Why I dread Cook Islands Māori Language Week
“Whenever Cook Islands Māori languages week rolls around, I get a sense of dread. I know that’s probably not what some of you want or expect to hear. But it is my reality.” — Tepaeru Minster.
Read More
Tag: Cook Islands
The fragile foundations of Pacific sovereignty
“New Zealand behaves less like a partner and more like a strategic guardian from whom the Cook Islands must seek permission. This power imbalance speaks to a deeper truth: Pacific nations are often treated as never fully ‘sovereign’.” — Sione Tekiteki.
Read More
Delinquent juvenile or neocolonial paternalism?
“Pacific countries and territories trying to assert their sense of autonomy need to be treated with respect and mana, and not be growled at in a paternalistic way, as if they’re delinquent juveniles.” — Professor Steven Ratuva.
Read More
Going ballistic
“It is sound policy, not insurrection, for small nations to diversify economic partnerships and secure development opportunities for their people.” — Eugene Doyle on why New Zealand maybe shouldn’t invade the Cook Islands for signing a strategic partnership with China.
Read More
Playing the long game
“I’ve heard stories of mining executives moving to the islands, where they’re insinuating themselves into the community, buying up art from local artists, funding cultural events, and pouring money into schools, sports and education.” — Teuila Fuatai.
Read More
Deep-sea mining’s charm offensive in the Cook Islands
“They’ve charmed and courted their way through our islands and people. Industry representatives have embedded themselves and the vast resources of their companies into our communities.” — Louisa Castledine on the mining industry’s activities in the Cook Islands.
Read More
Our deep sea is being colonised
“Deep sea mining is extraction for the sake of profit. It tramples the very things that make us Indigenous, that tie us to our land and moana, and to our ancestors and future generations.” — Liam Koka‘ua.
Read More
Casting off Cook
“The Cook Islands name has no meaningful connection to who we are. To me, when we describe ourselves as Cook Islanders, we’re saying ‘I am a James Cook Islander’, or ‘I am of James Cook’.” — Liam Koka‘ua.
Read More
Stories worth telling
“Imagine. A book about people like me, and other people wanting to read about us. It showed me we were good enough already, worthy of success and happiness and love.” — Maria Samuela.
Read More
Teremoana Rapley: An Original Creative Native
“I’m not a product. And the reason why I’m so anti that is because my tīpuna on my African side were listed as assets, as chattels, on asset registers.” — Teremoana Rapley.
Read More
