement of the project were on hand.
Hospitality stars' skills rewarded
Wednesday 26 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
There was a huge celebration of food, drink and hospitality skills recently on Rarotonga.
Huge crowd marks ANZAC Day
Wednesday 26 April 2017 | Published in Local
During wars the half-light of dawn was one of the most favoured times for an attack; however yesterday morning, men, women, and children all emerged from their homes to remember Cook Island soldiers who served in wartime.
Haunting tune special tribute
Wednesday 26 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Parade and service combined this year
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Rashneel Kumar | Published in Local
Tomorrow’s Anzac Day commemoration on Rarotonga will follow a different format than usual.
Demos haven't changed: Brown
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Politics
New Democratic Party leader Tina Browne has lapsed into the “same old rhetoric” that previous Demo leaders have used, says Finance minister Mark Brown.
Tourists satisfied with visit
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Rashneel Kumar | Published in Local
The Cook Islands has been declared one of the most satisfying destinations for tourists in the South Pacific region, with research showing 95 per cent of visitors are satisfied with their visit.
Finals time at youth festival
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Local
The semifinals are done and dusted in the Kia Orana Youth Festival 2017 and the finals in the Under-16 boys and girls’ divisions have been confirmed for an epic battle today.
Lovely surprise for Rutaki school
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Local
Rutaki Primary School received a very pleasant surprise this week – a large number of educational books from Ellerslie Mustangs U16 football team.
It's time we said no to Styrofoam...
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Environment
Today is Earth Day, and we thought it would be good idea to make people aware of something they can do here in the Cook Islands to help our Mother Earth .
Tukao fishers Easter Competition
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Local
Reports back from Tukao Bay, in Manihiki, show the enjoyment and success of their Easter Fishing Competition held on Easter Monday.
Emergency authorities make an impression
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
A senior search and rescue officer from New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre was impressed at the level of cooperation among emergency authorities on Rarotonga.
Teamwork key to success of rescue efforts
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
The immensity of the Cook Islands’ territorial waters - within the even more massive Pacific Ocean, means Search and Rescue operations can be fraught with difficulty.
Youngsters learn to be ready for anything
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
More than 90 young lads of the Cook Islands Boys’ Brigade have been on a national camp this week and, for some, it would have come as a horrible shock.
Red Cross everywhere for everyone
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Red Cross Society’s journey began in 1986 in the wake of the devastation of Cyclone Sally and the delivery of the initial First Aid Course in 1989. The organisation has since grown to deliver a wide range of programmes to assist the community.
Govt guilty of contempt and must go says Browne
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Politics
The government is going to be “turfed out at the next election because people are simply fed up with all the talk, the travel, and the poor performance at every department level”.
Assault justification a shocker
Tuesday 25 April 2017 | Published in Crime
A man who justified holding his victim by the throat, as “the way any man lovingly holds a women”, has been found guilty of assaulting a female late last year.
Small in stature, big in bravery
Friday 21 April 2017 | Published in Local
This story continues Flo Syme Buchanan’s series on Cook Islands soldiers who served in World War One. The stories are appearing in the lead-up to Anzac Day on Tuesday next week. He was a small man, standing just 162.5 cm (five feet, four inches) in his army socks. Mare Amoa didn’t weigh much either at 58kg or just over nine stone. But this slight man believed he could serve king and country well when he enlisted on March 12, 1918 at the age of 19. And he did, joining the 3rd Rarotongan Contingent. Private Mare Amoa from Muri, Ngatangiia was a planter, a single man at the time who gave his father Amoa as his next of kin. Mare began his duties on February 16, 1918. He trained at Narrow Neck camp, and according to his records, spent 168 days in New Zealand. He embarked from Wellington on June 13, 1918, sailing on the Manuka for Suez, Egypt. The ship arrived in Egypt on August 3, 1918. Records show Private Amoa and his regiment marched from the Suez to Ismailia. He is recorded as having served 230 days overseas. The young man from Muri was discharged from duty on March 20, 1919 and was awarded the British War Medal. Amoa is survived by his two children, Tamati Amoa (Rarotonga) and Tutu Seil (New Zealand). Tamati was 17 years old when his father died on February 19, 1945. The descendants say their father first attempted to enlist when he was just 17 and had tried to pass himself as being older. But being such a “tiny one” it was easy for recruiting officers to see Mare Amoa, while enthusiastic about serving, was not being completely honest. He was told to go home and come back when he became of age. Tamati has talked about his father being able to speak English well for a Cook Islander of the time. The siblings say when their father was serving overseas, he spent a lot of time in the emergency bases and hospitals interpreting for sick Cook Islanders. “It was really nice to know our father was helping our sick soldiers by being their interpreter,” says Tutu Seil. Mare Amoa married Tereapii Rau (Ukinga) and they had eight children. “Our father began to lose his sight, we think it was from cataracts, so my brother (Tamati), spent a lot of time by his side.” “My brother and father would travel on his friend Turepu’s horse and cart to the Avarua court house so my father could attend land court sittings. Our father was very good at reciting genealogies. My brother recalls when he and our father would go to land court sittings, our father was a quiet man, but was respected because he could speak English.” “My brother remembers when our father went completely blind and would still want to be at land meetings that were often held in the evenings as far away as Vaimaanga. They would walk all the way there, my brother leading my father. The land meetings would go to all hours of the night and they would then walk home in pitch darkness, my brother also not being able to see …it was a bit like the blind leading the blind.” “What we do know is that when our father died and left our mother with the children, she never collected our father’s pension as a war widow.” Mare Amoa has many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great grandchildren who live in countries all over the world. - FSB
Grave restorers in need of some help
Friday 21 April 2017 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
With Anzac Day just next week, volunteers are being sought to help the stalwarts of the Nikao Cemetery Restoration Project finish cleaning up the area surrounding the graves of World War One soldiers.
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