Opinion

Kata: ADB loan

Virtues in Paradise: The best present you can give

Christmas is nearly here, and there is so much to do – preparing for visiting family, finding gifts for the children, serving the church, writes Linda Kavelin-Popov.

Coconut trees, too much of a good thing

Coconut trees are often called the ‘Tree of Life’ in the Cook Islands and other Pacific islands because every part of the tree is useful. But too many coconut trees can be a problem.

Thomas Wynne: Recognising the signs of spiritual manipulation

Should any religion be free to travel like a vine as it pleases? Or should we learn to discern between something that bears good fruit and something that chokes, kills, and destroys? Thomas Tarurongo Wynne writes.

Kata: Christmas bonus

Church Talk: The 2024 festive season and what it truly means

The festive season is a time of celebration, family gatherings, and joy. For many in the Cook Islands, this period is about reconnecting with loved ones, sharing meals, and participating in cultural and spiritual traditions, writes Pastor Eric Toleafoa from the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Kata: Rainy Christmas

Pet Talk: Keeping your pets cool and comfortable this summer Christmas

The holiday season is a time of joy, family, and festivity, but for pet owners, it can bring unique challenges, writes Dr Rose Hasegawa, medical director Te Are Manu Vet Clinic.

Kata: Be self responsible

Te Tuhi Kelly: Religion raises its ugly side again

As we are all aware, the Government has set up a select committee and have asked for public submissions on a proposal to make the Cook Islands an exclusive Christian nation, writes Te Tuhi Kelly, leader of the Progressive Party.

Kata: Santa's present

Ruta Mave: The ‘hypocrisy’ of a Christian state

Hypocrisy is alive and well in the unofficial Christian state of Crook Islands, writes Ruta Mave.

Kata: Takitumu police

Thomas Wynne: A history of faith in the Cook Islands

The journey of faith and religion in the Cook Islands – from Tangaroa to Rongo, from Christianity to Pentecostalism – has always been marked by resistance, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Te Ipukarea Society: Composting workshop teaches sustainable living

Te Ipukarea Society participated in a hands-on composting workshop hosted by New Zealand consultant Chris Purchas at the Papaaroa Mission House last Friday.

Kata: No freedom

Letter: Embrace religious diversity

Dear Editor, I am a local hard-core atheist. I have lived in fear many years here for speaking out against Christianly for fear of persecution but I think it’s time to face my fears and speak out about my concerns, with this potential religious restrictions reform. I will not give up and take this message where ever it has to go.

Letter: ‘The Church of Us’

Charles Carlson’s thoughtful letter of 3rd December on what he calls, “ … harmful ideologies that threaten personal rights, national security, and the well-being of our people”, cites for example, “some teachings condone child marriages, with girls as young as six being married off under religious justification.

Letters: Brothers in arms

Dear Editor, As a proud Cook Islander and New Zealand citizen, I’ve often wondered why our people are not yet actively integrated into the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

Kata: Sleep Apnea