Tinomana Tokerau Ariki e tana Tama Ū’ā te Kauariki Rangi and Ekalesia Arorangi e te Vaka Puaikura held a thanksgiving service and special monument unveiling at the Arorangi Cook Islands Christian Church yesterday morning to celebrate the bicentennial arrival of Christianity.

Hundreds attended the 10am church service and the grand unveiling of the special monument which displays story boards dedicated to three people who were instrumental in the introduction of Christianity to Puaikura – Reverend John Williams, Tinomana Enua-Ruru-Tini Ariki of Puaikura, who accepted the message of the Gospel, and Tahitian missionary Papeiha.

Sam Crocombe, a seventh-generation descendant of Papeiha, was “very proud” to be present at the ceremony.

“I am a descendant of Papeiha, at the same time of his son Isaia,” Crocombe said.

“Isaia was the first Cook Islander to be sent abroad to England to be the first Orometua (pastor). On his way back to Rarotonga, the ship stopped at Mangaia. When the people on Mangaia realised that Isaia was on the boat Numangatini Ariki of Mangaia asked him to come ashore to preach a sermon.

“Everything today was beautiful, and the monument which has the story boards is great for our future generations, so they will know the history of who brought Christianity to the Cook Islands.”

Rev Williams, from Tottenham, London, brought Tahitian missionary Papeiha to Rarotonga on July 15, 1823, to evangelise the island.

Papeiha (1802-1867) married Te Vaerua o te Rangi, the eldest daughter of Tinomana Enuarurutini Ariki, founding the lineage of Ngati Papeiha.