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
Cook Island coastwatchers to be honoured at ANZAC day and beyond
The Cook Island community is preparing to commemorate the service of soldiers and local heroes this Anzac Day in New Zealand.
Out and proud: Miss Thunderhips shines in celebration of diversity
In a celebration of Anuanua Week’s talent, diversity, and inclusivity, the electrifying Miss Thunderhips competition took centre stage on Friday night featuring LGBTQ+ contestants, who showcased their talents captivating the enthusiastic full-house audience.
'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 […]
'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 […]
More television affects island culture
Cook Islands culture will suffer with the introduction of a second television station, warns an expert on the effects of screen media. Dr Aric Sigman, a British psychologist and author, says more choice of channels means people will watch more TV, leading to further declines in language usage and a loss of traditional culture. “It’s […]
Why TV is bad for our health
Ten-year-old Tama lives right next to the lagoon, but spends most afternoons in his room with the curtains pulled. When it’s really hot he goes swimming with his Tikioki friends, but they’re soon back inside watching television or DVDs. Both his parents work, his mum has two jobs, and the TV is his main source […]
Shame on you government
Last Saturday I spent the afternoon enjoying one of life’s great pleasures, watching one of my mokopuna playing rugby. I was in the company of my son-in-law and a younger grandson. We were sitting on the bank at a sports ground in east Auckland; it was a great day – a bit breezy – but […]
Musical comes to Raro
Cook Islands culture through song, music, dance and drums will take centre stage in May when the musical production ‘Once, Upon a Reef’ comes to life. The musical production, which is based on the legend of neglected twins Pipirima, is still receiving rave reviews from those who saw the production which premiered at the TelstraClear […]
Ea'a te au angaanga a teia au tangata?
Taote – Ka tauturu te taote i te tangata maki Orometua – Ka tauturu te orometua i te pure tapu Puapii – Ka karanga te puapii ki te tamariki kia rave angaanga Ariki – Ka noo te Ariki ki runga i te nooanga Na Pae Tuteru Taote – Ka oake te taote i te vairakau […]
The big fishing debate
The Regional Perspective 1. The SPC Report – the 2006 National Fisheries Assessment, consistent with various other regional scientific reports, does in fact allude to overfishing of certain key fish stocks, more particularly bigeye tuna, in the WCPO (Western and Central Pacific Ocean) region. The information referred to in that particular SPC report was part […]
Lee has high hopes for kitesurfing competition
Kitesurf instructor Mike Lee has high hopes for June’s international kitesurfing competition: he reckons the wind will blow and the event will put Aitutaki on the map as a kiter’s paradise. Lee returned last week to Aitutaki after spending three months in New Zealand, catching up with family and actively promoting the upcoming competition – […]
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 […]
Writers chill out in Cooks
An animated group of North American writers gathered at Cafe Jireh on Thursday afternoon, and over lunch gushed about their sojourn to the caves of Atiu and the Aitutaki lagoon, from which they returned earlier that morning. Five writers and one Cook Islands Tourism North America representative toured the Cook Islands this week – their […]
Pasifika Festival review by BTIB
The Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB) is surveying Cook Islands stall vendors involved in this year’s annual Pasifika Festival at Western Springs in Auckland. BTIB trade and marketing manager Danny Williams says the 11 vendors who travelled from the Cook Islands to participate in the festival should have made between $7000 and $15,000 each. […]
Wendy films for the fun of it
Former Cook Islands News co-owner Wendy Evans laid down her camera when she left the media profession, but that didn’t keep her from documenting island life altogether. She bought a video camera, enrolled in a USP videography course and started splicing and editing short films of Rarotonga footage she compiled in her free time. “I […]
Tune out friends, not just TVs
Turning off the television is not enough. Indirect exposure to media, such as having friends who watch a lot of television, may be more damaging to a teen’s body image, say researchers using Fiji as a case study. Wary parents will have to do more than unplug the television if they want to avoid the […]
Students to Rotary camp
Senior Tereora College students Maruia Willie and Tuaine Unuia have been selected by their school to attend the Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment (RYPEN) Camp at Hunua in Auckland in the first weekend of April. RYPEN is a residential weekend seminar especially designed for secondary students. It is a programme of self-development, helping young people […]
Update from Spain
Atiu Fibre Arts Studio owner Andrea Eimke is in Sitges, Spain, teaching women from around the world to sew tivaivai and exhibiting local tivaivai at the International Patchwork Festival. Earlier this week, she emailed CINews from Sitges: “We finished hanging the tivaivais today. The town hall of Sitges, a magnificent building for exhibitions and conferences, […]
Will Crummer's double comeback
Rarotongan songster Will Crummer is making a double-pronged comeback – with a public performance and a new, ready-to-release album. Crummer, who retreated from the public eye to raise his family (which includes renowned singer Annie Crummer) has confirmed he will be performing with The Rarotongans at WOMAD this week. Crummer and The Rarotongans will join, […]
Fundraisers still counting proceeds
Funds are still flowing in from Thursday’s national fundraiser day for the victims of the natural disasters in Australia and Christchurch. A total of $14,005 was pledged by Cook Islanders during the six-hour radiothon and funds raised by the entertaining concert at the national auditorium and from food sales have not been counted yet. But […]
Instalment symbolises intersection of two cultures
The final instalment of one of local artist Krick Barraud’s ongoing projects is now on display at Beachcomber Art Gallery and will remain there until April. Krick is pictured here with BCA owner Ben Bergman. The instalment features an assortment of photographs, text, linen, a life-sized ‘feather’ made of palm frond and Aitutaki lime, and […]
Bernard represents Cooks at Poly events
For New Zealand-based Cook Islands radio producer and journalist Bernard Tairea, volunteering at Auckland’s annual Pasifika and Polyfest cultural events is a highlight of the year. Tairea, who moved to New Zealand from the Cook Islands in 2002, hosts the Cook Islands programming on various Auckland-based radio stations, announces the news in Cook Islands Maori […]