The Pā’oa Revival Collective is made up of Cook Islands Maori individuals and artists with varying backgrounds, practices, and personal histories interwoven uniting our passion and dedication for the revival of pā’oa.
Ko nga tangata i roto i te Putuputu`anga Akaora i te Pā’oa e Maori Kuki Airani anake e e au ta`unga katoa oki i roto i te tu`anga `angarau e kua ruru okotai mai no te akaora`anga i te pā’oa.
Having known and worked with each other over the years across different settings and purposes, the Pā’oa Revival Collective was formed in 2019 in South Auckland, New Zealand.
Kua mātau e kua rare kapiti ana oki teia pupu tangata i nga mataiti i topa e i te mataiti 2019 i roto i te tua tonga o Tamaki-makaurau Aotearoa, kua akatupu ia i reira te Putuputu`anga Akaora i te Pā’oa.
Our Collective Profiles
Tepaeru-Ariki (Lulu) French
Researcher | Artist | Administrator
Tepaeru-Ariki is a daughter of an Aitutakian mother and British father, born and raised on the island of Aitutaki. She is an Auckland based practising medical doctor, artist, performer and mother. Tepaeru-Ariki also holds a Masters degree in Science, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and is a qualified secondary school teacher of Science and Biology. She has national and international performance experience and continues to weave both her passions of art and medical sciences in her everyday life.
E metua vaine no Aitutaki e, e metua tane no Paratane mai, kua anau ia a Tepaeru-Ariki e kua tupu mai a ia ki runga i te enua ko Aitutaki. E no’o ana a ia ki Akarana/Tamakimakaurau e tei reira a ia e rare ana tana rare taoate, rare ana i tana au peu amani’anga (art), ‘āitamu e te rare a te metua vaine. E peapa tona no roto mai i te api’i tua toru koia oki ko te Masters of Science, e pera katoa te Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, e puāpi’i katoa a ia no te api’i tua rua. I ‘āitamu ana a ia i konei i Aotearoa e pera katoa i te au enua tuketuke o roto i teia nei ao. Te āaere nei ei a ia i roto i tona ora’anga ma te raranga i tona inangaro i te api’i taote kopapa e te au peu amani’anga (art).
Naomi Dashwood
Project co-ordinator | Researcher | Artist
Naomi was raised by her maternal grandmother on the beautiful island of Aitutaki and has lineage to Mauke/Aitutaki/Rarotonga/Vaka Takitumu. She is passionate about her Cook Islands Culture and Language and is especially passionate about Cook Islands cultural dance and has performed Cook Islands dances across many stages. Naomi has worked primarily in the Social Services Sector for the NZ Government to pursue the safety and well-being of Children & Young People, working alongside professionals from across government sectors delivering reliable and consistent response to Child Protection matters in the community.
Kua tupu mai mai a Naomi ki roto i te rima o tona mama ruau i runga i te enua ‘aka’ie’ie ko Aitutaki. E piri’anga kopu tangata tona i Mauke/Aitutaki/Rarotonga/Vaka Takitumu. E ngakauparau ana a ia i te peu tupuna Kuki Airani e pera katoa te reo Maori Kuki Airani. E manganui tana au taua tuketuke i ‘āitamu ana ki runga. E rare ana a Naomi ki roto i te tua ‘Social Services’ o Aotearoa i te ākono’anga i te au tamariki e te au mapu tamariki na te pae atu i au tipatimani tuketuke a te kavamani no te ākono’anga, tauturu e te paruru atu i te au tamariki kia kore ratou e roko’ia e te kino e te tumatetenga.
Ma’ara Maeva
Researcher | Artist
Ma`ara Maeva is a Learning Specialist at Auckland War Memorial Museum Auckland New Zealand where he develops and delivers schools and community programs based on material culture. He is a descendant of the supreme god Io-te-atua-nui-manomano-tini and is a knowledge holder in east Polynesian cultures. He is of Mauke Cook Islands parentage and is steeped in the cultural traditions and knowledge of his heritage. He holds a Master’s degree in archaeology from the University of Auckland.
