Supermom Lotiola Mateariki is the driving force behind the success of her children’s Te Mire Ura achievements with five of her children getting crowned the Cook Islands cultural dancing champions.

A mother of seven, Lotiola is deeply passionate about culture, and passing on her knowledge to inspire her children brings her great joy.

“I’m so fortunate my kids are passionate too about culture and I’m hoping they will carry on this legacy I’m giving them, to carry on the legacy of ours to their children,” says Lotiola.

“And when it comes to my grandchildren, I expect it to be like that too. For me it’s a family legacy.”

Popularly known as “Loti Babe”, the Mauke-based “supermom” is a bundle of energy. When speaking about culture, Lotiola’s passion is evident as she shares her story with excitement and enthusiasm.

“Every time I hear our music or drumming, you know my heart is just like beating and I feel like jumping up and dancing… anywhere.

“I love the reo, our language, our culture, and I want our young people to learn it. 

“Yes, some can sing the song or say the pe’e (chant) but they’re not understanding the deep and powerful of meaning of what they are singing or saying about our culture.”

Born Lotiola Vainenoo Puapii (Tungane) Hospital, she was raised on the island of Mauke, one of 14 children to parents Rongo Oti and Riva Oti (not counting separate older siblings her dad and mum had). Her twin sadly passed away in infancy.

Her late father Riva Oti was a good drummer and her mother Aumetua Patu Kura Oti, who resides on Mauke, “is still an awesome performer”.

Raised on a remote island, Lotiola says being surrounded by dance and song as a young girl instilled in her the pride she has today.

Lotiola started dancing from the age of eight right through to her teenage years when she made Team Mauke for the Constitution Celebrations (now known as Te Maeva Nui).

She had to wait “impatiently” until the age of 16 to be able to travel to Rarotonga for the festival in 1989.

In 1990, Mauke won the Air New Zealand trophy at that year’s Constitution Celebrations and was selected to represent the country in Niue in 1993. Lotiola went along with her mother and one of her brothers.

“It was such a great experience showcasing our culture elsewhere.”

In 1996, Mateariki moved to Rarotonga and joined Te Maeva Nui in 2003 representing Atiu, later joined Nikao Oire and in 2011 re-joined Mauke enua becoming the culture leader – a role she still holds today.

Lotiola and her husband Casper have seven children: Teariki, Casper (deceased), Tamaiva, Ambushia, Ngatokotoru (Toru), Nicolea and Hanalei, the youngest at seven years old.

Her first experience of Te Mire Ura Dancer of the Year competition was through her eldest son Teariki Mateariki who joined the competition in 2006. He didn’t get a podium finish in his debut year.

However, he joined again in 2007 going home with the senior champion title which he retained for the next six years. This started a trend for the rest of the siblings.

Her daughter Ambushia has held the women’s champion title for three years in the juniors, three years in the intermediate, two years in the seniors and is the reigning International Dance champion.

Tamaiva has held the juniors and intermediate titles and is the reigning International male champion.

Ambushia and Tamaiva returned from overseas to help out younger siblings Ngatokotoru and Nicolea in Te Mire Ura last week.

“It was a blessing to have them back,” says Lotiola.

Ngatokotoru won the senior male section and Nicolea finished runner up in the female category.

Lotiola has also won a Te Mire Ura title – the Masters section in 2018, and Casper won the Golden Oldies in 2015.

“When I used to dance in the Constitution, my parents and mamas would make my costume, I would just get up and dance. So when my kids started dancing, I had to start making costumes.

“I’m a last-minute person and I was trying to figure it all out and when I had several of the kids joining at the same time, I asked for help from people like Maiake Hafoka, Tupa Dora, Mareta Angene and her team.”

At times there were eight costumes to create for one competition.

“Costumes aren’t easy to make, it’s not easy and it is quite expensive to make costumes. But I do it, to show people my passion for the Cook Islands and our culture.”

Lotiola has been a school teacher since 2006 and currently teaches Science and Māori at Tereora College.

In 2019 she took time off teaching to travel with the “Dream Trip team” to Melbourne, Sydney, Hawaii, Los Angeles and Tahiti, and with the Cook Islands National Arts and Theatre (CINAT) team to Hawaii.

In November that year she renovated a vacant shop in Mauke and opened the Loti Babe Store where she sold farmers crops, Mauke Akari Pi and cooked food.

Settled back into her teaching career, and still driven to be involved in dancing, Lotiola says: “I’d like to encourage everyone to join culture, it also gives you the opportunity to travel all over the world, my kids have travelled all over the world dancing promoting the Cook Islands.”

Last year she entered the General Elections standing as a candidate for the newly formed Cook Islands United Party.

“I wanted to get some experience in politics and see what I could do to help my island of Mauke.

“Of course, I love my island so I tried it out, but you know it’s hard work and not easy and you run out of money.

“And I didn’t win but it didn’t even break my heart, I’m glad I gave it a go.”

Lotiola would like to wish her “busy” 73-year-old mum in Mauke a wonderful Mother’s Day.

“I’m grateful she’s still alive and she loves my kids.

“To those who still have their mothers around please treasure them.

“I’ve had an early Mother’s Day with all my kids being here. I love my children to pieces and if anything happens to them wherever they are, I’ll just leave my job and go to my kids, they are my backbone.

“To all mothers, God give strength to all of us, and for us to sustain our Cook Islands culture and Maori and pass on our knowledge to our kids.”