About - Te Maeva Nui NZ

About Us

Our Aim

Our aim is to deliver Cook Islands event services to the world, with the hopes of maintaining the pride of Cook Islanders living away from their homeland.

These celebrations are held in the hopes of maintaining Cook Islands language, heritage and culture. The trust is a collaboration between the Cook Islands community, its leaders, and business entrepreneurs in the Auckland Cook Islands community.

This is an opportunity for Cook Islanders to put their best foot forward, becoming involved in the planning and implementation of events for their people from a governance, and management perspective.

This is a trust for the people, with the people, and by the people!

This is an important device for our young people, and for Cook Islanders born outside of the Cook Islands, to discover and explore the culture of their ancestors.

Te Maeva Nui has been a focal point in the calendars of many Cook Islanders in the home country, however, the population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand is such that a festival of the same sort is warranted in order to include New Zealand based Cook Islanders in those celebrations.

The New Zealand version of Te Maeva Nui will be based on the Cook Islands version, engaging Vaka’s and Enua’s from around the country.

The Board

The Te Maeva Nui o Aotearoa New Zealand Charitable Trust is set up with 4 members of the board, Papa Noo Pare QSM – Heimana Music, Mai Nio-Aporo – Community Leader, Treasurer – Moe Ataua and Frances Topa-Fariu – Community Leader.

This board has been instrumental in the development of the first Te Maeva Nui NZ in 2019; ushering in a new and exciting wave of community participation on a level not experienced by Cook Islands culture in New Zealand.

Registered participation exceeded the 1000 people initially forecast, with thousands more in supporters. Te Maeva Nui NZ has established itself as the epitome of cultural display for Cook Islanders in New Zealand.

MAI NIO- APORO

Chairman

For 41 years, Mai worked as an electrical tradesman for Dickson-Gray Electrical, working in domestic, commercial and industrial wiring and design. He worked his way up within the company owned by Ted Dickson and Dave Gray over the years from Site Foreman/manager, Contracts Manager and eventually taking the lead in Project management.

NOO PARE

Vice Chairman

For almost 30 years, Noo Pare has been a mainstay in Cook Islands entertainment in New Zealand. Through his creative genius, Noo has spread Cook Islands music around the world, cementing it as the true sound of paradise. Noo has been recognised as the biggest producer of Cook Islands music, worldwide.

FRANCES FARIU

Secretary

Frances has a background in Health and Human Resources Development in the Cook Islands. Frances was instrumental in the establishment of the Cook Islands Tertiary Advisory group which was tasked with supporting Cook Islands Tertiary learners in Auckland. Through her work with the Cook Islands Tertiary group she was nominated on behalf of the Cook Islands Auckland Community as a representative on the MIT Pacific Advisory Board.

Moe Autaua

Treasurer

Moe brings 30 years of experience within the insurance industry, including over 20 years in leadership and management roles across operations, claims, customer services, compliance, and business improvement. Currently working as an Operations Manager within a highly regulated financial services environment, she brings extensive experience in governance, financial oversight, strategic planning, and operational leadership. Passionate about community and culture, Moe is committed to supporting the preservation and promotion of Cook Islands culture, identity, and traditions within New Zealand, particularly for future generations. She hopes to contribute both her corporate experience and community values to support the Trust’s continued growth and sustainability.

ROSALINE BLAKE

Patron

After more than four busy decades taking Pacific sports to the world, this Cook Islands pioneer has stepped up to her next level. She switched sport for diplomacy after retirement from the Cook Islands Sports and Olympic umbrella body, and is now retired from serving as the Cook Islands Consulate General, based in Auckland, New Zealand. She has come out of retirement to become the Patron of Te Maeva Nui NZ.

PEOPLE

We are focused on giving the community a voice to express their relationship with their culture

LANGUAGE

The loss of a language is a terrible thing! It leads to the loss of ones identity. Using ancient methods, chants, songs, and performance, we can help to reinvigorate the Cook Islands language in our people, both old and young.

CULTURE

Not being exposed to the Cook Islands culture in New Zealand leads to losses in the understanding of that culture. This is one way of integrating their culture back into the lives of our people.