This week Cook Islands Tourism and partners announced the winners of the 16th round of the Vaka Pride Competition for Rarotonga.   Prizes to the total value of $10,000.00 in cash were shared out to community groups and individuals who work to maintain our little paradise.

Sieni Tiraa, Destination Development Coordinator at Cook Islands Tourism and coordinator of the Vaka Pride Competition spoke on behalf of the 9 agencies and organisations who are a part of the Vaka Pride programme saying that, “the Vaka Pride community initiative aims to assist with a variety of community initiatives, after all a vibrant community is what tourism thrives on.  And so rewards are given to individuals and groups that carry out rewarding work in areas ranging from maintaining cultural sites to maintaining public facilities, from work in the social sector to community policing and much more.  I am proud that the Vaka Pride Programme has so far given out cash prizes to the value of over $150,000.00 over the last five years, and this has all gone straight to community groups nominated for community work”.

The Akono i te Ao Rangi category awards community groups that keep public areas around the island clean and tidy.  These results are taken from the monthly clean up reports from Te Tango Akarangatira Ora’anga (Ministry of Internal Affairs) and the monthly compliance report from Te Tuanga Taporoporo (National Environment Service).  Those groups that exceed their cleaning expectations have a higher chance of winning this category as this generates bonus points for their village.

Congratulations to the following villages who have gone the extra mile in their cleaning efforts for their village and as a result have gained cash prizes towards community projects.

1st placing - $1,500 went to Tupapa Maraerenga  

Tupapa Maraerenga plan to use their winning funds to go towards new hand wash basins to be installed at the Sinai Hall, Tupapa Centre and the Tupapa Clinic (opposite the Rakahanga Hostel)

2nd placing - $1,200 went to Ruaau

Ruaau will use their winning funds to go towards their special projects of cleaning the clinics and the public cemetery in their area.

3rd placing - $1,000 went to Akaoa

Akaoa have nominated their winning funds to go towards cleaning community areas such as the churches, the Arorangi Sports Federation and the Aroa Nui Community Hall.

For this latest round the Vaka Pride committee focused on community gardens contributing towards points in the Peu Maori section.  This section was lead by the Ministry of Agriculture who nominated a small number of community gardens to be judged.  Each garden was inspected by the committee and awarded points based on criteria such as variety of crops, use of organic fertilizers, demonstrated traditional forms of planting, and innovative styles of raising crops.

Rewards went to the following avid farmers who contribute towards healthy and sustainable livelihoods for their community;

1st placing – $800 went to Nikao Growers Association

2nd placing - $600 went to Areumu Ingaua

3rd placing - $400 went to Cook Islands Fijian Community

Creative Centre, Cook Islands National Disability Council Rarotonga, and Te Kainga O Pa Taunga were nominated by members of the Vaka Pride committee for prizes in the Tupuranga Tangata category. This category looks at individuals or groups that address social issues in the community. All three groups were given an opportunity to make formal presentations to the Vaka Pride committee and share some of the services that they provide for vulnerable members of our community.  The heartfelt and emotional presentations left the Vaka Pride committee eager to assist and help, therefore an executive decision was made to award each Non Government Organisation equal reward.  Each group received a cash prize of $1,500.

“Meitaki maata to all the Mana Tiaki champions doing valuable work in the community” said Tiraa. She adds that, “the next round of the Vaka Pride competition is well underway having started at the beginning of July and finishes in October. The village cleaning committees on Rarotonga will be focusing on a nominated beach in their village to clean up.”

For more Vaka Pride information please contact Sieni Tiraa at Cook Islands Tourism on [email protected] or +682 29435