More Top Stories
Solar power battery repairs ‘could take up to 12 months’
15 April 2024
Police shortage leads to drop in checkpoints
9 April 2024
Sarakura declared new Penrhyn MP
16 March 2024
Govt says $1.3m invested in Lady Samoa charter
22 February 2024
Mass milkfish die-off in Penrhyn raises concerns
3 April 2024
Regulator defends Starlink users
9 April 2024
Aitutaki’s heritage preserved in new anthology
4 January 2024
Avatiu Eels retain Nines title
8 January 2024
Beddoes crowned top athlete
8 January 2024
NRL player Dargan dies in Aitutaki motorcycle crash
24 December 2023
‘Please heed the signs’: resident makes plea to tourists
20 December 2023
Cook Islands set to play in new World Series
10 October 2023
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
Corruption in the Cook Islands?
21 January 2023
Moana target 2025 World Cup
11 November 2022
Features
Church Talk: The power of words
Have you ever said something in the heat of the moment that you did not mean, but it had a lasting impact on the person you said it to? How did you feel? Kayla Kaimarama-Willie of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints writes.
Catholic community gears up for arrival of new coadjutor bishop
The newly appointed coadjutor bishop arrives in Rarotonga tonight to assist the retiring Bishop before eventually succeeding him.
Kids raise $14,500
Students give of themselves for nothing in return but the joy of service to others. This was the theme of the Nukutere College run-a-thon on Thursday which raised $14,500 for victims of the Christchurch earthquake. The school presented Nga Jessie of Red Cross with the cheque and a promise that another cheque would handed over […]
Maori medicine works wonders
The news that really rocked this week’s National Economic Development Summit is the revelation that Cook Islands plant remedies could revolutionise modern medicine. For nearly a century, a colonial ban on ‘black magic’ pushed traditional Cook Islands healing practices and Maori medicines into the shadows – plants with healing properties were ‘known about, but not […]
It's the loveliest place
Dear Editor, I have recently been a visitor to the Cook Islands, coming home last weekend. I loved my time in the Cook Islands and enjoyed especially a visit to parliament where Mr Metuakore (Motu) was kind enough to give me the time to show me around. What I couldn’t get a handle on is […]
Sustainability explained
We must take sustainability seriously because if something is not sustainable, it is doomed to come to an end. Sustainability, simply put, is about ‘providing for today’s needs without compromising the needs of tomorrow’. For example, in agriculture if growers are using inorganic fertilisers that burn microbes and worms in the soil, whilst they may […]
Mauke makes 'Back Yard Farmer'
In Australia’s latest ‘Back Yard Farmer’ magazine, a sustainable living venture on Mauke island is among 80 colourful pages of practical information on such subjects as DIY organic hydroponics, drought proof vegetables high in Vitamin C, worthy weeds, chook power, and building soils. As editor Fiona Tunnicliff says, it’s all ‘real stories from real people […]
Guide grows from Mexico experience
Local Girl Guide Anabeth Tetauru recently returned from Mexico, where she and 200 other young Girl Guides attended the Young Women’s World Forum, other sessions of which simultaneously occurred in Switzerland, India and the United Kingdom. The theme of this year’s forum was ‘Grow’ – a fitting term, as Anabeth says she grew socially, spiritually […]
Guiding leadership meets
Girl Guides from all over the southern group flocked to Rarotonga last month for the Girl Guides Association Cook Islands weekend training session. Just under 30 Girl Guides leaders from Aitutaki, Atiu, Mauke, Mitiaro, Mangaia and Rarotonga gathered at Sinai Hall to check a number of items off its agenda, including drafting and discussing the […]
Josephine tops the world!