Ko Maara Maeva, e ‘Learning Specialist’ a ia i roto ia Tamaki Paeanga Hira (Auckland War Memorial Museum), i Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa nei. Ko tetai ana rare e ‘akatupu e te rarangi’anga tana te ka api’i no runga i te au peu. E uanga a ia no roto mai i te Atua ngateitei a Io-te-Atua-Nui-Manomano-Tini. Koia katoa tetai e mou ana i te kite-pakari o te au peu tei katui ia mai no te tua Maoake o Porinetia. No te enua mai ko Mauke, i roto i te Kuki Airani tona nga metua e kua na roto mai a ia i te au peu rave’anga a te ui tupuna. E peapa teitei tona koia oki ko te Masters i roto i te Archaeology (Apii’anga peu taito a te tangata) no ko mai i te api’i tuatoru ko te University of Auckland.
Ota Tuaeu
Metua tane/Elder & Knowledge Holder | Researcher | Artist
Ota Tuaeu is a veteran of the New Zealand Police Force with a history of twenty four years service. He was born and raised on the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and is one of a few surviving traditional knowledge holders hailing from Aitutaki. Having chosen early retirement to become a manager for the Cook Islands National Rugby team this gave him the opportunity to gain further education by attending Unitec, Te Wananga O Aotearoa and Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed a degree in Computing. Following this he went on to become a tutor in computing and Cook Islands language at Te Wananga and MIT. He is a well-respected knowledge holder in the field of Cook Islands drumming and percussions as well as tapa making.
Ko Ota Tuaeu, kua pou ia ia e ruangauru ma a mataiti i te rare’anga e Akava i Aotearoa nei. Kua anau ia a ia e kua tupu katoa mai a ia ki runga i te enua ko Aitutaki i roto i te Kuki Airani, koia katoa tetai tumu korero e ora nei no te enua mai ko Aitutaki. Kua iki a ia i te akaea vave i tana rare no te aere atu i te akateretere i te pupu tueporo o te Kuki Airani, kua rauka mai tetai tika’anga ki a ia kia ‘akama’ata atu i tona kite na roto i te aere’anga ki te api’i tuatoru ko te Unitech, Te Wanaga O Aotearoa e pera katoa a Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT). No roto mai i te apii MIT i rauka mai ei tona peapa teitei no te ‘Computing’. I te rauka mai anga teia peapa nona kua are atu a ia ei puapi’i no te Computing e pera katoa i te api’i i te reo Maori Kuki Airani ki roto i Te Wananga O Aotearoa e i MIT atu. E tangata akangateitei ia a ia no tona kite karape i te peu tangikā’ara e pera katoa i te amani kakau pakiri rakau (pā’oa).
Gerardus Verspeek
Digital Archivist | Researcher
My father is Dutch and my Mother is Rakahangan, Manihikian and Aitutakian; she was raised on the island of Aitutaki. I was born and raised in Auckland, NZ. My current role is a Solution Consultant for Spark where I design IT solutions for Corporate/Enterprise customers. I’m passionate about our Cook Islands culture and want to capture and share our culture using photography and video. Other volunteer work I’m involved with is in the Cook Islands Health Network Association NZ – working with our Health Professionals to improve the health and wellbeing of our Cook Islands Community.
Ko toku metua tane e Dutch, e toku metua vaine no Rakahanga, Manihiki e Aitutaki mai; kua tupu mai a ia ki runga i te enua o Aitutaki. Kua anau e kua tupu mai au i Tamakimakaurau, Aotearoa. E rare ana au ki roto i te ‘Solution Consultant’ o te kamapani ko ‘Spark’, i te kimi’anga i te au pau’anga ki te au manamanata. E matenga noku i toku peu Kuki Airani e toku inangaro tei roto i te mou’anga i te peu ki runga i te tutu e te vitio (video). Ko tetai rare ke atu aku, tei roto i te ‘akateitei’anga te turanga o te ora’anga o te ititanga na roto i te Cook Islands Health Network. Kua tapeka ia au kia Pipper e e rua a maua ngatamaine.
Pā'oa Revival Collective 