A brief look at Te Maeva Nui 2012

Te Maeva Nui is over for another year and most of the outer islanders have headed back to their home islands.  Not all of them though. Arguments over passenger numbers and cargo led the Penrhyn islanders to boycott the Lady Naomi when she returned.

That’s a shame because otherwise it was a very successful occasion.

It rained on the parade, the float parade that is, but then the sun came out for the rest of the celebrations apart from some showers one evening.

The standards have improved since last year and every cultural competition item scored an A or B grade so all the islands should have had some healthy prize money to take home.

(As with last year’s competition, there was no overall winner scooping the pool but every competition team received a share of the funds based on the grade their items achieved.)
The costumes, choreography and enthusiasm were fantastic and all ten teams did a great job. The dancers looked as though they were having a wonderful time and the audience did too.
Puaikura was the only Rarotonga team. The outer islands teams were from Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Mangaia, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mitiaro and Mauke.

Lady Naomi sails in with outer islanders

Te Maeva Nui 2012 is well under way with a total of ten teams taking part in the cultural dance competition.

Puaikura is the only team representing Rarotonga; the others are from the northern group islands of Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga and Mitiaro; and the southern group’s Aitutaki, Mauke, Mangaia, Atiu and Mitiaro.

Once again this year the northern group competitors were carried to Rarotonga by the Samoan ferry Lady Naomi. The boat arrived on 19 July to a warm welcome from officials and families before the travellers were whisked off to hostels and other accommodation.

This left plenty of time for teams to meet with their Rarotonga-based members to practice items and organise craftwork for sale at the now-annual Trade Days.

The southern group islanders flew in from their islands to Rarotonga.

The Lady Naomi will be returning to Rarotonga at the end of the celebrations to transport the northerners back home.

Around Rarotonga in 8 minutes (again)

I’ve got a couple of videos on the go but haven’t had a lot of time to finish them off because I’ve been doing some gardening. Well, it’s more of a slash, burn and demolish than anything else. Mind you the garden is fighting back – I’ve got blisters and bruises and sore muscles to show for it.

In the meantime here is a new version of a previous video.

Last year I got a new computer and new software so I’ve now re-rendered the Round-Raro-by-motorbike one I made in January last year (2011).

The resolution is much better.

There are some changes on Rarotonga, the main one being in the Avatiu harbour area. The old Marine Resources building is gone and the foreshore there is being remodelled. The harbour is has been lengthened and deepened with the fill being used to extend Punanga Nui market although you can’t see that from the road. The other changes around the island involve ‘beautification’ which unfortunately in far too many places has meant hacking down trees.

Strange idea of beauty!

NB: The trees and other vegetation that I’ve been slashing and burning are all invasives or weeds in the process of taking over the world and I shall be planting plenty of new trees to take their places.