As invited guests gathered at the Hospitality Tourism Training Centre yesterday to see 24-year-old Josephine Rattle receive her prestigious award – the dedicated student was in the kitchen preparing tasty morsels for the guests. Rattle was awarded the World’s Top Food and Beverage City and Guilds International Medal yesterday in front of proud family, friends […]
Tickets to Pipirima musical on sale now
Tickets for the highly anticipated Once, Upon a Reef musical production will go on sale today at the Punanga Nui Markets. The musical and cultural production, based on the neglected twins Pipirima, will be launched on Wednesday, May 25, at the National Auditorium. The show, featuring all Cook Islands actors, singers, dancers and drummers, is […]
DJ 'Whateva Treva' salutes Stevie Wonder
DJ ‘Whateva Treva’ pays tribute to legendary singer/songwriter Stevland Morris, more commonly known as Stevie Wonder, during tomorrow’s three-hour ‘Groovin (on a Sunday afternoon)’ broadcast. From midday until 3 o’clock, ‘Whateva Treva’ will be playing a collection of songs by Stevie Wonder on 88FM. “(Stevie) got awarded the (Gershwin) Life Achievement Award from (President Barack) […]
'Tropical Vibes'
Local company Motone, a husband-wife venture established in 2009 by musician Maurice ‘Mo’ Newport and marketing expert Glenda Tuaine, has big plans to expand the local creative industry. The couple contends that while people tend to ‘talk about’ growing the industry, Motone has the credentials and the connections to make it happen. Mo and Glenda […]
Thousands ask BCA 'where you from?'
Earning the distinction of being the gallery from the farthest away at the prestigious VOLTA NY art show, the local Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery has stirred enough interest there to feature on the annual art show’s website. Close to 20,000 people viewed, critiqued and some bought the art works exhibited by 85 galleries at VOLTA […]
'A life of luck and beauty'
The long and successful career of accomplished New Zealand designer Annie Bonza will be celebrated at Auckland’s Bridal Fashion Week. On the eve of a retrospective of her best work at Auckland’s inaugural Bridal Fashion Week, fashion designer Annie Bonza is talking about good luck. Even with a career which has spanned 55 years, she […]
Last chance to win a car
Today and Monday will be the last chance for shoppers to enter the CITC supermarket ‘win a car’ promotion. The promotion has been running since January with great response from the public. To enter the draw to win the brand new gold Hyundai Getz – customers simply have to buy one product from the four […]
Whale songs add to science
Local whale expert Nan Hauser has been studying whale songs – the noises male humpbacks emit as they hang upside-down, motionless – for over a decade. The songs are the focus of a paper she and some colleagues recently published in the scientific journal ‘Current Biology’, a paper which encompasses 11 years of research and […]
Power bills going up
Te Aponga Uira is estimating most Rarotonga households will see their monthly power bills increase by $15 to $20 excluding VAT. Most homes use around around 200-300 electricity units. Acting TAU chief executive Elma Spooner-Marurai says larger homes using more than 500 units a month can see an increase of around $30 to $50 in […]
CITC gets proactive
The country’s largest company CITC has taken the proactive step of giving staff the opportunity to learn how to better manage their budgets and make some savings. Manager Gaye Whitta says the company is also looking at ways to encourage staff to save power costs at home as well as at work. She explains CITC […]
Start gardening and grow food
The predicted cost of living increase could start a new trend – home gardens. Starting a home garden will help supplement the food budget. Agriculture will need to assist families with this by providing seedlings for vegetables and fruit trees and advice. Low maintenance crops should be a priority such as rukau viti, rukau taro, […]
'Enter the Land' all local
After weeks of hard work, fundraising and prayer, Celebration on the Rock church is releasing its first CD. The album, which is currently being produced and printed in New Zealand, features ten English tracks written and performed by Celebration’s worship team – local musicians Kevin Iro, Tony Fe’ao, Charles Carlson, Bilsy Gukisuva, Abby Brass, Melody […]
Koka celebrates birthday on lagoon
Rarotonga’s newest lagoon cruise operator Koka Lagoon Cruises celebrates its one-year anniversary this week. Over the past year, the business has worked to establish itself as a reputable tour operator and to give the tourists that come aboard a set of invaluable holiday memories to take away with them. Koka is a family-run business, small […]