Some places are remembered for where people arrived. Avana is remembered for where they departed.

For generations, the sheltered waters of Avana Nui Maruarua in Ngatangiia have held profound significance in the story of the Cook Islands. It was from this passage that seven great vaka - Takitumu, Tainui, Te Arawa, Aotea, Mātaatua, Tokomaru and Kurahaupō - gathered before setting sail across Te Moana Nui a Kiva on the ancestral voyage to Aotearoa.

Along these shores, families farewelled loved ones, supplies were loaded, blessings were offered, and the spirit of exploration departed with them, carrying genealogy, language, knowledge and culture across the Pacific.

Ko Avana, ko te ara o te vaka - Avana is the path of the canoe.

On 25 June 2026, that story entered a new chapter as community members, traditional leaders, government representatives and project partners gathered for the official blessing and unveiling of Avana Nui Maruarua, the flagship site of the Taki Tua Peu Māori Cultural Storytelling Programme.

The programme celebrates the rich history of the Cook Islands through place-based storytelling, creating meaningful visitor experiences while ensuring culturally significant stories continue to be shared by the communities to whom they belong.

The ceremony began with prayer and blessing before remarks from Koropuaka Rangatira Tinirau Tamarua and Cook Islands Tourism Chief Executive Karla Eggleton, who acknowledged the many people whose vision, collaboration and commitment brought the project to life.

Like the ancestral departures it commemorates, the unveiling unfolded one stage at a time. Rangatira and mataiapo revealed each installation in sequence - the entrance sail signs, the seating beneath the toa trees, the seven vaka sails, and finally the Avana Storyboard, officially unveiled by Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown.

Together, these installations transform Avana into a place where history can be experienced in the landscape itself. Visitors are invited to pause, reflect and connect with one of the Cook Islands' most significant voyaging stories at the very place where it began.

The project was delivered in partnership with the Kaireva landowners, the wider Ngatangiia community, rangatira, mataiapo, local contractors and businesses, reflecting more than a year of collaboration to ensure every element remained authentic and guided by those with ancestral connections to the site.

Today, Avana Nui Maruarua stands as both a place of remembrance and a place of learning. It honours the courage of our tūpuna, celebrates the living connections between the Cook Islands and Aotearoa, and ensures these stories continue to inspire future generations.

As the first completed site in the Taki Tua Peu Māori Cultural Storytelling Programme, Avana Nui Maruarua is more than a cultural installation. It is an invitation to walk in the footsteps of those who came before us, to reflect on the journeys that shaped our identity, and to recognise that the stories of our vaka are not confined to history - they remain an enduring part of who we are today.

To read more about our stories for this historical area, go to Stories of Avana Nui

Visit our Avana Nui Project page for information on how this project came to life and construction details.