Monday, February 7

Rarotonga's Punanga Nui market



Saturday morning is the big day at Rarotonga's Punanga Nui market.
From early in the morning until midday there are seasonal local fruits and vegetables for sale and plenty of stalls selling cooked food as well as pareu, pearls and much more.
The tarmac area near the road, which is used as a carpark during the week, is mainly given over to fresh produce. Nowadays that includes hydroponic herbs, homemade breads and baked goods. You can also pick up crepes and waffles.
Permanent huts surround the grassy area closer to the sea and on Saturdays the grass is covered with temporary stalls selling cooked food, drinks.
For tourists it's a great place to buy souvenirs – there’s a huge range with items to suit all budgets and tastes - and don’t forget to pick up a music CD by one of our local performers to remind you of your Rarotonga holiday.
By the way, the prices are fixed, we don’t go in for bargaining here.
And if you're lucky you'll be able to catch a performance by a local dance group - they often fundraise at the market on Saturday morning so be generous!
The music background on this video is by popular local performer Tara Kauvai from her CD Kia Tupu. Tara was at the market selling the CD (at a bargain price so I snapped it up) and appears at the end of the video. She has a website at http://www.tarakauvaiproductions.com/